WikiLeaks: Snowden makes expanded asylum requests

FILE - This June 17, 2013 file photo shows President Barack Obama meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Enniskillen, Northern Ireland. President Barack Obama brushed aside sharp European criticism on Monday, suggesting all nations spy on each other, as the French and Germans expressed outrage over alleged U.S. eavesdropping on European Union diplomats. American analyst-turned-leaker Edward Snowden, believed to be stranded for the past week at Moscow?s international airport, applied for political asylum to remain in Russia. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File)

FILE - This June 17, 2013 file photo shows President Barack Obama meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Enniskillen, Northern Ireland. President Barack Obama brushed aside sharp European criticism on Monday, suggesting all nations spy on each other, as the French and Germans expressed outrage over alleged U.S. eavesdropping on European Union diplomats. American analyst-turned-leaker Edward Snowden, believed to be stranded for the past week at Moscow?s international airport, applied for political asylum to remain in Russia. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File)

Russian President Vladimir Putin attends the Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF) in the Kremlin in Moscow, Monday, July 1, 2013. (AP Photo/Ivan Sekretarev, Pool)

In this photo taken on Monday, June 24, 2013, shows a view of Moscow's Airport Sheremetyevo, terminal E, with a hotel for transit passengers at the transit zone inside. Leaker Snowden has been caught in legal limbo in the transit zone of Moscow's Sheremetyevo airport since his arrival from Hong Kong on June 23. The U.S. has annulled his passport, and Ecuador, where he has hoped to get asylum, says it may take months to rule on his case. Russia's President Vladimir Putin said Monday, July 1, 2013, that Snowden will have to stop leaking U.S. secrets if he wants to get asylum in Russia, but added that Snowden has no plan to stop leaking. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko Jr)

FILE - In this file photo taken Friday, June 28, 2013, a Russian supporter of National Security Agency leaker Edward Snowden holds a poster outside Sheremetyevo airport in Moscow. Leaker Snowden has been caught in legal limbo in the transit zone of Moscow's Sheremetyevo airport since his arrival from Hong Kong on June 23. The U.S. has annulled his passport, and Ecuador, where he has hoped to get asylum, says it may take months to rule on his case. Russia's President Vladimir Putin said Monday, July 1, 2013, that Snowden will have to stop leaking U.S. secrets if he wants to get asylum in Russia, but added that Snowden has no plan to stop leaking. (AP Photo/Sergei Grits, File)

Russian President Vladimir Putin, right, and Bolivian President Evo Morales, second right, attend the Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF) in the Kremlin in Moscow, Monday, July 1, 2013. (AP Photo/Maxim Shemetov, Pool)

WASHINGTON (AP) ? National Security Agency leaker Edward Snowden, believed to be in legal limbo in the Moscow airport, is expanding his requests for asylum to another 19 countries, including China, according to WikiLeaks.

WikiLeaks, the anti-secrecy group that has adopted Snowden and his cause, on Monday night posted a statement said to be from Snowden that slammed President Barack Obama for "using citizenship as a weapon."

"Although I am convicted of nothing, it has unilaterally revoked my passport, leaving me a stateless person," Snowden says in the statement. "Without any judicial order, the administration now seeks to stop me exercising a basic right. A right that belongs to everybody. The right to seek asylum.

"Their purpose is to frighten, not me, but those who would come after me."

WikiLeaks legal adviser Sarah Harrison delivered the requests for asylum to an official at the Russian consulate at the Moscow airport on Sunday, according to the website. WikiLeaks says some of the requests have already been delivered to the appropriate embassies.

The WikiLeaks statement said requests were made to China, Cuba, Nicaragua, Venezuela, India and several European countries. Snowden had planned earlier to seek asylum in Ecuador and has requested asylum in Russia.

The asylum requests reported by WikiLeaks and the Snowden statement could not be independently authenticated.

Snowden, who has been on the run since releasing sensitive NSA documents, is believed to have been in Moscow airport's transit zone since his arrival from Hong Kong on June 23. The U.S. has annulled his passport, and Ecuador, where he had hoped to get asylum, has been giving mixed signals about offering him shelter.

After Snowden applied for political asylum to remain in Russia, Russian President Vladimir Putin told reporters in Moscow that Snowden would have to stop leaking U.S. secrets if he wanted asylum there ? and he added that Snowden seemed unwilling to stop publishing leaks of classified material.

At the same time, Putin said he had no plans to turn over Snowden to the United States.

The expanded requests for asylum come as the Obama administration contends with European allies angry about the release of documents that alleged U.S. eavesdropping on European Union diplomats.

Obama, in an African news conference with Tanzanian President Jakaya Kikwete, said the U.S. would provide allies with information about new reports that the NSA had bugged EU offices in Washington, New York and Brussels. But he also suggested such activity by governments would hardly be unusual.

"We should stipulate that every intelligence service ?not just ours, but every European intelligence service, every Asian intelligence service, wherever there's an intelligence service ? here's one thing that they're going to be doing: They're going to be trying to understand the world better, and what's going on in world capitals around the world," he said. "If that weren't the case, then there'd be no use for an intelligence service."

