Nicaragua, Venezuela may give asylum to NSA leaker SnowdenJuly 6, 2013 - 10:21 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Nicaragua and Venezuela may give political asylum to former US intelligence contractor Edward Snowden, media quoted the two countries’ leaders as saying, according to RIA Novosti. “If circumstances permit it, we would receive Snowden with pleasure and give him asylum here in Nicaragua,” Sky News cited Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega as saying at a public event on Friday, July 5. Venezuelan national news agency AVN reported that Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro also offered asylum to the American intelligence leaker. Snowden has sent asylum requests to over two dozen countries. Many of them have been rejected. Russia was one of the countries on Snowden’s original list, but he withdrew his request after President Vladimir Putin said Monday Snowden could only stay in Russia if he “stopped his work aimed at harming our US partners.” Snowden is believed to be holed up in the transit zone of Moscow’s Sheremetyevo Airport. A former contractor for the US National Security Agency, he is wanted by the United States for disclosing a top-secret surveillance program that allegedly targeted millions of Americans. Top stories Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev arrived in Moscow on April 22 to hold talks with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". Partner news | Russia: Armenia’s frozen membership weakens CSTO position in Caucasus A Russian envoy said any step that could alienate the CSTO member states from each other is “deeply wrong”. Prosecutors to appeal Armenia ex-President’s acquittal Sargsyan was acquitted on Friday, May 31 more than four years after going on trial on corruption charges. Armenia: 28 protesters arrested after clash with police The Investigative Committee of Armenia has announced the arrest of 28 participants of an opposition demonstration. International cybercrime ringleaders arrested in Armenia, Ukraine Europol, Europe's crime agency, has arrested four ringleaders of several cybercrime networks that used botnets. |