The Shortwave Report March 4, 2022

This week's show features stories from NHK Japan, Radio Deutsche-Welle, and Radio Havana Cuba.
http://youthspeaksout.net/swr220304.mp3 (29:00)
From JAPAN- A brief update on Covid in Japan. Biden sent 5 former defense leaders to Taiwan which upset China. In Myanmar the media are being attacked by the military, leading to no opposition reporting. NATO is beefing up the defenses of allies in eastern Europe in response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The EU is spending $500 million on weapons to go to Ukraine.

From GERMANY- Part of the sanctions against Russia include blocking access to the SWIFT international payment system- will this bring into play China'a alternative cross-border interbank payment system or CIPS? Will this bring China and Russia even more interconnected? French President Macron said the invasion is the beginning of a new era for Europe and promised to increase military spending.

From CUBA- First a Viewpoint on the delight and profits that weapon makers are experiencing as a result of the invasion. The UN has warned of severe funding shortfalls are a threat to humanitarian food assistance in Yemen. And the UN said children in Afghanistan cannot be held hostage to the politics. Then a Viewpoint on the Russian claim that a goal of the invasion was to de-nazify Ukraine. Lula da Silva was visiting Mexico.