Don't allow Snowden further travel: US

Washington (PTI): Fugitive ex-CIA operative, Edward Snowden, wanted in the US on several felony charges, should not be allowed further international travel from Moscow, where he has been stranded for the past 10 days, except back to the United States, the White House said on Tuesday.

"We've made very clear that he (Snowden) has been charged with felonies and as such, he should not be allowed to proceed in any further international travel other than travel that would result in him returning to the United States," White House Press Secretary Jay Carney told reporters at his daily news conference. Three Latin American countries have accepted the asylum request of Snowden, who fled the country after leaking the secretive American internet and phone surveillance programme, PRISM which has outraged several countries including close US allies.

Snowden first flew to Hong Kong and then to Moscow, where he is stranded now as the US has withdrawn his passport in the absence of which he can't travel further. The US?has been in touch via diplomatic and law enforcement channels with countries through which Snowden might transit or which might serve as final destinations for him, Carney said.

Snowden accepts Venezuelan offer

Moscow (AP): The head of the Russian parliament's foreign affairs panle said Edward Snowden accepted Venezuela's offer of asylum. Alexei Pushkov made the statement on his Twitter account on Tuesday. The message did not clarify how he learned of Snowden's move, but Pushkov acted as an unofficial point-man for the Kremlin on the Snowden affair.