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| Venezuela, Bolivia offer asylum to US intel leaker Snowden - CNN Posted: 06 Jul 2013 08:34 AM PDT  Former intelligence worker Edward Snowden, 29, revealed himself as the source of documents outlining a massive effort by the NSA to track cell phone calls and monitor the e-mail and Internet traffic of virtually all Americans. He says he just wanted the public to know what the government was doing. "Even if you're not doing anything wrong, you're being watched and recorded," he said. While he has not been charged, the FBI is conducting an investigation into the leaks. HIDE CAPTION Notable leakers and whistle-blowers Notable leakers and whistle-blowers Notable leakers and whistle-blowers Notable leakers and whistle-blowers Notable leakers and whistle-blowers Notable leakers and whistle-blowers Notable leakers and whistle-blowers Notable leakers and whistle-blowers Notable leakers and whistle-blowers Notable leakers and whistle-blowers Notable leakers and whistle-blowers Notable leakers and whistle-blowers Notable leakers and whistle-blowers Notable leakers and whistle-blowers Notable leakers and whistle-blowers STORY HIGHLIGHTS
(CNN) -- Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has offered asylum to Edward Snowden, the state-run AVN news agency reported Friday, without offering details. And Bolivia "is willing to give asylum" to the U.S. intelligence leaker, President Evo Morales said Saturday, according to a government statement. The reports came shortly after Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega said he would grant Snowden asylum in his country "if the circumstances permit." Ortega didn't elaborate on his announcement, made during a speech in Managua, except to say his country is "open and respectful to the right of asylum." "It's clear that that if the circumstances permit it we will gladly receive Snowden and will grant him asylum here in Nicaragua," Ortega said. Alexei Pushkov, head of the lower Russian legislative body DUMA, recommended Snowden leave Moscow's Sheremetyevo International Airport, where he has been holed up since June 23, when he arrived from Hong Kong. "Sanctuary for Snowden in Venezuela would be the best solution," Pushkov tweeted Saturday. "He can't live in at Sheremetyevo." Meanwhile, an Icelandic lawmaker said Snowden would not get citizenship there, as he had requested, because Iceland's parliament refused to vote on an asylum proposal before ending its current session. Birgitta Jonsdottir was among a handful of lawmakers who put forward a bill Thursday urging Parliament to process Snowden's request. She said Friday that the speaker of the house refused to put the bill on the agenda and the majority in parliament refused to allow a voice vote on it. "So it is with great grief I have to announce that Snowden will not be getting any form of shelter in Iceland because the current government doesn't even have enough spine for the Parliament to discuss Snowden's request," Jonsdottir wrote on her blog. She praised Snowden, who has acknowledged leaking classified documents about U.S. surveillance programs and faces espionage charges in the United States. Besides Iceland, he has applied for asylum in 20 other countries. Opinion: Some suggestions for Snowden "I and many others regard him as a hero and have deep respect for him for he has taken great personal risk in order to inform the rest of us about how those in power have lost control of their powerlust and violated their own constitutions against their own citizens," Jonsdottir wrote. "Mr. Snowden your courage has been noted and there are millions of people from all backgrounds who honor the risks you have taken for us and we will stand tall with you." 'Unbowed' Snowden seeks new havens France and Italy on Thursday turned down Snowden's requests for asylum. Another country that has seemed supportive of Snowden's quest for a new home is Bolivia, whose president has expressed anger at the United States over an incident involving the presidential plane and a rumor about Snowden. Several European countries refused to allow President Evo Morales' plane through their airspace Tuesday because of suspicions Snowden was aboard. With no clear path home available, the flight crew made an emergency landing in Vienna, Austria, where authorities confirmed Snowden was not a passenger. Bolivia's asylum offer is a "fair protest" to the incident, which involved Portugal, Italy, France and Spain, Morales said. Spain has said it did not restrict its airspace during that flight. He put the blame squarely on the United States for the incident. "Message to the Americans: The empire and its servants will never be able to intimidate or scare us," Morales told supporters at El Alto International Airport outside La Paz, where he arrived late Wednesday. "European countries need to liberate themselves from the imperialism of the Americans." Morales said officials should analyze whether to shut the U.S. Embassy in his country. "Without the United States," he said, "we are better politically and democratically." Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa joined Morales in criticizing the United States' role in the situation, and Venezuela's Maduro blamed the CIA for pressuring the European governments to refuse to grant the plane passage. Snowden's asylum options dwindle CNN's Ed Payne contributed to this report. |
