July 1971 - Born in Townsville to parents involved in theatre. As a teenager, gains a reputation as a computer programmer and in 1995 is fined for hacking but avoids prison.

2006 - Founds WikiLeaks, creating internet-based "dead letter drop" for leakers of classified or sensitive information.

April 5, 2010 - WikiLeaks releases leaked video from US helicopter showing air strike that killed civilians in Baghdad.

July 25, 2010 - WikiLeaks releases over 91,000 documents, mostly secret US military reports about Afghanistan war.

October, 2010 - WikiLeaks releases 400,000 classified military files chronicling Iraq war. Next month, it releases thousands of US diplomatic cables, including views of foreign leaders and threat assessments.

November 18, 2010 - A Swedish court orders Assange's arrest over rape allegations, which he denies. Arrested in Britain next month on a European Arrest Warrant but freed on bail.

February 2011 - London's Westminster Magistrates Court orders extradition to Sweden. He appeals.

June 14, 2012 - British Supreme Court rejects Assange's final appeal and five days later he takes refuge in Ecuador's embassy in London. Ecuador grants asylum.

May 19, 2017 - Swedish prosecutors discontinue their investigation, saying it is impossible to proceed while Assange is in the Ecuadorean Embassy.

April 11, 2019 - Arrested after Ecuador revokes asylum. Sentenced May 1 to 50 weeks jail by British court for skipping bail.

May 13, 2019 - Swedish prosecutors reopen investigation, say they will seek extradition.

June 11, 2019 - US Justice Department asks Britain to extradite Assange to United States to face charges he conspired to hack US government computers and violated espionage law.

November 19, 2019 - Swedish prosecutors drop rape investigation, saying evidence not strong enough.

February 21, 2020 - London court begins first part of extradition hearings.

January 4, 2021 - Judge Vanessa Baraitser to give ruling.

Australian Associated Press