American officials had debated bringing charges against Julian Assange almost from the moment in 2010 that his organization WikiLeaks dumped onto the internet a historic trove of classified documents, including internal State Department communications and assessments of suspected terrorists at Guantanamo Bay.
But through the years, the case languished. Some prosecutors reasoned that Assange was arguably a publisher, if a capricious one. Concerned that proving a criminal case against him would run up against the First Amendment and, if successful, set a precedent for future media prosecutions, the Obama administration chose to put the case aside.

Israel Police on Thursday held a special community and police day at the N’vei Tzvi-Tikva school in the center of Jerusalem.
The faces of the excited students were received by police from the various police units and the Jerusalem district, including the bomb squad, K9, traffic police, mounted units, and a representative of United Hatzalah.

Final election results show record number of newcomers will be sworn into parliament on April 30. From Likud to Ra'am Balad, here are Israel's lawmakers in-waiting

Federal prosecutors in California announced on Thursday three dozen charges against Michael Avenatti, the prominent attorney best known for his criticisms of President Donald Trump, accusing the lawyer of stealing millions of dollars from his clients and funneling their money into his own interests, including co-ownership of a $5 million private jet.
The indictment was sweeping in its scope, accusing Avenatti of defrauding clients for more than four years. The charges included bleak details, including assertions that Avenatti’s alleged actions caused a paraplegic client to lose his Supplemental Security Income benefits, which are paid to adults and children who have disabilities, and prevented the same client from using settlement money to buy a home.

Leading UK Jewish journalist Jonathan Freedland once again turns his hand to fiction as his alter-ego, the best-selling thriller writer Sam Bourne

The city of Chicago sued Jussie Smollett for more than $130,000 on Thursday to recover the cost of police overtime spent looking into an alleged hate crime against him.
The “Empire” actor has been accused of orchestrating the Jan. 29 assault, during which he says two men yelled racist and anti-gay slurs while beating him, pouring an unknown chemical substance on him and wrapping a rope around his neck. Smollett, 36, was indicted on 16 felony counts in early March for allegedly lying to police about the altercation – one count per alleged lie – but Cook County prosecutors dropped all criminal charges on March 26, citing his two days of community service and agreement to forfeit his $10,000 bond to the city.

'The Book of Dirt,' a thoughtful examination of his family’s tortured past wins new author Bram Presser the Jewish Book Council's Goldberg Prize for Debut Fiction

Second man to walk on moon sends his condolences to Israeli team; LunarX says will award SpaceIL $1 million prize for achievements despite vehicle crashing during landing attempt

Washington – Newly arrested WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange needs to “answer for what he has done,” Hillary Clinton said on Thursday. The 2016 Democratic presidential nominee and former secretary of state weighed in on Assange while at a speaking event with her husband, former President Bill Clinton. Assange was arrested earlier Thursday at the Ecuadorian [...]