LONDON: The British government has ordered the extradition of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange to the United States to face spying charges. WikiLeaks said it would appeal.
Home Secretary Priti Patel signed the extradition order on Friday, her department said. It follows a British court ruling in April that Assange could be sent to the US over WikiLeaks’ publication of a huge trove of classified documents more than a decade ago.
The Home Office said in a statement that “the UK courts have not found that it would be oppressive, unjust or an abuse of process to extradite Mr. Assange.”
“Nor have they found that extradition would be incompatible with his human rights, including his right to a fair trial and to freedom of expression, and that whilst in the US he will be treated appropriately, including in relation to his health.”
The decision is a big moment in Assange’s years-long battle to avoid facing trial in the US — though not necessarily the end of the tale. Assange has 14 days to appeal.
The US has asked British authorities to extradite Assange so he can stand trial on 17 charges of espionage and one charge of computer misuse. American prosecutors say Assange unlawfully helped U.S. Army intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning steal classified diplomatic cables and military files that WikiLeaks later published, putting lives at risk.
“Today is not the end of the fight. It is only the beginning of a new legal battle,” said Assange's wife, Stella Assange. She said the UK decision marked “a dark day for press freedom and for British democracy.”
“Julian did nothing wrong,” she said. “He has committed no crime and is not a criminal. He is a journalist and a publisher, and he is being punished for doing his job.”
A British judge approved the extradition in April, leaving the final decision to the government. The ruling came after a legal battle that went all the way to the UK Supreme Court.
Journalism organizations and human rights groups have called on Britain to refuse the extradition request.
Supporters and lawyers for Assange, 50, argue that he was acting as a journalist and is entitled to First Amendment protections of freedom of speech for publishing documents that exposed US military wrongdoing in Iraq and Afghanistan. They argue that his case is politically motivated.
Assange’s lawyers say he could face up to 175 years in jail if he is convicted in the US, though American authorities have said any sentence is likely to be much lower than that.
Assange has been held at Britain’s high-security Belmarsh Prison in London since 2019, when he was arrested for skipping bail during a separate legal battle. Before that, he spent seven years inside the Ecuadorian Embassy in London to avoid extradition to Sweden to face allegations of rape and sexual assault.
Sweden dropped the sex crimes investigations in November 2019 because so much time had elapsed.
UK approves extradition of WikiLeaks’ Julian Assange to US on spying charges
https://arab.news/vvnku
UK approves extradition of WikiLeaks’ Julian Assange to US on spying charges
Algerian TV channel suspended for racism against African migrants
- Since the start of April, Algeria has expelled some 5,000 Africans to neighbouring Niger, according to state television. About half were from Niger
ALGIERS: Algerian authorities on Friday suspended broadcasts by a television news channel for 10 days after it used a racist word on social media to describe African migrants.
Echorouk News TV used the derogatory word in a Facebook post after police raids in which migrants from sub-Saharan Africa were detained.
The ANIRA broadcasting authority called the publication "extremely serious".
The report contained "a racist and discriminatory term, an attack on human dignity, conveying hate speech against a category of people because of their race," said ANIRA which demanded that the channel's management make an official apology.
Tens of thousands of undocumented African migrants have used Algeria as a staging post to attempt to get to Europe. Many have sought jobs in the North African country.
Since the start of April, Algeria has expelled some 5,000 Africans to neighbouring Niger, according to state television. About half were from Niger.
Eurovision lifts ban on Palestinian flags as scrutiny of Israel’s participation grows
- Fans will now be allowed to bring and display any flag that does not contain racist content, hate symbols
- Iceland, Spain and Slovenia have all raised concerns about Israel’s participation at this year’s contest
LONDON: Organizers of the Eurovision Song Contest have lifted a ban on Palestinian flags for audience members, but maintained restrictions for participating artists, as pressure over Israel’s inclusion in this year’s event increased.
The change, confirmed by Danish broadcaster DR, marks a shift from the European Broadcasting Union’s longstanding rule prohibiting flags from non-competing countries and territories. That policy led to Palestinian flags being banned in previous years.
According to updated guidelines obtained by DR, fans will now be allowed to bring and display any flag that does not contain “racist and/or discriminatory content,” or symbols thought to incite hatred, violence, or linked to banned organizations.
In a statement to CNN, the EBU said the update seeks to “strike a balance to ensure that our audiences and artists can express their enthusiasm and identities,” while offering greater clarity for national delegations.
However, the relaxed policy applies only to the audience. Participating artists will still be restricted to displaying official national flags in all official Eurovision spaces, including the stage, green room, and Eurovision Village. Artists may show only the flag of the country they represent.
The revised policy comes amid growing criticism of Israel’s participation in this year’s contest to be held in Basel, Switzerland, with semifinals on May 13 and 15 and the final on May 17.
Officials in countries including Slovenia, Spain and Iceland have questioned Israel’s inclusion.
Icelandic Foreign Minister Porgerour Katrin Gunnarsdottir told a local outlet she found it “strange and actually unnatural that Israel is allowed to participate,” accusing the country of committing “war crimes” and “ethnic cleansing” in Gaza.
