Snowden Drops Asylum Bid for Russia: Official

VOICE OF AMERICA: A Russian official says fugitive American spy agency contractor Edward Snowden has dropped his bid for asylum, after President Vladimir Putin said he could only stay if he stopped leaking sensitive U.S. intelligence.

The spokesperson for Putin also confirmed Tuesday that Snowden remains in the transit zone of a Moscow airport, where he fled eight days ago from Hong Kong after revealing top-secret U.S. surveillance operations.

Wikileaks, the anti-secrecy group that has supported Snowden, said Tuesday it has submitted asylum requests to 19 more countries on behalf of the ex-CIA employee.

The countries include China, India, Brazil, and several other European nations, including several U.S. allies. Wikileaks said this is in addition to earlier asylum requests to Ecuador and Iceland. » | VOA News | Tuesday, July 02, 2013