The latest issue concerns allegations, published in the German newsweekly Der Spiegel, of U.S. spying on European officials. French President Francois Hollande demanded Monday that the U.S. immediately stop any such eavesdropping and suggested the widening controversy could jeopardize next week's opening of trans-Atlantic trade talks between the United States and Europe.

"We cannot accept this kind of behavior from partners and allies," Hollande said on French television.

German government spokesman Steffen Seibert told reporters in Berlin, "Eavesdropping on friends is unacceptable." He declared, "We're not in the Cold War anymore."

Even before the latest disclosures, talks at the upcoming free-trade sessions were expected to be fragile, with disagreements surfacing over which items should be covered in or excluded from an agreement. The United States has said there should be no exceptions. But France has called for exempting certain cultural products, and other Europeans do not appear eager to give up longtime agricultural subsidies.

Obama said the Europeans "are some of the closest allies that we have in the world." But he added: "I guarantee you that in European capitals, there are people who are interested in, if not what I had for breakfast, at least what my talking points might be should I end up meeting with their leaders. That's how intelligence services operate."

Nonetheless, Obama said he'd told his advisers to "evaluate everything that's being claimed" and promised to share the results with allies.

Meanwhile, the Interfax news agency said a Russian consular official has confirmed that Snowden had asked for asylum in Russia.

Interfax cited Kim Shevchenko, the duty officer at the Russian Foreign Ministry's consular office in Moscow's Sheremetyevo airport, as saying that Snowden's representative, Harrison, handed over his request Sunday.

"If he wants to go somewhere and there are those who would take him, he is welcome to do so," Putin said. "If he wants to stay here, there is one condition: He must stop his activities aimed at inflicting damage on our American partners, no matter how strange it may sound coming from my lips."

Obama said "there have been high-level discussions with the Russians" about Snowden's situation.

"We don't have an extradition treaty with Russia. On the other hand, you know, Mr. Snowden, we understand, has traveled there without a valid passport, without legal papers. And you know we are hopeful that the Russian government makes decisions based on the normal procedures regarding international travel and the normal procedures regarding international travel and the normal interactions that law enforcement has. So I can confirm that."

Putin didn't mention any Snowden effort to seek asylum in Russia, and spokesman Dmitry Peskov declined to say what the Russian response might be. Putin insisted that Snowden wasn't a Russian agent and that Russian security agencies hadn't contacted him.

Three U.S. officials, speaking on condition of anonymity because they weren't authorized to publicly discuss the Snowden case, said Washington's efforts were focused primarily on persuading Russia to deport Snowden either directly to the United States or to a third country, possibly in eastern Europe, that would then hand him over to U.S. authorities.

In a sign of the distrust generated by the Der Spiegel report, the German government said it had launched a review of its secure government communications network and the EU's executive, the European Commission, ordered "a comprehensive ad hoc security sweep."

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said Monday he didn't know the details of the allegations, but he still played them down, maintaining that many nations undertake various activities to protect their national interests. Kerry failed to quell the outrage from allies, including France, Germany and Italy.

A spokesman for Herman Van Rompuy, the president of the European Council, said, "The European Union has demanded and expects full and urgent clarification by the U.S. regarding the allegations."

According to Der Spiegel's report, which it said was partly based on information leaked by Snowden, NSA planted bugs in the EU's diplomatic offices in Washington and infiltrated the building's computer network. Similar measures were taken at the EU's mission to the United Nations in New York, the magazine said.

It also reported that the NSA used secure facilities at NATO headquarters in Brussels to dial into telephone maintenance systems that would have allowed it to intercept senior officials' calls and Internet traffic at a key EU office nearby.

As for Snowden, White House national security spokeswoman Caitlin Hayden said the White House won't comment on specific asylum requests but reiterated its message to all countries that he "needs to be expelled back to the U.S. based on the fact that he doesn't have travel documents and the charges pending against him."

Regarding possible effects on U.S. interactions with Russia, she said it remains the case "that we don't want this issue to negatively impact the bilateral relationship."

___

Associated Press writers Vladimir Isachenkov in Moscow, Sarah DiLorenzo in Paris, Frank Jordans and Geir Moulson in Berlin, Elena Becatoros in Athens, Raf Casert in Brussels, Deb Riechmann in Brunei, Nicole Winfield in Rome, Julie Pace in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, and Matthew Lee in Washington contributed to this report.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2013-07-01-NSA%20Surveillance/id-346865a886904f0b9793a92f5f6e6a9e

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Socks Made with Carbonized Coffee Will Make Your Feet Less Stinky

Plain white socks these are not. The Atlas sock is a performance dress sock made from cotton, polyester and carbonized coffee. Carbonized coffee? Yes, it helps filter and absorb sweat and odor. Even more, the sock uses strain analysis, pressure mapping and thermal imaging to create something ridiculously comfortable.