Despite these objections, the EBU has confirmed that Israel’s entry meets the competition’s rules. As with last year, large-scale protests are expected in Basel against Israel’s participation.
Despite pressure from pro-Israel organizations, Swiss authorities said demonstrations are permitted in principle, including those opposing Israel’s presence, provided they comply with public safety regulations.
Spotify, EA Sports test in-game music integration in Saudi Arabia
- Players in Kingdom can now link their account directly with video game
LONDON: Spotify and EA Sports have launched a pilot project that allows players to link their Spotify accounts directly with the EA Sports FC 25 video game.
The feature is being rolled out in Saudi Arabia and selected other markets.
The project, which was announced on Thursday, enables Spotify Premium users to log in via a new tab in the main game menu and control music playback during gameplay, including during team selection or from the pause menu.
The Swedish music platform said the partnership aimed at offering players more control over their in-game audio.
It said: “Long seen as the perfect companion to gaming, music boosts focus, amplifies adrenaline, and heightens the emotional highs of every match.
“Through this collaboration, players can now curate their perfect in-game soundtrack, listening to the artists they love.”
Podcast access and curated playlists will also be available.
The feature is currently accessible to Premium users playing EA Sports FC 25 on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S in Saudi Arabia and Australia.
The Kingdom has become a growing market for gaming and electronic sports, driven by a young and tech-savvy population.
Gaming now plays a prominent role in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 diversification strategy, with plans for the sector to contribute more than $13 billion to the economy and create tens of thousands of jobs, according to Savvy Games Group.
Riyadh hosted the inaugural Esports World Cup last summer, a large-scale tournament featuring 23 events across major titles including Fortnite, Call of Duty, and EA Sports FC, with a record-setting prize pool of $62.5 million.
Jeddah communication conference explores anime’s digital evolution
- The session focused on anime’s shift from traditional television broadcasts and DVDs to digital platforms, including live streaming, instant subtitling and cloud-based production
RIYADH: The eighth session of the Digital Communication Conference, titled “Anime in the Digital Space,” explored the transformation of Japanese anime over the past two decades, highlighting the impact of digital innovation and the internet.
According to Saudi Press Agency, the session focused on anime’s shift from traditional television broadcasts and DVDs to digital platforms, including live streaming, instant subtitling and cloud-based production.
Streaming giants such as Netflix, Crunchyroll, and Funimation were highlighted as pivotal players in the transition, offering translated or dubbed episodes immediately upon release and funding original series such as “Devilman Crybaby” and “Cyberpunk: Edgerunners.”
Speakers in the session, including Manga Productions CEO Essam Bukhary, said that social media and online forums have opened the door to unprecedented engagement among fans, as well as community and cultural interaction, since audiences now take part in evaluating episodes.
Concerns were raised that heavy dependence on technology could erode the handcrafted aesthetic that defines traditional anime.
Saudi Arabia’s burgeoning interest in manga and anime, which dates back to the 1970s, is helping to usher in a revolution in cultural production.
Japanese art forms have captivated audiences of all ages, gaining significant popularity in recent years. Their ability to combine entertainment, culture and education has made them of great interest to Saudi society.
To support this interest, the General Entertainment Authority has hosted events like the Saudi Anime Expo, drawing international visitors.
In line with these efforts, the ministries of culture and education launched the Manga Education program to nurture student talent, as well as integrate arts and culture into public education.
Israel arrests veteran Palestinian journalist in West Bank
- Ali Al-Samoudi’s family denies claims of links to Islamic Jihad
- Palestinian Journalists Syndicate condemns reporter’s arrest
DUBAI: Israeli forces arrested prominent Palestinian journalist Ali Al-Samoudi during an overnight raid on Tuesday in the northern West Bank city of Jenin, according to media reports.
Al-Quds newspaper correspondent Al-Samoudi, 58, was detained after the Israeli military raided and searched up his home in Al-Zahraa neighborhood, destroying “some of its contents”.
According to the military, he is accused of having ties with the militant Palestinian Islamic Jihad organization and transferring funds to the group. However, the military did not provide evidence to support the claim.
After he was interrogated at a disclosed location, Al-Samoudi was transferred to an Israeli hospital due to his health deteriorating, his son Mohammed told the BBC.
His family, who denies the accusations, was not informed of the name of the hospital where he was being treated, or any other details.
Al-Samoudi previously survived an attack by Israeli forces in 2022, the same assault that killed prominent Palestinian-American journalist Shireen Abu Aqleh, who was a correspondent for Al-Jazeera.
Al-Samoudi was shot and wounded in his back.
The Palestinian Journalists Syndicate condemned Al-Samoudi’s arrest in a statement on Tuesday.
As of April 30, 2025, the Committee to Protect Journalists has documented 79 arrests of journalists by Israel in the Palestinian territories of the West Bank and Gaza since Oct. 7 war began, in addition to five other arrests by the Palestinian authorities.
Forty-nine of these journalists, including the five held by Palestinian authorities, have since been released, while 35 remain under arrest.
The CPJ’s preliminary investigations also showed at least 176 journalists and media staff were killed during Israel’s war on Gaza, West Bank and Lebanon, marking the deadliest period for journalists in the region.
