This week's show features stories from Radio Deutsche-Welle, France 24, Radio Havana Cuba, and NHK Japan.

http://youthspeaksout.net/swr220429.mp3 (29:00)

From GERMANY- Emmanuel Macron was reelected president of France- many chose him as the lesser of two evils, many skipped voting or left the ballots blank. For the seventh year in a row countries have spent record sums of money on weapons- the war on Ukraine is pushing the figures even higher. Last year 2 trillion dollars were spent, with the US way out in front.

From FRANCE- More weapons spending on Ukraine was pledged at a US airbase in Germany- Germany had been hesitant about sending heavy weapons to Ukraine but under pressure offered 50 anti-aircraft tanks. Analysis and a press review about how close the influx of weapons to Ukraine is to crossing a redline from a Russian perspective. Russia had warned that advancing a proxy war could quickly become world war 3.

From CUBA- The government of Nicaragua announced the expulsion of the Organization of American States (the OAS) from its territory, due to its interference in their country. Venezuelan president Maduro denounced his Colombian counterpart Duque of orchestrating a plan to assassinate both military and police. A new study finds that the prosecution of corporate criminals in the US dropped by half in 2021. Steven Donziger was released from a thousand days of house arrest. Iran warned Israel that it knows the placement of all its nuclear weapon sites.

From JAPAN-The Japanese government has begun subsidizing fuel to ease the price for consumers. Shanghai has been on a strict Covid lockdown for a month. The US Navy sailed a guided missile destroyer through the Taiwan Strait, causing Chinese consternation. China will launch a third aircraft carrier later this year.