Wednesday morning, Assange is expected to plead guilty to one charge.

 

Summary

• Wikileaks founder Julian Assange has set off from Bangkok for the Northern Mariana Islands, a US territory
• He left the UK on Monday after spending five years in prison fighting extradition to the US
• It has emerged that, last week, he signed a deal with the US that will see him plead guilty to one espionage charge
• He will not face further prison time - after pleading guilty, he will be free to return to Australia, his home country
• His wife, Stella Assange, tells the BBC she is "elated" and urges the public to track his flight "in case something goes wrong"
• Assange was originally facing 18 charges and feared a long sentence in a US high security prison

Wednesday morning,  Assange is expected to plead guilty to one charge, before returning to Australia. Here's a recap of the story:

• Assange and US authorities agreed to a plea deal, where he will admit one espionage offence - instead of the 18 charges he was originally facing
• The deal means Assange will not spend any time in a US prison, as he has already spent five years in the UK's high security Belmarsh prison, fighting extradition to the US
• It emerged today - via a court document in London - that the deal was signed last Wednesday, with Assange leaving the UK on Monday evening

• The chartered flights from the UK to Australia, via Thailand and the Northern Mariana Islands, have cost more than $500,000 (£393,715). Assange's wife says the Australian government has footed the bill, but the campaign will repay it. He was not allowed to fly commercial, she added

• In an interview with the BBC, Stella Assange said she was "elated" by her husband's release - and they will seek a pardon, once he has pleaded guilty