News in brief

By The Associated Press

Assange wins right to appeal against an extradition order

LONDON | A British court has ruled that WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange can appeal against an order that he be extradited to the U.S. on espionage charges. Two High Court judges on Monday said Assange has grounds to challenge the U.K. government’s extradition order.

The ruling sets the stage for an appeal process likely to further drag out a years-long legal saga.

Assange faces 17 espionage charges and one charge of computer misuse over his website’s publication of a trove of classified U.S. documents almost 15 years ago. The Australian computer expert has spent the last five years in a British high-security prison after taking refuge in the Ecuadorian Embassy in London for seven years.

Australia, New Zealand to evacuate nationals from New Caledonia

SYDNEY | The Australian and New Zealand governments say they are sending planes to evacuate their nationals from violence-scorched New Caledonia.

Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong confirmed on Tuesday that Australia had received clearance for two flights to evacuate citizens and other tourists from New Caledonia amid violent unrest that has beset the French Pacific archipelago where indigenous people have long sought independence from France.

New Zealand also announced it is sending a plane Tuesday to evacuate its nationals from Noumea, the Pacific island’s capital, in the first in a series of proposed flights to bring its citizens home.

—From AP reports