To the Point

Korea-Japan World Cup: Rivalry or Rapprochement?

It has launched a war and been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize. Soccer, the internationally revered sport that draws Olympic-sized audiences, has the power to bring out the best and the worst in its fans. Next week, for the first time in its 72-year history, Asia will play host to soccer's World Cup. What impact will it have on South Korea and Japan, two countries with a long history of hostility, who've come together to host the games? We look at the World Cup and the passions and politics it inspires with an author who's written on the sociology of sports, a veteran soccer reporter, and Korean and Japanese experts on international relations. Sara Terry of the Christian Science Monitor guest hosts. Newsmaker: Global Impact of Senate's Fast Track Trade Bill Last night, the Senate passed legislation that would give President Bush the ability to "fast-track" trade negotiations, making it easier for him to pursue free trade deals. The bill also provides billions of dollars in new benefits for American workers hurt by imports. Rick Dunham, White House correspondent for BusinessWeek, has an analysis of the bill and what it portends for foreign competition. Reporter's Notebook: North Platte Canteen: The Best America There Ever Was They came from across America, millions of soldiers on their way to World War II, and the people of North Platte, Nebraska opened their hearts to every one of them. Chicago Tribune columnist Bob Greene has captured this love story between a country and its sons in his just-published Once Upon A Town: The Miracle of the North Platte Canteen. Read an excerpt from the book.