The Shortwave Report May 20, 2022

This week's show features stories from Radio Deutsche-Welle, France 24, NHK Japan, and Radio Havana Cuba.
http://youthspeaksout.net/swr220520.mp3 (29:00)
From GERMANY- The value of crypto currency took a plunge this week. The EU announced a 200 billion euro plan to develop more renewable energy, mostly wind power, to replace Russian fossil fuels by 2027. The heat wave in Pakistan has continued, reaching 51 degrees Celsius, or 124F. India is also experiencing record temperatures, driven by climate change.

From FRANCE- The UN Secretary General described a new annual report on the state of the climate as "a dismal litany of human failure." France is having exceptionally high temperatures for this time of year as well.

From JAPAN- The recently ousted Prime Minister of Pakistan is holding rallies around the country for a new election, saying a conspiracy of domestic and foreign powers was behind his removal. Hundreds of thousands of North Koreans are ill with Covid. The Japanese nuclear regulator approved the plan to release radioactive water from the devastated Fukushima nuclear reactor into the Pacific Ocean next Spring- the IAEA says it will monitor the discharges. There is a 2015 video called Fukushima- a nuclear story by Italian Matteo Gagliardi that I just saw and highly recommend to anyone concerned about the handling of radioactive waste by the company that will dump it in the Pacific Ocean.

From CUBA- The Consular of Europe for Human Rights has called on the UK not to extradite Julian Assange to the US. The Cuban Foreign Ministry replied to the US announcement of relaxing some restrictions on Cuba. Venezuela confirmed that the US has authorized oil companies to restart importing oil from Caracas. The Chilean government has completed drafting a new constitution. The UN Security Council unanimously condemned the killing of Palestinian American reporter Shireen Abu Akleh. Dozens of Palestinians holding a funeral for another Palestinian were attacked by Israeli forces.