| Marion Bartoli defeats Sabine Lisicki to win Wimbledon title - Los Angeles Times Posted: 06 Jul 2013 08:55 AM PDT WIMBLEDON -- Marion Bartoli of France overpowered a nervous Sabine Lisicki in the first set and rode out a challenge from her ponytailed German opponent in the second set to win her first Wimbledon title in her second appearance in the final. Bartoli, seeded 15th, prevailed over No. 23 Lisicki, 6-1, 6-4, on a sunny day on Centre Court. Bartoli became the first French woman to win the Wimbledon singles title since Amelie Mauresmo -- Bartoli's coach -- triumphed here in 2006. "Dreams come true," Bartoli said while still celebrating her victory on the court. Because of a series of upsets that rocked the tournament in the first week, Bartoli had a relatively easy path to the final and didn't have to face a player seeded in the top 10. The highest-seeded players Bartoli faced were No. 17 Sloane Stephens of the U.S. in the quarterfinals and No. 20 Kirsten Flipkens of Belgium in the semifinals. Lisicki, who was born in Germany but lives in Bradenton, Fla., had the harder road to the final. She had to beat Grand Slam champions Sam Stosur (No. 14) in third round, Serena Willams (No. 1) in round of 16, and No. 4 Agnieska Radwanska of Poland in the semifinals. "I still love this tournament so much. I still love this court so much," Lisicki said, her voice breaking with emotion. She asked if she could thank her team of supporters, and broke down in mid-sentence. "We've been through so much, so many ups and downs," she said. "This was my first Grand Slam final. I hope we get this chance one more time." Bartoli, a gracious winner, assured Lisicki that she would have another chance. "You will be here one more time. I have no doubt about it," Bartoli said. Bartoli, 28, set an unofficial record of sorts by competing in the most Grand Slams before winning a Grand Slam title. This was her 47th Grand Slam appearance. The previous record was held by Jana Novotna, who won at Wimbledon in her 45th slam appearance, in 1998. Bartoli became the first player ranked outside the top 10 to win the Wimbledon women's title since Venus Williams, who was ranked No. 31 in 2007. Bartoli lost to Williams that day and had not returned to the final since. Bartoli lost her serve in the first game of the match but roared back to win the next six games. Lisicki, nicknamed "Boom Boom" for her trademark big serve, wasn't getting anything from that serve and was visibly nervous. As the first set progressed, Lisicki, the crowd favorite, became teary-eyed in frustration as she couldn't handle the punishing, two-handed strokes that Bartoli hit from both sides. The first set took only 29 minutes and ended when Lisicki hit a forehand into the net on Bartoli's first set point. Lisicki held serve for the first time in the first game of the second set and had four break points in the second game but Bartoli held and then broke Lisicki's serve again for a 2-1 lead. That lead became 4-1 after Bartoli held serve and broke Lisicki again, and it ballooned to 5-1 when Bartoli held serve at love. The crowd voiced its support for Lisicki as she prepared to serve in the seventh game, and that appeared to give Lisicki new strength. She saved three match points and held serve, then broke Bartoli in the eighth game. Lisicki then held service, as the crowd began buzzing about possibly seeing another comeback from Lisicki, who had been down 0-3 in the third set against Williams and Radwanska but battled back to win. But Bartoli -- who hadn't won a title since 2011 -- wasn't about to let this slip away. She served for the match and won at love, finishing it off with an ace. She then ran toward the stands and climbed up to the players' box to hug her entourage that included her father, Walter, who coached her for many years before a split that left Bartoli off-kilter for quite a while. The most perilous part of her day was climbing back down to the court to receive the Venus Rosewater Dish awarded to the winner. |
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