(Agency photos)WASHINGTON - The incoming Trump administration criticised President Barack Obama's commutation of the 35-year prison sentence for Chelsea Manning, the former Army intelligence analyst convicted of leaking classified material. Meanwhile, WikiLeaks said its founder Julian Assange could travel to the US to face investigation after the Manning commutation - but only if his rights were "guaranteed". Republicans have roundly joined Trump in criticizing Obama, arguing that Manning endangered the lives of US troops, diplomats and intelligence officers. Earnest said that Republicans criticizing the commutation are hypocritical because they support Trump, who has defended WikiLeaks and Assange. Assange had said he would agree to extradition to the US if Obama commuted Manning's sentence.

Source: Bangkok Post January 18, 2017 18:51 UTC