GoingUndergroundTV

Going Underground Social Media Producer Farhaan Ahmed speaks to Kawsachun News reporter Ollie Vargas. He discusses the declaration of victory by Pedro Castillo in Peru, the allegations of election fraud by his far-right rival Keiko Fujimori, what's next for Bolivia under the MAS and President Luis Arce, security in Bolivia after the 2019 US-backed coup, former President Lula Da Silva running to be President again in 2022 against Jair Bolsonaro, the state of the Bolibarian Revolution in Venezuela after years of US sanctions and Maduro bringing in foreign oil companies into Venezuela's energy sector, setbacks for the left in Ecaudor with the defeat of Andres Arauz and election of Guillermo Lasso and much more!

We speak to Afghanistan’s Former Ambassador to China, Prof. Janan Mosazai. He discusses the US withdrawal from Afghanistan which is almost complete, the risk of state collapse and all-out civil war between The Taliban and Afghan Government, the significance of the Tehran Inter-Afghan Summit and the role that other heavyweights such as Turkey, Iran, Pakistan and others in the region could play in either an all-out proxy war or development of peace in Afghanistan, the role of China in helping build stability in Afghanistan, why Afghanistan is very important for China geopolitically and much more!

On this online exclusive interview of Going Underground, Social Media Producer Farhaan Ahmed speaks to Alan Macleod, senior staff writer at Mint Press News and author of ‘Bad News From Venezuela: 20 Years of Fake News and Misreporting’. He discusses Western media bias against the Bolivarian Revolution from the start of Hugo Chavez’ Presidency and the roots of the bias, Venezuela’s dispute with COVAX as US sanctions cause Venezuelan transactions for vaccines to be blocked, the state of Venezuela’s public sector and social programs as the US oil embargo and crippling sanctions causes government revenue to continue shrinking, the state of the Venezuelan opposition as Juan Guaido has arguably lost all momentum, whether President Nicolas Maduro is incorporating neoliberalism in trying to fuel economic recovery, whether a second Pink Tide of left-wing governments sweeping Latin America can aid Venezuela’s recovery and much more!

We speak to Jay Naidoo, a former cabinet member under anti-apartheid hero and former South African President Nelson Mandela. He discusses the mass social unrest that has occurred in the past week following the arrest of former President Jacob Zuma, the causes of the violence and unrest, neoliberalism’s failure in South Africa under the African National Congress, why a new South African system has to incorporate the ideas of the young generation and put ecology at the centre, the anti-apartheid campaign and the effects of the world boycotts of South African cricket and football which helped change white Afrikaner minds in South Africa and much more.

We speak to Palestine’s Ambassador to the UK Husam Zomlot. He discusses the importance of Nabka Day where 750,000 Palestinians were violently displaced as Israel was created, the link between Nakba Day and Sheikh Jarrah, the arguable failure of the Palestinian Authority to protect Palestinians from Israeli airstrikes and occupation, the growing unity of Hamas and the PA against the Israeli occupation, the need for the Palestinian resistance to go ‘all the way’ and end what he calls Israeli apartheid and supremacy, why he believes trying to defeat Israel’s occupation militarily will not work.

We speak to George Birnbaum, former Chief of Staff to former Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Chief Strategist and pollster for the new Israeli PM Naftali Bennett. He discusses the summit between US President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s push for NATO membership, whether Naftali Bennett assuming the executive office in Israel will cause any real shift considering his opposition to a 2 state solution and previous bragging about killing Arabs, the turn back to armed struggle for the Palestinian resistance and much more!

