Wikileaks founder Julian Assange set free after plea deal in US court
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Assange later landed in Australia. He hugged his wife and father at the airport in Canberra. Supporters cheered him.
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SAIPAN (Northern Mariana Islands, US), June 26: Wikileaks founder Julian Assange
was set free after he pleaded guilty in a deal in a US federal district court
in Saipan, the Capital of the Northern Mariana Islands, a US Commonwealth near
Guam and north of Australia, on Wednesday. Saipan was chosen as he wanted to
appear in a court closer home, Australia.
According to court filings, Assange (52) had earlier agreed to plead guilty and
the deal ended his imprisonment in Britain. He left Belmarsh prison in the UK
on Monday.
The charge against him is that he violated US espionage law, conspiring to
obtain and release classified US national defence documents in 2010, especially
on US wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. He was indicted during former President
Donald Trump's tenure. The documents were leaked by Chelsea Manning, a former
US military intelligence analyst, who was also prosecuted. There were more than
700,000 documents.
Assange was first arrested in the UK following a Swedish warrant in connection
with another case which was later dropped. He fled to Ecuador's embassy and
remained there for seven years. He was back in London's Belmarsh jail and was
for five years fighting extradition to the US.
He was to be sentenced to 62 months of time that he has already served. He
faced a legal battle lasting 14 years before the plea deal materialised.
Wikileaks said in a statement posted on social media platform X, "This is the
result of a global campaign that spanned grass-roots organisers, press freedom
campaigners, legislators and leaders from across the political spectrum, all
the way to the United Nations."
His indictment was decried the world over by sections of people as an assault
on freedom of the press.
Assange later landed in Australia. He hugged his wife and father at the airport
in Canberra. Supporters cheered him. His wife Stella said he would need time
to recuperate.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has also been pressing for Assange's
release.
Where is Saipan: Saipan, the Capital of the Northern Mariana Islands,
a US Commonwealth near Guam, lies north of Australia and east of Philippines
in the North Pacific Ocean. Time is GMT+10 hours. The Northern Mariana Islands,
like Guam and Puerto Rico, is part of the US but without the status of a State
and residents have no voting rights in the presidential election. However, it
elects and sends a non-voting Representative. The US took the islands in World
War Two. Saipan has a US federal district court.
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SELECTIONS FROM OUR ARCHIVES |
Two shot dead inside salon in south-west Delhi's Najafgarh
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One of them is seen in CCTV being shot at close range. The motive is suspected to be personal enmity.
TAILPIECE: Almost every other day we hear of shootings in one place or other in the country. India will very soon replace the US as the world's No 1 in the incidence of mass shooting. It will eclipse terrorism as a source of concern. Who can help? At least, has it occurred to anyone's mind?
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India shines at Grammys with Best Global for 'Shakti' fusion
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'This Moment' of Shakti fusion won the Best Global Music Album at the Grammys. Zakir Hussain has won two other awards too. In a great victory for Indians, five of them have won the Grammys this time. In other sections, Taylor Swift got her fourth Album of the Year award and Miley Cyrus got an award for the first time.
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Climate protesters attack Mona Lisa in Louvre, spray pumpkin soup
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past, deranged minds masquerading as tourists and cultists venting their frustration.
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TRAVEL ALERT: Dog attacks on the rise in Delhi-NCR; woman mauled by three strays
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Tamil Nadu police arrest ED official for accepting Rs 50 lakh bribe
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Ankit Tiwari had told the employee that “instructions had been received
from the Prime Minister’s Office to conduct an enquiry” and reopen the
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at Madurai on October 30, DVAC said. The doctor was allegedly
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probe, which was later negotiated down to Rs 50 lakh.
Tailpiece: We are made to believe RBI, CBI, ED, Judiciary as sacrosanct
and all others like railways, transport, revenue, education, PWD
departments are composed of us the mortals, absolutely corrupt! As if in
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night and fly away before day-break! Let's be true to ourselves, we are all
cut from the same cloth. |
Centre blocks Mahadev Book, 21 other online betting apps
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TAILPIECE: Polling dates for some States are round the corner. Top
politicians have begun their acrimonious debate who looted more, even as
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question every Indian should ask to oneself at least once a day!
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State Govt-Guv ding-dong reaches Supreme Court's door: Kerala joins
TN... |
His inaction amounts to defeating the rights of the people of the State to
welfare measures sought to be implemented through the Bills, the Kerala
Government's petition submitted, while the State of Tamil Nadu remarked
that its "Governor is acting as a political rival."
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person.
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Gujarat
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Doctors reasoned how the incidence of heart attacks is spiking over time and
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Retailers ask UK Govt to act against surging cases of shoplifting, assaults
on workers |
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Kamala bopping to rap in pink marks hip-hop anniversary on VP's lawn |
Harris said hip-hop is “the ultimate American art form” that “shapes every
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The social media had mixed reaction. There was much appreciation that
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