the hearing has been ongoing in the mariana islands. thejudge says julian assange the mariana islands. thejudge sastulian assange will walk away a free man — that's the information coming in from the remote us territory. the wikileaks founder has been fighting extradition to the us on espionage charges for over a decade now. let's take a look at the key dates that have brought us to this point. the wikileaks cofounder has been fighting extradition to the us on espionage charges for over a decade. let's look at the key dates that have brought us here. in 2010, julian assange was part of a flood of classified military files and diplomatic cables spilled by wikileaks that year. months later, an international arrest warrant was issued. sweden wanted to question him about sexual assault allegations made by two women. to avoid extradition, he sought refuge in ecuador�*s london embassy. he'd spend seven years there. but in 2019 — in a dramatic moment — he was dragged out of the embassy after the ecuadorian government withdrew his political asylum. he was thenjailed for skipping bail. and soon, the americans were asking for his extradition. backed by his supporters, he fought against it in the courts — and lost. his extradition was approved in 2022. butjulian assange kept appealing until finally this new plea deal with the us allowed him to fly out of the uk. he looks quite relaxed, his simply answered quite confidently to every question but it's just a question of saying yes if you fully understands, he said very little more than that. it's been left to the prosecution to outline the details of the case, it was only when i got onto his explanation for his thinking about why he didn't that you understood the way he thinks. thinking about why he did it that you understood the way he thinks. he said he believes that there is a conflict between the first amendment and the us constitution and the espionage law but that he accepts he violates the law — beyond that, he's looked basically like a man going through a legal case who is quite relaxed about the decision is taken. can you remind us why this is taking place where you are in the north mariana islands? well, it's a usjurisdiction that the us court not on the continent of the united states, julian assange made it clear he was very uncomfortable going back to the us with distrust and it's closer to the hum of australia. and it's closer to his home of australia. what is interesting is how divisive he still is, there are still so many people that passionately believe what he did was right and necessary and some of the horrible things that he did expose and many others were just so damaging to national security and diplomacy, so many private conversations were leaked that what he did was wrong and the division will outlast this trial and properly outlast julian assange. that was our conversation with johnathan earlier. he has since been updating the very latest information on our live page, bbc.com/news. he'sjust information on our live page, bbc.com/news. he's just written that the prosecution has withdrawn its extradition request. that is a very big deal because, as we know, the wikileaks founder spent years in court trying to avoid exactly that — being taken to the us. thejudge has decided that assange suggest should be released immediately. she said it was fair and reasonable to accept the 62 months he has already spent in a cell as his sentence. that is the latest coming from that hearing at the north mariana islands. 0ur correspondent there johnathan head. more updates on our website. we'll continue to bring you those through the evening here on bbc news. the united nations is calling for restraint after at least five people were killed, hundreds more reportedly injured, and parliament was set on fire amid protests in kenya. these were the scenes on tuesday in nairobi, as police and protesters clashed over a controversial bill that would raise taxes. part of the parliament building was burned after some demonstrators broke through police cordons. most younger kenyans say the bill would add to the nation's cost of living. kenyan president william ruto addressed the nation, saying the protests were hijacked by �*dangerous people' and vowing a full response while deploying the military. from nairobi, barbara plett usher sent this report. explosion they called for a total shutdown, and in towns across kenya today, tens of thousands took to the streets. in nairobi by lunchtime, there were running battles as police tried to hold back the tide of fury. but then this... ..hundreds of demonstrators pushed through the gates of parliament, overwhelming officers lined up outside. gunfire the response was quick and brutal — live shots fired. reports of five killed in the street and dozens more wounded. 0thers made it inside, challenging the government's authority in the building where mps had been voting on the contentious finance bill. this is as close as we feel it's safe to get to parliament because police are firing live rounds there. the government had warned protesters to stay away from parliament, and this has been the response. but the fact that the protesters were able to breach the building and that there have been casualties could galvanise them further. it may also increase the pressure for a government crackdown. this is uncharted territory for president ruto. at the end of the day, he addressed the nation. i have directed all the organs of our national security to deploy measures to thwart any attempts by dangerous criminals to undermine the security and stability of our country. those on the streets earlier were united in anger. i want to demand that our leaders give us accountability. there has been too many years of the system going �*round and �*round. we never get accountability from these leaders, such that it has come to a point when we as the people can tell them no and they still go ahead and do what they want to do. this evening, the wounded were being treated in hospital as the streets began to calm. the days ahead will show if protesters heed the president�*s warning. kenya�*s powerful are facing an unprecedented challenge from the people. barbara plett usher, bbc news, nairobi. earlier, i spoke to michelle gavin, the former senior director for africa at the us national security council. why do you think this bill has triggered such a massive reaction in kenya? i think in many ways, it�*s sort of the last straw. there have been concerns about cost of living in kenya for some time — the shocks of the covid pandemic, russia�*s