US considering Australian request to drop charges against Julian Assange

Joe Biden is considering Australia's request to drop the United States' pursuit of Julian Assange for publishing classified documents. Assange, an Australian citizen, faces up to 175 years in jail if convicted on 18 charges, including espionage and computer misuse. The Australian government and Prime Minister's wife have urged the US to drop the prosecution. Biden's comment during a visit from Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is seen as a possible indication of a shift in the administration's stance on Assange's case. Assange is currently fighting extradition to the United States and has been in prison since 2019. The US has been urged by Australia for years to drop its prosecution, with a motion passed in February calling for his return.