Latest from Reuters:
https://www.reuters.com/world/why-is-julian-assange-flying-remote-pacific-island...Why is Julian Assange flying to the remote Pacific island of Saipan?
By Lewis Jackson
June 25, 20246:12 PM GMT+10 Updated 2 hours ago
SYDNEY, June 25 (Reuters) - Better known for its sandy beaches and Second World War wrecks, the tropical Pacific island of Saipan will soon host the final act of Julian Assange's 14-year legal odyssey.
Assange is en route to a courtroom on the island where he is expected to plead guilty on Wednesday to a single criminal charge in a plea deal that will see him walk free and return home to Australia.
WHERE IS SAIPAN?
Saipan is the capital of the Northern Mariana Islands (NMI), a U.S. commonwealth in the western Pacific which begins roughly 70 km (44 miles) north of Guam and stretches across 14 islands.
Like territories such as Guam or Puerto Rico, the Northern Mariana Islands are part of the U.S. without the full status of a state.
The roughly 51,000 residents are U.S. citizens but cannot vote in presidential elections. Crucially, some, like Saipan, also host U.S. district courts.
Assange will appear in court at 9 a.m. local time on Wednesday (2300 GMT Tuesday)