invasion of ukraine, droughts and then flooding, all of this has affected the kenyan economy. at a time when its labor force is increasing substantially every year, the population is very young and their limited job opportunities are so people are really feeling the strain — add to that ongoing corruption scandals at the elite level that give people very little confidence that when they pay more taxes, they will see the benefits in terms of government services. i want to pick up a one point you made there, a lot of young people taking part in this protest, waiting to some instructions tell us about the economic situation of young people in kenya in particular? it is dissatisfactory — and i think this is a really important thing to think about, notjust in kenya but throughout many countries in africa where you have young, increasingly urbanised, increasingly digitally connected people who see what life is like in lots of other places and have aspirations, wanting dignified life and their demands a very, very hard for governments with little physical space, very hard for those governments to meet. let�*s talk about the reaction from the kenyan government here, president ruto to crackdown on violin and an arkea and he referred to those here, president ruto to crackdown on violence and an arkea and he referred to those taking part as criminals pretending to be peaceful and anarchy and he referred to those taking part as criminals pretending to be peaceful protesters — what do you think of that characterisation? it�*s entirely possible that some people engaged in violent activity but it�*s also clear that the kenyan police used live ammunition on unarmed protesters, there have been numerous incidents of police brutality in kenya, and so, while certainly no—one can condone criminality, destruction of property, i think for a lot of americans who remember the storming of our capitol on january 6, the images of parts of kenya�*s parliament building smouldering were alarming — it�*s also important to note that it�*s notjust the protesters or some segment of protesters responsible for the violence. it comes at the same time as kenya sending a police force to haiti to help clampdown on gang violence, tell us how much pressure you think the kenyan president is under right now? i think he�*s under a tremendous amount of pressure, he campaigned promising to help the economically disenfranchised, the hustlers in the informal economy but then found himself in a situation where can years debt burden and default meant that the scramble to increase revenue hands the tax races so he�*s in a difficult spot in terms of appeasing the population, new questions will certainly surface about the wisdom of this deployment to haiti, given the track record of the kenyan police but also, given the fact that the underlying issues in haiti cannot be addressed by a thousand kenyan bullies even if they perform perfectly. an important point. bigger picture, how important instability in kenya bigger picture, how important is stability in kenya to the wider region east africa? it�*s got to overstate how important it is. kenya has been a stable regional leader, engaged in diplomacy, trying to bring an end to conflicts in central africa and in the horn, a real kind of bastion of security and an important security partner, certainly to the united states. so the idea of an increasingly fragile kenya is very bad news for east africa and it�*s bad news for the us and for other democracies. a very quick last question — what a think that kenya�*s partners including the us can do in this situation? i think it�*s important to make clear that things like these abductions of online organisers are hugely problematic in terms of allowing partners to support kenya in a way that helps to generate some newjobs and ease some of this economic pressure. but the same time, it�*s important to think about how can we create some physical space so that the kenyan government can look like international financial institution and the mannus territory when the population has a very different set of demand. around the world and across the uk, this is bbc news. let�*s look at a story making news in the uk: the emperor and empress ofjapan were welcomed by king charles and camilla with a state banquet at buckingham palace tuesday night, marking the start of a three—day visit. the day started with a ceremonial greeting on the horse guards parade. 0ur senior royal correspondent daniela relph has more. unusually, this is a state visit during an election campaign, and changes have been made to ensure political neutrality. this state visit was planned well before the election was called, having already been delayed due to the covid lockdown. there was no appetite for a further postponement. instead, all the big political moments have been stripped away, so no trip to downing street, and no formal meeting with the prime minister. prime minister rishi sunak and labour leader keir starmer both attended the state banquet at buckingham palace before their next debate wednesday night. the king delivered a speech speaking of the close friendship between the two countries. 0ver friendship between the two countries. over the next few days, the emperor and empress will visit a number of sites around the uk, including 0xford, where both of them studied. you�*re live with bbc news. we�*re just outside the courthouse, wherejulian courthouse, where julian assange courthouse, wherejulian assange has been appearing. the hearing has wrapped up. these are members of his legal team. any disposition in this case that— any disposition in this case that would bar him to accept allegations that are simply not true? — allegations that are simply not true? mr— allegations that are simply not true? ~ �* , allegations that are simply not true? ~ ~ ., allegations that are simply not true? ~ �* ., , . true? mr assange did not plead uuil to true? mr assange did not plead guilty to - _ true? mr assange did not plead guilty to - and _ true? mr assange did not plead guilty to - and would _ true? mr assange did not plead guilty to - and would not - true? mr assange did not plead guilty to - and would not plead| guilty to — and would not plead guilty to — and would not plead guilty to — 17 counts of the espionage act, computer hacking. there was a very narrow, agreed—upon set of facts here. and mr assange acknowledges that of course he accepted documents from chelsea manning and published many of those documents because it was in the world�*s interest that those documents be