For today, links to five reports from Reuters, the Associated Press, and Consortium News; others are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (GAZA and UKRAINE entries for this date are HERE and HERE.) — MCM
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Passionate welcome for WikiLeaks founder Assange as he lands in Australia, by Peter Hobson and Kirsty Needham | Reuters CANBERRA — WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange landed to an ecstatic welcome in Australia today after pleading guilty to violating U.S. espionage law in a deal that sets him free from a 14-year legal battle. Assange disembarked from . . . READ MORE . . .
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WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange returns to Australia a free man after U.S. legal battle ends, by Rick Rycroft and Rod McGuirk | AP CANBERRA — WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange returned to his homeland Australia aboard a charter jet today, hours after pleading guilty to obtaining and publishing U.S. military secrets in a deal with Justice Department prosecutors that concludes a drawn-out legal saga. The criminal case of international intrigue came to an end in . . . READ MORE . . .
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FROM JUNE 25 WikiLeaks’ Assange pleads guilty in deal with US that secures his freedom, ends legal fight, by Mari Yamaguchi, Alanna Durkin Richer, Kimberly Esmores and Eric Tucker | AP SAIPAN, Northern Mariana Islands — WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has pleaded guilty to obtaining and publishing U.S. military secrets in a deal with Justice Department prosecutors that secures his liberty and concludes a drawn-out legal saga that raised divisive questions about press freedom and national security. READ MORE . . . Click HERE for June 25 report from Reuters.
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FROM JUNE 25 Stella Assange says she will seek a pardon for husband Julian, by Kate Holton and Michael Holden | Reuters LONDON — Stella Assange, the wife of WikiLeaks founder Julian, said Tuesday they would seek a pardon after he agreed to plead guilty to violating U.S. espionage law, bringing his long-running legal saga in Britain to an end. Assange . . . READ MORE . . .
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FROM JUNE 24 JULIAN ASSANGE IS FINALLY FREE, by Joe Lauria | Special to Consortium News He agreed to a plea deal with the United States. He left Belmarsh on Monday and is headed to Australia, WikiLeaks said. “He was granted bail by the High Court in London and was released at Stansted airport during the afternoon, where he boarded a plane and departed the UK,” WikiLeaks said in a tweet early Tuesday morning London time. Stella Assange, tweeted: . . . READ MORE . . .