Live updates: WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange arrives in Saipan ...

The hearing is expected to get underway shortly.

Alan Rusbridger, who was editor-in-chief of The Guardian when it worked with WikiLeaks to publish some of the leaked material sourced by Assange in 2013, says he's pleased by the news of Assange's imminent release, but he's concerned about the effect the case will have on press freedom.

 "I'm sorry that it's taken a plea on a charge of espionage, because I don't think actually anybody thinks that what he was doing was espionage," Rusbridger told the Reuters news agency.

"But he's been in jail for long enough. I hope that's the end of his punishment for what he did."

Rusbridger said Assange was the first to pioneer "this new breed of semi-activist, semi-publisher, semi-journalist who use the internet to tremendous effect", and he was sure the intention by the US was to deter others in the same vein from pursuing national security stories.

"If the attempt was to chill national security reporting, I fear it's probably worked," he said.

 An update to our earlier post, when we said there had been no official response from the Biden administration on Julian Assange's plea deal.

CNN is now quoting a statement from National Security Council spokeswoman Adrienne Watson, who insisted the White House was at arms length from the agreement.

“This was an independent decision made by the Department of Justice and there was no White House involvement,” she said.

Joe Biden is out of town at the moment, preparing for his upcoming debate with Donald Trump, and hasn't commented publicly on Assange's case.

The last we heard from the president on this topic was back in April, when he suggested the US was "considering" Australia's request to drop the prosecution.

For a news story of this magnitude, over a decade in the making, you'd expect a huge media contingent to overwhelm the Saipan District Court for Julian Assange's guilty verdict.

But simply getting to Saipan, in the remote South Pacific, was a huge challenge for major news networks.

The quickest, direct flights turned out to be from Japan. So most foreign media arrived from Tokyo last night, a few from Seoul arrived overnight.

Those trying to get here from the US faced travel times to the tune of 30 hours!

When Julian Assange stepped out of a white SUV, flanked by Australian Ambassador to US Kevin Rudd, media successful in their journey to Saipan descended.

Assange didn't say anything, holding back a smile, as he was hit with a flurry of questions.

Assange's wife Stella has launched a fundraising campaign to cover the $US520,000 ($782,000) cost of the charter flight he took from London to the Northern Mariana Islands, for which he has to reimburse the Australian government.

So why does he have to pay for his own flight?

Well, it's important to note that, right now, Assange is not technically in custody. He was granted bail in London by the High Court yesterday and was officially released at Stansted Airport.

His decision to appear in court in the Northern Mariana Islands as part of his plea deal with the US government is just that — his decision, which he made for a number of reasons.

That's why he's flying as a private citizen, rather than as a prisoner being transported by the government.

Helen Lovegrove: Very excited to watch this positive outcome, he deserves to be home.

Jennifer Lefevre: I am cautiously overjoyed for Assange, his family and his loyal supporters and hope for a great outcome.

Kevin Rudd’s appearance in Saipan underscores the significance of this case.

Australia’s Ambassador to the US has been working on Julian Assange’s case behind the scenes here in Washington – receiving recognition from Assange’s brother Gabriel Shipton for his “relentless” work.

Shipton also credited Australia’s High Commissioner to the UK Stephen Smith, who accompanied Assange on the plane out of London.

The Northern Mariana Islands is a US territory, but it’s more than 12,000 kilometres from Washington DC, where Rudd is based.

Assange’s case has been a rare point of friction in the otherwise close relationship between the US and Australia.

 Julian Assange and Kevin Rudd have arrived at the court house.

There was a flurry of media activity when a white SUV pulled up outside the Saipan District Court. Julian Assange stepped outside wearing a black suit accompanied by Australian Ambassador to the US Kevin Rudd.

Neither spoke. Julian Assange is expected to enter a  guilty plea for one charge relating to disclosing natural security material, sentenced to five years and released given time served in a British jail.

The hearing begins at 9am local.