published. unfortunately, that violates the terms of the espionage act. that�*s what we acknowledge today. we also said and mr assange said very clearly that he believes there should be first amendment protection for that. as written, the espionage act does not have that in the first amendment. he asked for that to be acknowledged that that to be acknowledged that thatis that to be acknowledged that that is true, and nothing to be ashamed of. he received classified information from chelsea manning and published that information — and that should not be a crime. that information - and that should not be a crime. what how does he feel— should not be a crime. what how does he feel about _ should not be a crime. what how does he feel about the _ should not be a crime. what how does he feel about the legacy - does he feel about the legacy he's — does he feel about the legacy he's leaving behind, the legacy he's leaving behind, the legacy he's created and built over the last few— he's created and built over the last few years? | he's created and built over the last few years?— he's created and built over the last few years? i hope he feels very good _ last few years? i hope he feels very good about _ last few years? i hope he feels very good about it. _ last few years? i hope he feels very good about it. he - last few years? i hope he feels very good about it. he has, - last few years? i hope he feels very good about it. he has, i. very good about it. he has, i think, spurred an important discussion in the united states about how to balance national security and freedom of the press. he has standed by his principles, putting up with detention in the embassy, incarceration in a high—security prison. i hope that every one of us would have the courage to stand by our ideals the way mr assange has. and so i certainly hope he feels that he has left a powerful legacy, and i�*m certain that there are other chapters in thejulian assange story yet to be written. with that, i�*m going to turn it over... inaudible question he was 62 months in belmarsh to get this deal. i�*ll turn it over tojennifer robinson, mr over to jennifer robinson, mr assange�*s over tojennifer robinson, mr assange�*s australian and united kingdom counsel. assange's australian and united kingdom counsel.— assange's australian and united kingdom counsel. good morning, eve one. kingdom counsel. good morning, everyone- my _ kingdom counsel. good morning, everyone. my name's _ kingdom counsel. good morning, everyone. my name's jen - everyone. my name's jen robinson. everyone. my name'sjen robinson. i'mjulian everyone. my name'sjen robinson. i'm julian assange's counseh — robinson. i'm julian assange's counsel. i've been his longest—serving counsel. today is a historic day. it brings to an end _ is a historic day. it brings to an end 14— is a historic day. it brings to an end 14 years of legal battles _ an end 14 years of legal battles and, finally, after 14 years— battles and, finally, after 14 years of— battles and, finally, after 14 years of legal battles, julian assange can go home a free man. this also— assange can go home a free man. this also brings to an end a case — this also brings to an end a case which has been recognised as the _ case which has been recognised as the greatest threat to the first — as the greatest threat to the first amendment in the 215t century _ first amendment in the 215t century. so it is a huge relief tojutien _ century. so it is a huge relief tojulian assange, to his family. _ tojulian assange, to his family, to his friends, to his supporters, and to us, and to everyone _ supporters, and to us, and to everyone who believes in free speech— everyone who believes in free speech around the world, that he cerr— speech around the world, that he can now return home to australia _ he can now return home to australia and be reunited with his family. i want to take this opportunity to thank the many people — opportunity to thank the many people who have, around the world, — people who have, around the world, supportedjulian people who have, around the world, supported julian assange over these years, and who have supported — over these years, and who have supported us in defending him. there _ supported us in defending him. there has— supported us in defending him. there has been a global movement behind julian to protect— movement behind julian to protect free speech and it is because _ protect free speech and it is because of that global movement of support that today's outcome is possible. i also want to take _ is possible. i also want to take time to thank the australian people and the australian people and the australian government for all of the — australian government for all of the support that we've received from home in australia. in particular, i warit— australia. in particular, i want to— australia. in particular, i want to thank our prime minister, anthony albanese, for his statesmanship, his principled leadership, and his diplomacy which made this outcome possible. it was as leader— outcome possible. it was as leader of— outcome possible. it was as leader of the opposition he said — leader of the opposition he said and _ leader of the opposition he said and took a stand for justice _ said and took a stand for justice and said, "enough is enough _ justice and said, "enough is enough. there is nothing to be served — enough. there is nothing to be served by— enough. there is nothing to be served byjulian's continued served by julian's continued incarceration. " served byjulian's continued incarceration." as prime minister. _ incarceration." as prime minister, he stood true to his word, — minister, he stood true to his word, and _ minister, he stood true to his word, and he did what he needed to do— word, and he did what he needed to do to _ word, and he did what he needed to do to ensure julian's freedom. he raised, at the highest _ freedom. he raised, at the highest level at every opportunity, and when australian officials were making outreach to the us, they knew _ making outreach to the us, they knew that — making outreach to the us, they knew that they were acting with the full— knew that they were acting with the full authority of the prime minister— the full authority of the prime minister of australia. it was his intention that this be done, _ his intention that this be done, and we wouldn't be here today— done, and we wouldn't be here today without the prime minister of australia's support. so i want to thank prime _ support. so i want to thank prime minister anthony albanese. i also w