UK court to rule on Assange bid to prevent US extradition

LONDON (AP) — Britain’s High Court is set to rule on whether WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange can take his fight against U.S. extradition to the U.K. Supreme Court. The decision is the latest step in Assange’s long battle to avoid being sent to the United States to face espionage charges over WikiLeaks’ publication of classified documents. Just over a year ago, a district court judge in London rejected an extradition request on the grounds that Assange was likely to kill himself if held under harsh U.S. prison conditions. The High Court overturned that ruling after the U.S. promised that Assange would not face severely restrictive conditions. Now Assange hopes to take an appeal to Britain’s top court.