We speak to the Cuban Ambassador to the UK Bárbara Montalvo Álvarez. She discusses the anti-government protests in Cuba and the biased Western media coverage, the role of US companies in fomenting the unrest with hashtags such as SOSCuba, the effects of the US embargo on the Cuban economy which she calls a genocidal policy, the Cuban medical industry and its production of homemade vaccines, the US’ listing of Cuba as a state sponsor of terror, Cuba’s warmth to the prospect of Lula Da Silva returning to power in Brazil amid what some call the Second Pink Tide and much more! STATEMENT FROM THE EU: · In relation to the broad waiver proposed by a number of WTO members, the European Commission, while ready to discuss any option that helps end the pandemic as soon as possible, is not convinced that this would provide the best immediate response to reach the objective of the widest and timely distribution of COVID-19 vaccines that the world urgently needs. The EU’s proposals to the WTO (4 June) aim at achieving that objective in a swift and effective manner. · We would need to have more information to assess the US position and how it compares to the proposal already made by India and South Africa at the World Trade Organization. · The priority for the EU is to ramp up production of COVID vaccines to achieve global vaccination. The EU is at the forefront of deliveries of effective vaccines to the rest of the world: so far, more than 500 million doses have been exported outside the EU. As many as have been delivered to Europeans (by mid-July). · In the short term, we maintain that it is key for all vaccine producing countries to allow export immediately and to avoid measures that disrupt the supply chains. · Vaccine production requires complicated biological processes, involving know-how, technology, skilled personnel and infrastructure. It is not by simply waving intellectual property rights that safe and effective vaccines can be produced, but rather by collaboration between those that have the knowledge and those that have the capacity. · If voluntary solutions fail and intellectual property becomes a barrier to treatments or vaccines against COVID-19, the necessary mechanisms are already available under the TRIPS Agreement. This is why the EU presented specific proposals on how to facilitate the use of compulsory licencing in the context of a pandemic. This is a practical response to the specific concerns related to potential difficulties for making use of this existing TRIPs flexibilities. · The EU is engaged in a text-based process in the TRIPS Council to ensure that the IPR regime supports efforts to enhance access to COVID-19 vaccines and therapeutics. · This is also why Europe committed EUR 1 billion to create with our African partners and our industrial partners manufacturing hubs in different regions in Africa.

We speak to David Stubbs, friend and colleague of the late political commentator Mark Fisher and author of ‘ The Story of Electronic Music from Stockhausen to Skrillex’. He discusses the significance of Mark Fisher’s political commentary and journalism, his anti-neoliberal capitalism views and optimism for a brighter future, the mental health struggles Mark Fisher faced and why he attributed the mental health crisis with life in the 21st century, his view that everything is political, the Euro 2021 final between England and Italy, the England Football team and why it represents a more positive nationalism when they kneel in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement and much more!

We speak to Clare Daly MEP. She discusses the Julian Assange case and how it shows the hypocrisy of the West in calling out Russia on human rights abuses and Alexei Navalny’s arrest, the hawkish framing of the Vladimir Putin-Joe Biden summit by the Joe Biden administration, the West’s tensions with China and why the policy is pushing the EU closer to the United States, the myth of the Chinese threat, Ireland’s recent actions against Israel’s occupation of Palestine, the painting of Russia and China as imminent threats and much more! We contacted the European Parliament about the allegations in this show and they directed us to this article: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/headlines/world/20210128STO96606/eu-russia-relations-under-strain-what-are-the-causes

