Julian Assange Wins Right to Appeal Extradition; New State Department Report on RT and Sputnik

The Critical Hour

Alexander Mercouris, editor-in-chief at theduran.com and host of "The Duran" on YouTube, joins us to discuss Julian Assange. Julian Assange has won an appeal that will allow him to appeal his extradition decision to the U.K. Supreme Court. Assange's lawyer stated “What happened in court today is precisely what we wanted to happen. The High Court certified that we had raised a point of law of general public importance and that the Supreme Court has good grounds to hear this appeal… Make no mistake, we won today in court.”
Ray McGovern, former CIA analyst and co-founder of Veteran Intelligence Professionals for Sanity, joins us to discuss the NATO crisis. The New York Times and various British officials are claiming, without evidence, that Russia is planning on overthrowing the US-sponsored government of Ukraine. Also, a German navy chief has resigned over comments he made that President Putin deserves respect.
George Koo, journalist, social activist, and international business consultant, joins us to discuss China. Twitter has announced that they will be using the services of a hawkish anti-China think tank to curate information on their feeds. Also, notorious war hawk Michael McCaul is arguing that Russia is about to invade Ukraine and China is about to invade Taiwan.
Gerald Horne, professor of history at the University of Houston, author, historian, and researcher, joins us to discuss Africa. The Washington Post is reporting that the President of Burkina Faso has been detained in a possible coup attempt. Also, a French soldier has been killed in an attack on a military base in Mali.
Laith Marouf, broadcaster and journalist based in Beirut, Lebanon, joins us to discuss the Middle East. Al Jazeera is reporting that at least 120 people have been killed in pitched battles between ISIS and Kurdish fighters in Syria.
Dan Kovalik, writer, author, and lawyer, joins us to discuss the Global South. Russia is demanding that the US release kidnapped diplomat Alex Saab. Also, we discuss how Argentina, Brazil, and Chile will affect the political landscape in Central and South America over the next few years.
Ted Rall, political cartoonist and syndicated columnist, joins us to discuss a new US State Department report on RT and Sputnik. A new US State Department report which accuses Sputnik and RT of propaganda and lies is itself packed with previously debunked falsehoods.
Scott Ritter, former UN weapon inspector in Iraq, joins us to discuss Ukraine. Several sources are claiming that the US and the UK are abandoning their embassies in Kiev for fear of an imminent Russian invasion. Meanwhile, the EU has no plans to remove diplomats as long as diplomatic talks are continuing between the two sides.