WikiLeaks’ Assange pleads guilty in deal with US that secures his freedom, ends legal fight
SAIPAN, Northern Mariana Islands (AP) — WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has been sentenced to time already served in Britain as part of a plea with the U.S. Justice Department that secures his freedom. The plea was entered Wednesday morning in federal court in Saipan, the capital of the Northern Mariana Islands, a U.S. commonwealth in the Pacific. The deal resolves a criminal case involving the receipt and publication of war logs and diplomatic cables that detailed U.S. military wrongdoing in Iraq and Afghanistan. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge Ramona Manglona, an appointee of President Barack Obama. She pronounced him “a free man.”
Who is Julian Assange, the polarizing founder of the secret-spilling website WikiLeaks?
WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — Before he emerged as an eccentric internet publisher of state secrets, WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange experienced an itinerant childhood and attended dozens of schools, becoming a computer hacker as a teenager. He was arrested in the 1990s for hacking a server and studied mathematics and physics at Australian universities. Assange went on to transform his radically anti-secrecy views into a document-leaking website that revealed U.S. and other countries’ military secrets. He spent seven years in the Ecuadorian Embassy in London and five in a British prison while he fought his extradition to the U.S. On Wednesday, his guilty plea resolved the U.S. legal case against him without any time in an American prison.
Rep. Lauren Boebert wins GOP primary after switching Colorado districts; Hurd, Crank also notch wins
DENVER (AP) — U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert of Colorado has won the Republican primary in a U.S. House race that she jumped into last year after switching districts. Boebert’s win comes despite a scandal over a video of her at a Denver theater and accusations of carpetbagging after fleeing what could have been a tough reelection bid in her current district. She is expected to win the November general election in the heavily conservative 4th District. In two other closely watched Republican contests, Attorney Jeff Hurd won the primary for the 3rd Congressional District seat currently held by Boebert, and political consultant and talk radio host Jeff Crank defeated Colorado GOP Chairman Dave Williams in the 5th District.
George Latimer, a pro-Israel centrist, defeats Rep. Jamaal Bowman in New York Democratic primary
George Latimer has defeated U.S. Rep. Jamaal Bowman, of New York, in a Democratic primary that highlighted the party’s deep divisions over the war in Gaza. Latimer is the county executive in Westchester. He entered the race with the backing of Jewish leaders and was backed by a spending spree from pro-Israel groups that sought to unseat Bowman over his criticism of Israel. Bowman was seeking a third term. He is one of the most liberal members of Congress and had accused Israel of committing genocide in Gaza.
Israelis’ lawsuit says UN agency helps Hamas by paying Gaza staff in dollars
NEW YORK (AP) — Israelis who were taken hostage or lost loved ones during Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack are suing the United Nations agency that aids Palestinians. A suit filed in a U.S. court this week alleges that the agency, known as UNRWA, has helped finance the militants by paying agency staffers in U.S. dollars and thereby funneling them to money-changers in Gaza. But UNWRA spokesperson Juliette Touma tells The Associated Press on Tuesday that the staffers were paid in dollars by their own choice. Gaza and the Palestinian territories don’t have their own national currency. The lawsuit marks the latest challenge to the beleaguered agency. It has been the main supplier of food, water and shelter to civilians during the Israel-Hamas war.
Israel’s military must enlist the ultra-Orthodox. What will that mean for Netanyahu and the war?
JERUSALEM (AP) — Israel’s Supreme Court unanimously ordered the government to begin drafted ultra-Orthodox Jewish men into the army. The landmark ruling on Tuesday seeks to end a system that has allowed them to avoid enlistment into compulsory military service. Ultra-Orthodox Jews, which make up about 13% of Israel’s population, are an essential part of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s fragile governing coalition. They oppose enlistment because they believe that studying full time in religious seminaries is their most important duty, but the exemptions have reopened a deep divide in the country and infuriated much of the general public during the war in Gaza.
Iowa floodwaters breach levees as even more rain dumps onto parts of the Midwest
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Severe storms with tornado warnings brought hail and heavy rain to parts of the Midwest as floodwaters breached levees in Iowa, creating dangerous conditions that prompted evacuations. The sheriff’s office in Monona County says the Little Sioux River breached levees in several areas Tuesday. Evacuation orders were issued, and roads were closed in the area. No injuries were immediately reported. Iowa officials say they expect to close parts of two highways near Council Bluffs because of floodwaters. At least two deaths are being blamed on the storms. President Joe Biden has declared a major disaster for several counties in Iowa to free up federal aid.
Judge alters Trump’s gag order, letting him talk about witnesses, jury after hush money conviction
NEW YORK (AP) — A judge has modified Donald Trump’s gag order, freeing the former president to comment about witnesses and jurors in his New York hush money criminal trial but keeping court and prosecution staff off limits. Judge Juan M. Merchan issued his decision on Tuesday. Trump’s lawyers had wanted the gag order fully lifted. They argued there was nothing to justify continued restrictions on Trump’s First Amendment rights after the trial ended May 30 in his conviction for falsifying records to cover up a potential sex scandal. Prosecutors had urged Merchan to keep most of the gag order in place at least until Trump is sentenced on July 11, but said they’d be OK with modifying it.
FDA warns maker of Sara Lee and Entenmann’s not to claim foods contain allergens when they don’t
Federal food safety regulators are warning Bimbo Bakeries USA to stop using misleading labels that say products contain potentially dangerous allergens when they don’t. Bimbo is the company behind major baked goods brands such as Sara Lee, Thomas’, Oroweat and Entenmann’s. U.S. Food and Drug Administration inspectors found that the company listed ingredients such as sesame or tree nuts on labels when they weren’t in the foods. FDA officials said Tuesday that food labels must be truthful. They also say labeling is not a substitute for preventing cross-contamination. Bimbo says it’s working with FDA to resolve the issue.
Suspect is dead after shootings near Las Vegas leave 5 people dead, teen injured, police say
LAS VEGAS (AP) — Authorities say a man fatally shot five people and wounded a 13-year-old girl before shooting himself as he was confronted by police near Las Vegas. The North Las Vegas Police Department said Tuesday the suspected shooter killed himself Tuesday as officers closed in. Police say they found 47-year-old Eric Adams armed with a gun in a residential neighborhood after receiving a tip that he was seen in the area. The department hasn’t disclosed a possible motive for the shootings Monday night at separate apartments in North Las Vegas.
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