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Snowden and NSA leaks

News about Snowden’s accepting Venezuelan asylum offer came from TV - Russian lawmaker

Earlier, the lawmaker wrote in his Twitter blog that Snowden had accepted Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro’s offer

Photo EPA/ITAR-TASS

Photo EPA/ITAR-TASS

MOSCOW, July 9 (Itar-Tass) - Alexei Pushkov, the chairman of the international committee of the Russian State Duma lower parliament house, said on Tuesday he had learnt about NSA leaker Edward Snowden’s accepting a Venezuelan political asylum offer from a news broadcast.

“Information about Snowden’s accepting the political asylum offer from Maduro was aired in a Vesti 24 news broadcast at 18:00. Please contact them if you have any questions,” he wrote in his Twitter blog.

Earlier, the lawmaker wrote in his Twitter blog that Snowden had accepted Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro’s offer. "Snowden predictably agreed to Maduro's political asylum proposal. Apparently, Snowden found this option the most reliable," Pushkov twitted.

On Monday, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro said "we have received the asylum request letter. He will have to decide when he flies, if he finally wants to fly here."

"We told this young man, 'you are being persecuted by the empire /the USA/, come here,'" Maduro said

Over the weekend, Venezuela, Nicaragua and Bolivia all offered political asylum to Snowden.

Edward Snowden, 30, a former CIA staffer, divulged highly classified electronic espionage programs his agency was implementing in the USA and all over the world. The exposure caused a scandal which is still gaining moment. Snowden went to Hong Kong from the USA, and then flew to Moscow, in order to leave for the state which could grant him political asylum. However, he became stranded at an international airport in the Russian capital. According to diplomatic sources, he is currently staying in the transit zone of the Sheremetyevo airport.

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Alexander Orlov noted that recently French President Emmanuel Macron "has made a number of questionable moves that have increased the divide" between both countries

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The law enforcement employees exert efforts to identify the instigators of this crime, Igor Krasnov said

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Maria Zakharova also pointed to the fact that Ukraine's special services do not give up attempts to "massacre their former compatriots"

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Maria Zakharova noted the need to "wait for official information from the investigation"

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Yevgeny Pogrebnyak said that he was treated well by Russian troops in his captivity

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Robert Fico believes Moscow will win in its confrontation with Kiev

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Russia’s advanced radar in Kaliningrad to monitor entire territory of Europe — source

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US 'not forgetting' to help itself with aid to Ukraine — Kremlin

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Iran to review nuclear doctrine in case of Israeli aggression — IRGC

Ahmad Haghtalab pointed out that the Iranian Army and other security forces protect Iranian nuclear facilities using the most advanced equipment, so "national nuclear centers are completely safe"

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Ukrainian president signs law tightening mobilization rules

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Founder of neo-Nazi cell in Crimea flees to Georgia — source

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German MFA summons Russian ambassador after detention of espionage suspects — newspaper

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Argentina applies for status of NATO’s global partner

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