Snowden, Obama, Ecuador Updates: Russia did not invite Snowden, Obama will not intercept plane

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Russia did not invite Edward Snowden onto Russian territory. This was announced on Thursday by the Russian Ambassador to the U.S. Sergey Kislyak. Former CIA officer and NSA contractor Edward Snowden, who revealed the details of secret U.S. intelligence spying programs, fled from the U.S. to Hong Kong, and on June 23, flew to Moscow intending to move onward to Havana.

Currently he is in the transit area of Sheremetyevo international airport, pending a decision by Ecuador from which he has asked for political asylum.

Kislyak does not believe that the problem of Snowden, who did not cross the border into Russia, could complicate relations between Moscow and Washington.

Earlier in the day, President Barack Obama said he "would not use fighter jets to intercept the plane with Snowden, wherever he was going."

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Huge anti-capitalism Blockupy rally hits Frankfurt (LIVE UPDATES)

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The entrance of the ECB is blocked by over 3,000 'Blockupy' protestors in a march against austerity. 'Blockupy' has announced the coalition has “reached its first goal” of the day.

• 16:10
  Ever more groups block various shops in the Zeil. Several hundreds still sit and stand in front of MyZeil - Blockupy. (The MyZeil is a shopping mall in the city center of Frankfurt).
• 16:03
  Blockupy plans to assemble outside of the airport to protest against German immigration policies and what activists have decried as an “inhumane deportation system.” Fraport, the airport operator, has advised passengers to arrive early for their flights.

Nkiru Slyvanus Updates: Police Arrest 16 Suspects

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Imo State Police Command yesterday said it has arrested 16 suspects in connection with the kidnapping of Nollywood actress and Special Assistant to the State Governor on Public Affairs, Nkiru Sylvanus.

The state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Mr. Vitalis Onugu (DSP), disclosed that the suspects were arrested in a raid of suspected kidnappers’ dens in the forest, adding that they were already assisting the police in its investigation.

Meanwhile, the state government has directed security agencies to arrest any unauthorised person found using siren and vehicles with tinted glasses. Rising from a security council meeting, the state Governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha, said the renewed war against unauthorised use of siren and tinted glasses was part of the stringent measures adopted by the council to checkmate crime in the state, especially during the Yuletide.

Also, members of the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN), Southeast Zone, demanded the immediate release of the actress. Members of the actors’ body, led by its National Vice President, Southeast, Ikechukwu Ezenagu, a legal practitioner, barricaded the entrance of Government House displaying placards with various inscriptions which include, “Southeast governors give Nollywood actors security,” “Insecurity is the bane of investment in the Southeast,” “Turn away from kidnapping and join Nollywood,” among others.

Source: Daily Sun Newspaper