Round-the-clock watch on Assange at embassy lifted

The 24-hour police guard outside the Ecuadorean embassy in London where WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange took refuge three years ago has been removed following escalating costs.

The move was followed by a summons for the Ecuadorean ambassador to a meeting at the Foreign Office to discuss the case, which has been deadlocked for years.

The meeting was held at the Foreign Office, where a spokesman said: “The head of the Diplomatic Service, Simon McDonald, summoned the Ecuadorean ambassador today to register once again our deep frustration at the protracted delay.