We speak to Wikileaks Editor-in-chief Kristinn Hrafnsson. He discusses the leaks showing up to 50,000 people were potential targets of the Pegasus spyware that has been sold to governments around the world by NSO, an Israeli company and the inescapable global surveillance apparatus, that has also now become privatised. He also discusses the Julian Assange US extradition case, where he slams the ongoing detention of Julian Assange despite a key witness in the case against Julian Assange admitting to lying. STATEMENT FROM NSO: “It is no surprise that this story has a splashy headline. When reading the story, readers quickly learn that there is no link between the 50,000 numbers to NSO Group or Pegasus. “In fact, even the Washington Post’s editor stated that “the purpose of the list could not be conclusively determined” and the list does not identify who puts the numbers on it or why. The report itself stated that “it is unknown how many of the phones were targeted or surveilled”. “Then the readers learn that the actual story is built around 37 of the 50,000 phone numbers, and even for those 37 - the reporters fail to prove a definitive link between the numbers and NSO. “This list is an equivalent of opening the WhitePages, choosing randomly 50,000 numbers, and drawing headlines from it. “The story has been flimsy from the beginning. When editors contacted NSO Group last week after spending months researching rumors and innuendos, the claim was even more sensational, not to mention imaginary. They originally claimed that the 50,000 numbers were found on an NSO server. After realizing that it’s impossible, since Pegasus has never been licensed that many numbers, and because NSO servers do not have such kind of data, the editors quickly turned their story into a massive ‘what if’, only not to ruin a good headline. “Now the new claim is that these 50,000 numbers exist on an unfamiliar list with no ties whatsoever to NSO. Yet, somehow, the editors decided to run with this story, even after it became clear that their unidentified sources had misled them, most likely intentionally. “Finally, instead of admitting that there is no massive plot, the editors and reporters are intentionally misleading readers using twists and turns to distract from that elusive term – “the truth”. “As NSO has previously stated, our technology was not associated in any way with the heinous murder of Jamal Khashoggi. We can confirm that our technology was not used to listen, monitor, track, or collect information regarding him or his family members mentioned in your inquiry. We previously investigated this claim, which again, is being made without validation. “We also stand by our previous statements that our products, sold to vetted foreign governments, cannot be used to conduct cybersurveillance within the United States, and no foreign customer has ever been granted technology that would enable them to access phones with U.S. numbers. It is technologically impossible and reaffirms the fact that your sources claim have no merit. “Notwithstanding the above, NSO Group will continue to investigate all credible claims of misuse and take appropriate action based on the results of these investigations. This includes shutting down of a customers’ system, something NSO has proven its ability and willingness to do, due to confirmed misuse, has done multiple times in the past, and will not hesitate to do again if a situation warrants. “NSO Group’s technologies have helped prevent terror attacks, gun violence, car explosions and suicide bombings. The technologies are also being used every day to break up pedophilia, sex, and drug-trafficking rings, locate missing and kidnapped children, locate survivors trapped under collapsed buildings, and protect airspace against disruptive penetration by dangerous drones. Simply put, NSO Group is on a life-saving mission, and the company will faithfully execute this mission undeterred, despite any and all continued attempts to discredit it on false grounds.”

We firstly speak to Nick Dearden, Director of Global Justice Now. He discusses Boris Johnson’s cutting of the foreign aid budget, the use of British aid to fuel privatisation and big business, the need for the UK to pay reparations to countries which have been the victims of the British Empire, how UK foreign aid has been used for soft power and inappropriate ventures, the need for global wealth redistribution and how foreign aid needs to be reformed globally to stop funds being used only to benefit big business and promoting neoliberalism, vaccine apartheid and the disparity between the global south and global north, how big pharma is making life and death decisions on who lives and who dies in the Coronavirus pandemic, the failure of COVAX and much more!

We speak to the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organisation’s Chief Economist Maximo Torero. He discusses the large increase in people around the world who are chronically undernourished, how the Coronavirus lockdown-fuelled economic recessions have reduced incomes dramatically and fuelled the food security crisis, the role of climate change and conflicts in exacerbating world hunger, why the FAO 2021 report doesn’t focus as much on hunger and poverty in Western countries, Cuba’s successful elimination of hunger prior to the pandemic and much more!

we speak to Steve Killelea, founder of the Institute for Economics & Peace, about the Global Peace Index 2021 report. He discusses the deterioration of peace through the Coronavirus pandemic, the increase of violent mass demonstrations against inequality and racial discrimination, the most violent countries in the world being in Latin America and much more!

We firstly speak to the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights and the Environment, David Boyd. He discusses the class dynamic of the climate change crisis and how the rich are overwhelmingly to blame for the rise in CO2 emissions, how poor countries are bearing the brunt of the effects of climate change, why it is the responsibility for richer countries to fight climate change, myths about China being the world’s worst polluter, the increasing fatality of air pollution and much more!

