Congress could be steering the country towards the first government shutdown since the Clinton administration. Host Michel Martin speaks with columnist Joe Davidson of The Washington Post and Sudeep Reddy, a reporter with The Wall Street Journal, about the budget battle and what a potential shutdown could mean.

Although there are one-third fewer children working than there were in the year 2000, the problem continues. Many are employed in hazardous occupations involving dangerous machinery or harmful chemicals.

David Greene talks to IMF chief Christine Lagarde, who has advocated for what some people have labeled "harsh" austerity measures that forced struggling European nations to slash government payrolls and reduce public services.

The U.S. poverty rate has remained at about 15 percent for the third year in a row. Despite signs of an improving economy, getting out of poverty continues to be a challenge for many Americans.

A measure from the Republican-controlled House to temporarily fund the government while crippling the Affordable Care Act now goes to the Senate. But that chamber, controlled by Democrats, won't follow suit. And the clock is ticking toward a possible government shutdown.

The company plans to cut 40 percent, or 4,500 workers, as it continues to reel from a dramatic loss of market share to smartphone makers such as Apple.

The House GOP's vote on food stamps is a long way from George W. Bush's "compassionate conservatism" approach. The former president isn't fondly remembered by progressives for much, but anti-hunger advocates credit him for his strong support of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.

David Hawkings talks about reports that the Capitol Police were initially ordered to "stand down" during this week's Navy Yard shooting.

Lawmakers on Capitol Hill are debating the budget, and another pressing issue: whether to raise the debt ceiling. Christine Lagarde, managing director of the International Monetary Fund, told David Greene that those unresolved issues pose a risk to the global economy. On Monday, Morning Edition will air the interview with Lagarde.