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| Edward Snowden 'applies for asylum in Russia' | Edward Snowden 'applies for asylum in Russia' |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| US intelligence leaker Edward Snowden has applied to Russia for political asylum, Russian officials say. | US intelligence leaker Edward Snowden has applied to Russia for political asylum, Russian officials say. |
| Foreign ministry consul Kim Shevchenko said the request was made on Sunday night. The Kremlin has made no comment. | Foreign ministry consul Kim Shevchenko said the request was made on Sunday night. The Kremlin has made no comment. |
| The 30-year-old former CIA analyst is believed to be holed up in a Moscow airport hotel. | The 30-year-old former CIA analyst is believed to be holed up in a Moscow airport hotel. |
| Earlier, Russian President Vladimir Putin said Mr Snowden was welcome to stay as long as he stopped "inflicting damage on our American partners". | Earlier, Russian President Vladimir Putin said Mr Snowden was welcome to stay as long as he stopped "inflicting damage on our American partners". |
| The US has not yet made any comment on the latest developments. | The US has not yet made any comment on the latest developments. |
| President Barack Obama, speaking earlier in Tanzania, said Washington and Moscow had held "high level" discussions about Mr Snowden. | President Barack Obama, speaking earlier in Tanzania, said Washington and Moscow had held "high level" discussions about Mr Snowden. |
| "We are hopeful the Russian government makes decisions based on the normal procedures regarding international travel and the normal interactions law enforcement have," he told reporters, pointing out that Mr Snowden does not have a valid passport or legal papers. | |
| 'Ironclad assurances' | |
| According to Russia's Interfax news agency, Mr Snowden's application for asylum was handed to a consular official at Moscow's Sheremetyevo Airport late on Sunday evening. | According to Russia's Interfax news agency, Mr Snowden's application for asylum was handed to a consular official at Moscow's Sheremetyevo Airport late on Sunday evening. |
| The application was delivered by Sarah Harrison, a member of the Wikileaks legal team acting as Mr Snowden's representative, Kim Shevchenko was quoted by the news agency saying. | The application was delivered by Sarah Harrison, a member of the Wikileaks legal team acting as Mr Snowden's representative, Kim Shevchenko was quoted by the news agency saying. |
| Russia's Federal Migration Service has denied the report, which appeared in the New York Times earlier. | Russia's Federal Migration Service has denied the report, which appeared in the New York Times earlier. |
| Mr Snowden has reportedly been in the transit area of Sheremetyevo Airport since arriving there from Hong Kong on 23 June. | |
| He flew there soon after revealing himself to be the source behind the leaking of thousands of classified documents showing the extent of US email and telephone surveillance. | |
| It was thought he had been seeking asylum in Ecuador, whose embassy in London is sheltering Wikileaks founder Julian Assange who is also wanted by the US. | |
| Mr Snowden faces charges of espionage in the US. | |
| His father, Lon Snowden, in a letter to the attorney general seen by the BBC at the weekend, said he thought his son would return voluntarily to the US if there were "ironclad assurances that his constitutional rights would be honored". |