We speak to Barnaby Phillips, author of Loot: Britain and the Benin Bronzes, a colonial-era theft of some of the most awe-inspiring art in Africa from modern day Nigeria. Phillips discusses the ongoing battle for formerly colonised countries to get their national treasures back from colonial powers. #BeninBronzes #Nigeria #Politics STATEMENT FROM THE BRITISH MUSEUM: The British Museum works in partnership with colleagues, communities and organisations across the world. We are currently collaborating with The Legacy Restoration Trust (LRT) in Nigeria and Adjaye Associates on major new archaeology project, linked to the construction of the Edo Museum of West African Art (EMOWAA). This innovative collaboration will investigate the archaeology of the Kingdom of Benin, including archaeological remains buried below the proposed site of the new museum. The EMOWAA will reunite Benin artworks from international collections. The Benin Dialogue Group, of which the BM is a member, will work with EMOWAA to help develop this new permanent display of Benin works of art. The devastation and plunder wreaked upon Benin City during the British military expedition in 1897 is fully acknowledged by the Museum and the circumstances around the acquisition of Benin objects explained in gallery panels and on the Museum’s website. We believe the strength of the British Museum collection resides in its breadth and depth, allowing millions of visitors an understanding of the cultures of the world and how they interconnect over time – whether through trade, migration, conquest, or peaceful exchange.

We speak to Khing Maung Zaw, lawyer for detained former State Counsellor of Myanmar Aung San Suu Kyi. He discusses his family’s role in the heroic resistance of communist Aung San, who helped liberate Myanmar from colonial rule, the condition of Aung San Suu Kyi and the conditions she faces in prison, international action on her detainment and action against the military regime, the atrocities committed against Rohingya Muslims, the geopolitics of the Myanmar-China relationship and much more!

We speak to Antony Loewenstein, independent journalist and author. He discusses the arrival of new Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, how Bennett’s record is largely similar to Netanyahu’s if not even more right-wing, the analysis that 100 out of 120 members of the Israeli Knesset are pro-occupation, international pressure on Israel as the “only way” to end the occupation of Palestine, the extent of US influence over Israeli policy, Israel’s refusal to acknowledge its own nuclear weapons programme, the double standard on the nuclear weapons issue for countries such as Iran and much more!

We speak to Victor Gao, Vice President of the Center for China and Globalisation. He discusses the COVID-19 lab leak theory and makes the case against why the claim is a baseless conspiracy, highlighting the fact COVID-19 samples have been discovered in many other parts of the world that predate the Wuhan outbreak, US funding for Chinese virus research, the closing of Chinese databases and the absence of a direct species source for zoonotic transmission of the virus, the Uighur Tribunal and much more!

We speak to Prof. Guy Standing. He discusses his new book ‘The Corruption of Capitalism’, the shocking revelations made by Dominic Cummings about disastrous Coronavirus pandemic mismanagement by the Boris Johnson government, arguable neglect and chronic corruption, the revolving door between big finance and politics in the UK, the financial sector’s tremendous control and influence over the British economy, the mainstream media being a part of the rentier economy system, how big financial companies groom people to go into politics to ensure favourable policy, why work doesn’t pay in the UK and how the economy directs most wealth to the capitalist class, why the furlough scheme was fundamentally unfair, the prospect of economic catastrophe coming out of the pandemic for the working class killing more people than Coronavirus in the UK, mass privatisation of public services due to neoliberal economic doctrine and much more!

We firstly speak to Nicholas Wade, former Science Editor at the New York Times. He discusses the hypothesis that Coronavirus may have been manipulated and leaked from a laboratory, COVID-19’s ability to target human cells from the very start, what makes COVID-19 unique in the same family of viruses, US funding for research at the Wuhan Institute of Virology and much more!

