WIKILEAKS FOUNDER ASSANGE GETS CITIZENSHIP

QUITO, ECUADOR Ecuador has granted citizenship to WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange after more than five years of living in asylum at the nation’s embassy in London, officials announced Thursday. Foreign Minister Maria Fernanda Espinosa said officials accepted Assange’s request for naturalization in December.

Ecuador gave Assange asylum after he sought refuge in the embassy to avoid extradition to Sweden for investigation of sex-related claims. Sweden dropped the case, but Assange has remained in the embassy because he is still subject to arrest in Britain for jumping bail. He also fears a possible U.S. extradition request based on his leaking of classified State Department documents.