You can watch them arriving here: 

Julian Assange has arrived outside the US District Court House in Saipan, where he is expected to plead guilty there.

He has arrived with Ambassador to the US, Kevin Rudd.

Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles has told News Breakfast, he doesn't think Julian Assange is a sore point for the relationship between the US and Australia.

"I have been working with the United States since we came to power on a range of issues, and I certainly wouldn't see this as an issue that has had any bearing on the way in which we've maintained many of the equities that we do with the United States."

You can watch the full interview here:

Long considered an "irritant" in the US-Australia relationship, Julian Assange is set to be released today after protracted lobbying from Australian officials.

So was it diplomacy, the Albanese government, or something else entirely that helped Assange get out of prison?

The ABC's Stephen Dziedzic took a look at that question earlier today:

Despite Assange’s plea, the legal battle does not appear to be over.

The deal will leave Julian Assange as a convicted felon but that stain on his record can be expunged by a presidential pardon, if the holder of the Oval Office is so inclined.

The Republican presumptive nominee, Donald Trump, has previously said he’d “very very seriously” consider a pardon for the WikiLeaks founder. That’s despite the original indictment against Julian Assange coming during Donald Trump’s previous term in office.

President Joe Biden hasn’t given any clear guidance whether he would be open to a pardon. It would seem unlikely he’d pardon someone who’d just pled guilty to charges brought by his Justice Department, at least anytime soon.

But Julian Assange’s "co-conspirator", Chelsea Manning, had her sentence commuted by former president Barack Obama while Joe Biden served as VP. So maybe, not beyond the realm of possibility. 

Long-shot third-party candidate RFK Jr said not only would he pardon Mr Assange, but he also wanted a monument dedicated to him in the US capital. 

Reporters are setting up outside the US District Court building in Saipan, where Julian Assange is expected to arrive shortly.

He's due to appear at 9am — that's both local time and AEST, given the Northern Mariana Islands are in the same time zone.

It's not a bad view — the ocean is just behind the courthouse. If you ever have to plead guilty to a felony, I imagine this is one of the more scenic places to do it.

For years, advocates have been lobbying on Julian Assange’s behalf in the marbled halls of the US Capitol.

One of those is Madea Benjamin from Code Pink who says she’s “elated” and “thrilled” that Julian Assange is about to be free.

She says it’s a major victory for those who care about press freedom — but she’s also dismayed that his freedom comes at the price of a guilty plea.

“We feel like it’s a bogus charge that he's pleaing to, that it does hurt his integrity to have to do that, but we totally understand and the most important thing is that he's going to be a free man.”

The White House hasn't yet provided any official response to Julian Assange's plea deal.

Joe Biden is holed up at Camp David, the presidential retreat in Maryland, while he prepares for his debate with Donald Trump later this week.

The White House hasn't been holding daily media briefings while he's away, meaning we haven't had the opportunity to ask press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre about the case either.

State Department spokesman Matthew Miller did take a few questions on the matter earlier, but referred us to the Department of Justice (DOJ).

"It just isn't appropriate for me while this is pending, and about to go before a federal judge, to comment on," he said.

"The matter is not yet resolved. Once it's resolved, maybe it will  be a different case, but not today."

Julian Assange's long-running legal odyssey has moved around the world, involving high-level negotiations across Australia, the United States, Sweden, the United Kingdom and Ecuador.

So why does it seem to be coming to an end in a tiny Pacific Island?

Emily Clark, Basel Hindeleh and Riley Stuart have the answers:

A private jet carrying Assange has landed at Saipan International Airport ahead of his court appearance this morning.

Good morning, and welcome to our live coverage of Julian Assange's court appearance in Saipan, in the Northern Mariana Islands.

We'll be bringing you updates from our North Asia correspondent James Oaten, who will be in court, insight from our North America correspondents Jade Macmillan and Carrington Clarke, and reactions from around the world as this historic case comes to an end.