PROGRAM NOTES 02/26/10- This weeks show features stories from China Radio International, Radio Netherlands, Radio Havana Cuba, and the Voice of Russia

From CHINA- General Motors will cease producing Hummer vehicles after a sale to a Chinese firm was rejected by Chinese regulators. China is planning to help Colombia reduce cocaine production. China is not allowing the introduction of genetically modified versions of rice and corn because of health concerns. Police in Dubai continue to believe that Israeli secret service Mossad was behind the murder of a Hamas leader. A US drone attack in Pakistan killed 5 more civilians.

From NETHERLANDS- Radio Netherlands has eliminated SW broadcasts to North America. The decision is based on their surveys that find very few listeners in N America. If you ever listen to RN on shortwave please let them know- by email to letters@rnw.nl or send them a letter to RNW Worldwide, PO Box 222, 1200JG, Hilversum, The Netherlands.

The Dutch government collapsed following the Dutch Prime Minister's plans to extend the use of Dutch troops in Afghanistan- a discussion of how this will affect the Afghan war and NATO. Afghan President Karzai has seized control of the country's election watchdog, further eroding his legitimacy in the international arena.

From CUBA- Antiwar activists took to the streets of Berlin in response to government plans to increase troops in Afghanistan. Hundreds of thousands of Greek citizens are on strike to protest the imposition of austerity measures to save the failing economy. A Viewpoint on the creation of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States, formed this week at the Unity Summit in Mexico, as a replacement for the Organization of American States.

From RUSSIA- The government of Sudan has agreed to a ceasefire with the largest rebel group in the country. The Israeli Army has received the biggest drone ever made. The US Commander in Iraq said that the withdrawal of troops could be slowed down after the March 7 elections. An observation on the brewing conflict between Argentina and Britain over the oil and other resources in the Falkland Islands.

--"I think people are dazzled by Obama's rhetoric, and that people ought to begin to understand that Obama is going to be a mediocre president - which means, in our time, a dangerous president - unless there is some national movement to push him in a better direction."
--Howard Zinn