Friday 5 July 2013

South American leftist leaders rally for Bolivia in Snowden saga

South America's most outspoken leftist leaders demanded an explanation and public apology from four European countries on Thursday after Bolivian President Evo Morales' plane was diverted this week on suspicions that fugitive U.S. spy agency contractor Edward Snowden was aboard.
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Evo Morales threatens to close Bolivia's US embassy as leaders lend support

Anger at US and EU from Bolivia's left-leaning South American allies at meeting to discuss rerouting of Morales' plane
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Thursday 4 July 2013

Bolivia complains to UN after Evo Morales' plane 'kidnapped'

US refuses to comment on Morales plane but admits contact with other nations over potential Snowden flights
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Protest at French embassy over Morales jet diversion

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France apologises in Bolivia plane row

France has apologised to Bolivia for refusing to allow President Evo Morales' jet into its airspace, blaming "conflicting information".

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Latin America fumes over Bolivia incident in Snowden saga

Latin American leaders slammed European governments on Wednesday for diverting Bolivian President Evo Morales' plane on rumors it was carrying a wanted former U.S. spy agency contractor, adding a new diplomatic twist to the Edward Snowden saga.

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US spy chief apologises over 'erroneous' remark

US National Intelligence Director James Clapper has apologised for telling lawmakers the National Security Agency does not collect data from Americans' phone records and Internet use.

Strong ties bind spy agencies and Silicon Valley

Silicon Valley has tried to distance itself from the controversial US surveillance programmes exposed by Edward Snowden, but there is a long history of close cooperation between technology companies and the intelligence community.

Wednesday 3 July 2013

Bolivia says Morales' plane diverted, apparently over Snowden

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Hints surface that NSA building massive, pervasive surveillance capability

Despite U.S. intelligence officials’ repeated denials that the National Security Agency is collecting the content of domestic emails and phone calls, evidence is mounting that the agency’s vast surveillance network can and may already be preserving billions of those communications in powerful digital databases.

Edward Snowden given possible lifeline as Bolivia hints it would grant asylum

Evo Morales says his country is keen to 'shield the denounced' as Snowden's father Lon compares son to Paul Revere

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Tuesday 2 July 2013

Reporter endures painful medical procedures to expose private hospital scam

An undercover reporter subjects himself to prostate examinations and urethra swabbing to unveil the costly diagnoses of three Beijing hospitals

Countries' reactions to Snowden's asylum applications

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France calls for common EU stand on US spy claims

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Whistle-blower Snowden seeks asylum in China, among other nations, says Wikileaks

Fugitive whistle-blower also releases a statement, criticising the US and saying he remains ‘unbowed’ in his convictions

US bugged 38 embassies, including allies, latest Snowden leak indicates

US intelligence services spied on at least 38 foreign embassies and missions, including those of allies, according to the latest secret documents leaked by National Security Agency whistle-blower Edward Snowden.

John Kerry on defensive at Brunei conference over spying claims

Allegations that US targeted European and Asian allies put secretary of state in awkward position at security conference

Edward Snowden's letter to Ecuadorean President Rafael Correa

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Snowden blames Obama for trying to block his efforts to find asylum

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Snowden applies for political asylum in Russia

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Edward Snowden: Obama guilty of deceit over extradition

US president pledged to avoid 'wheeling and dealing' while bullying countries that might grant asylum, says whistleblower

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Barack Obama seeks to limit EU fallout over US spying claims

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France warns US spying claims threaten trade talks

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Edward Snowden threatens new US leaks, applies for Russian asylum

Former US spy agency contractor Edward Snowden broke his silence on Monday for the first time since fleeing to Moscow to say he remains free to make new disclosures about US spying activity.

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Monday 1 July 2013

New NSA spying allegations rile European allies

The Obama administration faced a breakdown in confidence Sunday from key foreign allies who threatened investigations and sanctions against the U.S. over secret surveillance programs that reportedly installed covert listening devices in European Union offices.

US intelligence targeted Italy and France embassies

France, Italy and Greece were among 38 "targets" of spying operations conducted by US intelligence services, according to documents leaked to the Guardian newspaper by fugitive former CIA operative Edward Snowden.

NSA spying row: bugging friends is unacceptable, warn Germans

The leaders of Germany and France have rounded angrily on the US for the first time over spying claims, signalling that ambitious EU-US trade talks scheduled to open next week could become an early casualty of the burgeoning transatlantic espionage dispute.

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New NSA leaks show how US is bugging its European allies

New NSA leaks show how US is bugging its European allies

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New slides detail how NSA collects data from US internet firms

New slides on spying programme emphasise collection from tech giants, like Google or Yahoo

EU confronts Washington over reports it spies on European allies

The European Union has demanded that the United States explain a report in a German magazine that Washington is spying on the group, using unusually strong language to confront its closest trading partner over its alleged surveillance activities.

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Sunday 30 June 2013

Key US-EU trade pact under threat after more NSA spying allegations

Reports in Der Spiegel that US agencies bugged European council building 'reminiscent of cold war', says German minister

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European officials slam US over bugging report

BERLIN (AP) — Senior European lawmakers say they are shocked at reports that U.S. intelligence agents bugged EU offices on both sides of the Atlantic.

The president of the European Parliament said he was "deeply worried and shocked about the allegations of U.S. authorities spying on EU offices" made in a report published Sunday by German news weekly Der Spiegel.

Martin Schulz said if the reports were confirmed "it would be an extremely serious matter which will have a severe impact on EU-U.S. relations."

Green Party leaders in the European Parliament, Rebecca Harms and Daniel Cohn-Bendit, called for an immediate investigation into reports published by Der Spiegel and suggested that further negotiations on a trans-Atlantic trade treaty be put on hold.

They also called for existing U.S.-EU agreements on the exchange of bank transfer and passenger record information to be cancelled.

Germany demands explanation of US 'spying'

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Berlin demands US answers over EU 'bugging' claims

Germany's justice minister called Sunday for an immediate explanation from the United States over a media report that Washington bugged European Union offices, saying it was reminiscent of the Cold War.

"It must ultimately be immediately and extensively explained by the American side whether media reports about completely disproportionate tapping measures by the US in the EU are accurate or not," Sabine Leutheusser-Schnarrenberger said in a statement.

U.S. taps half-billion German phone, internet links in month

The United States taps half a billion phone calls, emails and text messages in Germany in a typical month and has classed its biggest European ally as a target similar to China, according to secret U.S. documents quoted by a German newsmagazine.

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EU demands clarification over US spying claims

European parliament president 'deeply worried and shocked' by claims published in Der Spiegel that US bugged EU offices

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US senators demand answers on secret surveillance programme

Lawmakers from both sides of the aisle attack intelligence officials over scope of snooping

Snowden saga puts spotlight back on Assange and WikiLeaks

The WikiLeaks founder was back in the news last week, but he has never been off the radar of the US government as it builds its case against him

EU concern over Der Spiegel claim of US spying

The head of the European Parliament has demanded "full clarification" from the US over a report that key EU premises in America have been bugged.

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US spies bugged European Union communications

The United States bugged European Union offices and gained access to EU internal computer networks, according to secret documents cited in a German magazine yesterday, the latest in a series of exposures of alleged US spy programmes.

U.S. asked Ecuador not to give Snowden asylum: Correa

Praising Biden's good manners in contrast to "brats" in the U.S. Congress who had threatened to cut Ecuador's trade benefits over the Snowden issue, Correa said during his weekly television broadcast: "He communicated a very courteous request from the United States that we reject the (asylum) request."

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