PROGRAM NOTES 02/17/17- This weeks show features stories from SPANISH NATIONAL RADIO, RADIO HAVANA CUBA, NHK WORLD RADIO JAPAN, and SPUTNIK RADIO.

From SPAIN- Alison Hughes begins with a report from France where violent protests against the police have continued nationwide for two weeks following the police abuse of a 22 year old man arrested for drug sales. The UN Security Council has denounced North Korea's missile test. The IAEA says that Iran is implementing the accord on its nuclear program as agreed with world powers. A corruption scandal which began in Brazil has spread to Peru, where former President Toledo has been accused of having received bribes of $20 million for major highway construction.

From CUBA- 20 cities in Mexico saw large protests against Donald Trump's rhetoric and his call for Mexico to pay for a border wall. In Ecuador, the right-wing candidate for president pledged to revoke the asylum granted to Julian Assange.

From JAPAN- Japanese Prime Minister Abe spoke to NHK about his two days of discussions with Donald Trump- Abe said Trump did not bring up his campaign promise to make Japan pay for US military protection. President Trump said that he plans to honor the one-China policy at the request of the Chinese President, and to have a summit between nations as soon as possible.

From RUSSIA- On his show Going Underground, Afshin Rattansi interviewed Andrew Feinstein, author of "The Shadow World- Inside the Global Arms Trade." They discussed British arms sales to Saudi Arabia which is being investigated by a high court, the secrecy imposed by national security shrouding the global arms trade, and violations of the international arms trade treaty. On a global scale, 40% of all bribes and corruption are over weapons sales, yet only two dealers have ever been incriminated.

"It's naive and even irresponsible for a grownup today to get her or his information about foreign policy and war and peace exclusively from the administration in power. It's essential to have other sources of information, to check those against one's own common sense, and to form your own judgment as to whether we ought to go to or persist in war."
--Daniel Ellsberg