Preparing for North Korea’s Next Move, Volvo Drives Toward Electric Vehicles, Summer Nonfiction Picks

Coming up on today’s show: 

• As tensions with North Korea escalate, the people most likely to be affected by North Korean military action are the 10 million citizens just 120 miles from Pyongyang, in Seoul. Sung-Yoon Lee, a professor of Korean studies at the Fletcher School at Tufts University, discusses how the South Korean military is preparing civilians for potential action, and how South Korean citizens view the prospect of conflict with the North. 

• Earlier this year, Hawaii began working to overhaul its disaster preparedness and nuclear contingency plans as it confronts the reality of a more hostile North Korea. Matthew LoPresti is a Democratic state representative who introduced a resolution in the House to improve Hawaii’s readiness and protect its civilians.

• President Donald Trump is in Poland today for a short visit before this weekend’s G-20 Summit in Germany. Some in the European Union worry that his trip could be seen as an endorsement of Poland’s move toward a more restrictive government. Anne Applebaum, a Pulitzer Prize-winning historian and author of Gulag: A History and columnist for The Washington Post, discusses the significance of the visit. 

• A mob attacked Venezuela’s opposition-dominated National Assembly in Caracas on Wednesday. Joshua Goodman, Andean News Director for the Associated Press, has the story.

• In an announcement made yesterday, Volvo CEO Håkan Samuelsson stated that starting in 2019, vehicles will either be powered by battery or some form of a hybrid. Rebecca Lindland,an executive analyst for the automotive site Kelley Blue Book, discusses Volvo’s decision and the greater industry trend toward alternative energy.

• Has the auto industry peaked? And will President Trump’s executive powers be able to stem likely layoffs? Joel Cutcher-Gershenfeld, a professor in the Heller School for Social Policy and Management at Brandeis University, joins The Takeaway to help us navigate the future of American car manufacturers.

• You might think “novel” when you think of summer reading, but nonfiction titles can be just as enthralling for your time off. Dana Williams, chair of the Department of English at Howard University, shares her new summer nonfiction picks.

This episode is hosted by Todd Zwillich.