PROGRAM NOTES 05/10/13- This weeks show features stories from CHINA RADIO INTERNATIONAL, the VOICE OF RUSSIA, SPANISH NATIONAL RADIO, RADIO HAVANA CUBA, and RADIO DEUTSCHE-WELLE.

From CHINA- China hosted the leaders of Israel and Palestine this week for separate consultations on investments and a peace plan. China is denying US allegations of cyberattacks and espionage.

From RUSSIA- The Pentagon is using a Chinese satellite for its Africa Command and has created worry that the US military may soon outsource much of its military purchases to China.

From SPAIN- Moscow saw large anti-Putin demonstrations on the one year anniversary of mass arrests. Pakistan has seen many Taliban attacks in the run up to this weekend's General election. Last weekend saw deadly Israeli attacks in Syria, and the UN determined that chemical weapon attacks were done by Western-backed Syrian rebels not the government.

From CUBA- Saudi Arabia has called on the UN to end Israeli airstrikes in Syria. The US and Russia announced plans to convene a new conference on Syria, while the Pentagon has drawn up contingency plans in the event that Syria breaks apart. The UN has heard testimony that Syrian rebels have deployed Sarin, a deadly neurotoxin. The NYT has reported that the US was already discussed launching strikes on Syria before Israel acted last weekend. At the 7th summit of Petrocaribe, Honduras and Guatemala joined the regional oil alliance. Bolivian President Evo Morales urged the Group of 77 to nationalize natural resources.

From GERMANY- Bangladesh is seeing riots over blasphemy. The EU is proposing punitive import duties on Chinese solar panels. Support for Angela Merkel in Germany's Parliamentary coalition is rapidly fading. The German government has approved the sale of 160 army tanks to Indonesia. Italian appeals courts upheld the tax fraud conviction against Silvia Berlusconi.

"Lucky that there's Silvio, otherwise we'd be completely in the hands of these gentlemen of the left... I will defend myself in the courts, exposing the accusers to ridicule, showing all Italians what stuff they're made of and what stuff I'm made of."
--Silvio Berlusconi, 2009