Do America's Big Three Automakers Have a Future?

Making News

Leaders of North and South Korea Call for a Peace Treaty ()

This week, at their second meeting since the Korean War ended in 1954, the leaders of North and South Korea did something they've never done before. They called for a permanent peace deal.  Don Kirk reports from Seoul, South Korea for the Christian Science Monitor.

Guests:

• Don Kirk: Correspondent, Christian Science Monitor

Main Topic

Fixing the American Auto Industry ()

Sales at Ford Motor Company dropped 18% last month, and Toyota outsold Ford by 35,000 vehicles—many of which were Made in America. Meantime, workers at General Motors are voting on a contract some say will save the company—and maybe Ford and Chrysler, as well, although skeptics say the union didn't give up enough. These are bad times for the industry that once dominated the world's strongest economy. Can it become competitive once again? We hear more about that GM contract, mileage standards, global warming—and clean diesel.

Guests:

• John McElroy: Host, Autoline Detroit
• Peter Morici: Professor of International Economics, University of Maryland
• Harley Shaiken: Professor of Labor, UC Berkeley
• David Friedman: Reserach Director, Union of Concerned Scientists' Clean Vehicle Program

Links:

• California Zero Emission Vehicle Program
• Stan Ovshinksy and Energy Conversion Devices (ECD) Ovonics

Reporter's Notebook

A Soldier's Mysterious Death in Afghanistan ()

Ciara Durkin served in a finance unit in Afghanistan. Her family was first told she died "in action." Now the Army says she was killed by a single gunshot near a church. Sometime before she was killed, the Massachusetts National Guardswoman told her family that if anything happened to her, they should press for an investigation. Now, both Massachusetts Senators John Kerry and Ted Kennedy are demanding to know what happened, and an Army liaison has been with the family every day. Noah Bierman reports for the Boston Globe.

Guests:

• Noah Bierman: Reporter, Boston Globe, @Noahbierman