Assange Loses Appeal Against Arrest Warrant

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has lost an appeal against his arrest warrant for alleged rape and sexual assault.

Sweden's Supreme Court rejected his appeal to quash the warrant, which was issued in 2010 following allegations he assaulted two Swedish women during a trip to Stockholm that year.

The former hacker has been holed up in Ecuador's embassy in London since 2012 to avoid extradition to Sweden.

"The Supreme Court notes that investigators have begun efforts to question Julian Assange in London. The Supreme Court finds no reason to lift the arrest warrant," the court said in a statement.

In March, Swedish prosecutors offered to question Mr Assange in London , dropping their previous demand that he travel to Sweden to answer to the allegations.

Mr Assange, who faces arrest if he leaves the Ecuadorian embassy, has always denied the allegations and insisted the sexual encounters were consensual.

He has refused to travel to Sweden because he fears he would be sent to the United States, where an investigation continues into WikiLeaks' release of 500,000 classified military files and 250,000 diplomatic cables.

The US has not charged Mr Assange or issued an extradition request for him.

The 43-year-old Australian has agreed to be questioned by Swedish prosecutors in London, his lawyers said last month.