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

http://www.outfarpress.com/swr200807.mp3

From GERMANY- A brief roundup of Covid news from across the globe. A leading German doctor says that a second Covid wave is underway in her country. Meanwhile between 20,000 and 1 million Germans protested Covid restrictions in Berlin last weekend, receiving widespread criticism from politicians and health authorities.

From CUBA- Cuba was shocked to hear reports from Washington attempting to link their free medical assistance to human trafficking. At least 212 land and environmental defenders were murdered last year according to the organization Global Witness. The Supreme Court in Brazil has removed the complaint that prevented Lula da Silva from running in the 2018 election. Thousands of Israelis have been protesting against Netanyahu, demanding he resign. Israeli has launched new bombing raids on Gaza, and the US Congress passed an aid package to helpIsrael develop its surface to air missile systems. Palestine has appealed to the EU prevent Israel from building hundreds of new settler housing units in the occupied West Bank. Last Saturday the President of Lebanon said they would defend their border towns which were recently bombed by Israel. Two days ago much of Beirut was destroyed by a massive explosion, which is as of press time being called an accident.

From RUSSIA- On his show called Going Underground, Afshin Rattansi spoke with Geoffrey Robertson QC famed human rights defender. They discuss Julian Assange who remains in prison without a trial to see if he will be extradited to the US, the fear that is intended to keep journalists from revealing war crimes and other state secrets, and the myth of Assange being a Russian asset.

From JAPAN- Thursday was the 75th anniversary of the US dropping an atomic bomb on Hiroshima. The date is always observed in Japan, but attendance was limited because of the pandemic. People spoke of the need to implement a UN plan to abolish all nuclear weapons, though president Abe feels it is a wrong approach, in line with the US and Russia.