Segments From This Episode

• Fed’s optimism about economy is balanced by delta variant and slow job growth

  by Mitchell Hartman

  

  But the Federal Reserve’s biggest worry may be Congress opting not to raise the debt ceiling and the U.S. defaulting.

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• With a road map to higher interest rates, the Fed starts with baby steps

  by Kimberly Adams

  

  The U.S. economy will need to keep improving in order for rates to go up.

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• How Afghanistan’s money exchangers “grease the economy”

  by Kai Ryssdal

  

  The informal network of exchangers are making money available in ways banks can’t, says Cambridge research fellow Nafay Choudhury.

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• Evergrande crisis hits China’s investors, homebuyers

  by Jennifer Pak

  

  The Chinese property giant Evergrande was known as a risky business operator, but for years investors didn’t seem to care — until now.

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• NYC passes new protections for delivery app workers

  by Kristin Schwab

  

  DoorDash opposed the measures, which set standards for delivery distances and minimum payments per order.

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• Public schools see fewer enrolled kindergartners. Where’d they go?

  by Caroline Champlin

  

  Kindergarten enrollment declined by 10% in Michigan public schools last year, according to a new study. It’s not only happening there.

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• The “organizational nightmare” of managing a classroom this year

  by Kai Ryssdal and Maria Hollenhorst

  

  According to high school art teacher Megan Anzalone, the number of students quarantining this year makes her job more challenging.

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