We speak to Mahesh Zagade, former Principal Secretary to the Government of Maharashtra. He discusses the Coronavirus catastrophe in India where over 326,000 people have died from the disease, Narendra Modi’s failure to secure enough vaccine supplies for India despite it being one of the pharmaceutical production hubs of the world, the Indian variant and the causes of its ‘black fungus’ in some patients and more! Afshin Rattansi challenges him on the Indian government’s neoliberal approach to the pandemic, arguably prioritising big pharma Coronavirus vaccine profits thanks to contracts with foreign countries as hundreds of thousands continue to die and go without the vaccine in India. #India #Coronavirus #Modi Indian High Commission spokesperson: "India’s domestic vaccination programme started in January 2021 and within a few days, we also started assisting our immediate neighbours. Quite appropriately, Vaccine Maitri began in the immediate neighbourhood. The extended neighbourhood followed thereafter including nations of the Gulf. We were also mindful of our obligation to fulfil contractually binding agreements both bilateral and also via COVAX -the UN run initiative to vaccinate the poor and vulnerable. "By 25 May, India had supplied over 66 million doses of home-produced vaccine to 95 countries (including 10 million gratis, others under contractual obligations or through COVAX), and had vaccinated her population with 196.4 million doses, setting a global benchmark of being the fastest nation to do so, having administered 170 million doses in 114 days (the US took 115 days, and China needed 119 days) . At the end of February we had less than 10,000 cases a day. Therefore, sending vaccines to some vulnerable regions was a pragmatic decision in the interest of welfare and well-being of humanity. "India has currently approved three vaccines - Covaxin of Bharat Biotech, Covishield of Serum Institute and Sputnik V. India, being the largest producer of vaccines in the world, has the capacity to ramp up production by speedily licensing the indigenously developed Covaxin to other producers. We are also pursuing procurement of 510 million doses by the end of August 2021 and, between September and December 2021, we anticipate the procurement of over 2 billion doses, which should be enough to fully vaccinate everyone above 18 years in India."

We speak to the late leader of the Palestinian Liberation Organisation Yasser Arafat’s nephew Dr. Yasser Al-Kidwa. He discusses the Presidential election next door in Syria which saw Bashar Al-Assad re-elected for another 7 year term, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s visit to Ramallah to meet with Mahmoud Abbas, perceptions that the Palestinian Authority and ruling elite are out of touch for still pursuing negotiations with the United States, whether the Palestinian resistance is moving towards armed struggle as Hamas has arguably sidelined the Palestinian Authority, Mahmoud Abbas’ attempts to remove him from the Yasser Arafat Foundation’s board of directors, how the situation would look if Yasser Arafat were to be leading the resistance in 2021 and much more!

We speak to Prof. Forrest Hylton, Associate Professor of Political Science at the National University of Colombia. He discusses the causes of the protests that have rocked the government of US-backed President Ivan Duque, Duque’s proposed ‘regressive’ tax laws abs neoliberal US-style healthcare reforms, the dire economic situation of millions of Colombians living in poverty, statistics of Colombian police brutality and sexual violence against women protesting, the growing number of forced disappearances, his belief that Ivan Duque will try to sabotage the chances of leftist candidate Gustavo Petro, the US’ lack of action against the crackdown in Colombia and much more!

We speak to Daniel Levy, Israeli negotiator in the Oslo 2 agreements. He discusses the US’ inaction over the Israeli aerial bombardment of Palestine and how China showed leadership at the UN in trying to begin international action against Israel, whether the Palestinian resistance is moving away towards armed struggle following Hamas’ show of force despite Israeli bombardment, how public opinion among Democrats is shifting towards a pro-Palestinian position after Israeli PM Netanyahu and former President Trump made Israel’s occupation of Palestine a partisan issue, the designation of Israel as an apartheid state and much more!

We speak to the lead scientist in the Oxford team which designed the AstraZeneca vaccine, Dr. Adrian Hill. He discusses the process of the development of the vaccine, early hypotheses that existing vaccines such as the polio vaccine could help fight Coronavirus and why these claims were not accurate, the Indian variant of COVID-19 and if the Oxford-AstraZeneca and other vaccines will be able to protect against it, reports of blood clots associated with the vaccine, calls for the removal of patents on vaccines to give global south countries access and the ability to produce vaccines of their own and much more!