Assange's refuge in Ecuadorian embassy 'in jeopardy'
London, May 25: WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange's nearly six-year refuge inside the Ecuadorian Embassy in London is "in jeopardy" as he faces possible arrest by British authorities and subsequent extradition to the US, a media report said.
Assange has in the past claimed his position in the embassy was under threat but his current situation is "unusually bad" and he could leave the embassy "any day now", informed sources told CNN on Thursday.
"He will be forced out or made to feel so restricted that he might choose to leave on his own," the sources said.
Earlier this year, the Ecuadorian government cut off Assange's access to the internet, making it virtually impossible for him to manage WikiLeaks.
He has also had his access to visitors severely restricted. Assange is now only allowed to see his lawyers, who said their phones are jammed while they are inside the embassy.
British authorities have said that they would issue a warrant for Assange's arrest if he were to leave the embassy, CNN reported.
He faces charges in the UK for breach of bail for failing to surrender for extradition to Sweden, despite the fact that Sweden stopped investigating an allegation of rape against Assange in 2017.
Swedish prosecutors however, maintain the right to resume the investigation if Assange leaves the embassy.
The US has prepared charges to seek the arrest of Assange, who US intelligence agencies believe Russia used as an intermediary to distribute hacked emails from Hillary Clinton's campaign during the 2016 presidential election.
Ecuador's President, Lenin Moreno, is under increasing pressure from the US to expel Assange.
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Salman Khan receives fresh death threat via WhatsApp; FIR registered, security tightened
Mumbai: Bollywood superstar Salman Khan has received another death threat, this time via a message sent to the official WhatsApp number of the Worli Traffic Department. The threat warned that the actor would be killed at his Bandra residence and that his car would be blown up with a bomb.
Following the receipt of the message, the Worli Police registered an FIR against the unidentified sender and have initiated efforts to trace the source of the threat.
Security has been tightened around Khan’s home at Galaxy Apartments in Bandra. The actor and his team have yet to release an official statement regarding the incident.
This threat adds to a series of ongoing intimidations targeting the actor, allegedly linked to the Lawrence Bishnoi gang. In April 2024, a threat letter was dropped near Khan’s father, Salim Khan, during his morning walk, escalating the security concerns for the family.
In response to the threats, Salman Khan has installed bulletproof glass in his home and limited his public appearances. He has also reduced outdoor shoots and maintains a restricted crew for indoor filming.
On Sunday, the actor was seen at Mumbai airport in a serious mood, accompanied by his bodyguard Shera, who was visibly agitated with the media presence.
Police investigations are underway, and further details are awaited.