Read more...

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/3yOps6Z5DAc/socks-made-with-carbonized-coffee-will-make-your-feet-l-654083525

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The Nail Trimmer Has Gotten a Stylish, Ultra-Flat Upgrade

If, for whatever reason, you've decided that simply biting your fingernails isn't the best way to keep them short, you'll want to invest in a nice trimmer. But not some giant monstrosity that requires a purse or a murse to keep it on hand. Go for Kershaw's ultra-thin nail clippers that fold down to an easily pocketable four millimeter package.

When collapsed the clipper looks even smaller and thinner than a USB flash drive, but still manages to pack a trimmer and a nail file into its discrete form factor. It even comes with a leather carrying case, but since it appears to add pointless bulk to this sleek creation, you'll definitely just want to carry the $42 clippers naked. [AssistOn via Damn Geeky]

Source: http://gizmodo.com/the-nail-trimmer-has-gotten-a-stylish-ultra-flat-upgra-645944173

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Dior, Valli, Versace, Schiaparelli energize Paris

PARIS (AP) ? Naomi Campbell not only owns the clothes she wears, but by her sheer magnetic presence commands the entire runway when she walks it. Donatella Versace knows this well, casting the age-defying 43-year-old to start Paris haute couture week with a bang of indomitable energy.

It was a hard act to follow.

Monday, the first of three full days of collections, showcased a universe of divergent and notable styles: From Dutch wunderkind Iris Van Herpen's organic musings, the diaphanous display by Giambattista Valli in top form, to the supreme elegance of Christian Lacroix's one-off ode to the late, great designer Elsa Schiaparelli.

Meanwhile, Christian Dior's Raf Simons broke through the walls of Avenue Montaigne to send the fashion house on a journey across the four corners of the globe: Encompassing the purity of Asia, the bold Americas, the bright stripes and patterns of Africa's Masai, with a dash of Europe's dainty-waisted "Parisienne."

CHRISTIAN DIOR

Images projected on the make-shift show walls inside Paris' Invalides summed up the show's message: A carpeted salon of Dior's Right Bank headquarters fused into scenes of exotic red flowers and images of black and Asian models. In other words, with one full year as creative director under his belt, Simons has found the confidence to go beyond the weighty heritage of the 70-year-old house codes and explore his own visions.

While the iconic bar jacket popped up in one belted gray wool outfit, its several peplum flaps mirrored the layers of a Japanese kimono.

Elsewhere, looks fully embracing the East were pulled off with panache, such as one off-white silk coat with stiff upturned collar, long front flaps and an incredible jutting back piece. All the looks were supremely feminine.

But while all of the globe-trotting turned this show into one of Simons' most creative, the 53 looks were so diverse that it also was his hardest to make sense of. The brightly-colored Masai looks, for example, were sometimes so vivid they jarred.

Still, there were plenty of bold new explorations. Next season, a more focused vision might help sharpen these great fashion ideas.

VERSACE

There were awed gasps from A-lister Uma Thurman on Sunday night when the panther-like Campbell steamed past to open the Atelier Versace show in strong-shouldered micro-sequin black jacket held together revealingly just by hooks and eyes covered in Swarovski crystals.

The rest of the fall-winter 2013 show was equally extreme.

Versace made some provocative statements with front panels of dresses flapping down with white crystals to expose the bustier, as if the "Glamazon" model had been interrupted midway through her strip-tease. One dress embroidered with blue and black sequins was so long it had a six-foot woman hobbling and nearly tripping all the way down the catwalk.

But among all the wanton razzmatazz, several of the looks were highly wearable and combined Versace's exuberance with some fine tailoring.

GIAMBATTISTA VALLI

With bold and refreshing sense of femininity, Giambattista Valli produced what could well be one of his strongest haute couture shows to date for fall-winter.

Thirty-nine diaphanous creations ? in off-white, pale gray, mid red and soft Renaissance blue ? stunned revellers Monday evening with their finely balanced play of texture, layering and transparency.

A series of truncated full silk shirts, that flared from the waist, softly blossomed thanks to myriad ruffles cut ? in a masterly touch ? on the bias. While myriad floral embroiderings added a delicacy.

One black and white bustier dress with tulle sported an exquisite satin in lilac blue gathered silk section that flowed over the model's hip, and billowed like a loose flower.

SCHIAPARELLI

Shoe hats, lobster dresses, and spiraling goggle glasses could easily be part of a closet inventory belonging to Lady Gaga. But these objects were all spawned from the mind of another woman, one born? incredibly ? in 1890: the avant-garde Elsa Schiaparelli.

The house of the influential fashion designer is being revived this year, and Monday saw famed couturier Christian Lacroix rise to the challenge of creating 18 dresses for a presentation entitled "Homage to Elsa."

It was a sumptuous display.

One dress called "Signature," in luxuriant navy wool crepe and satin piping, sported large pockets in midnight blue faille that formed an imaginative peplum. Elsewhere, a timeless black chiffon gown featured a feathered front with a straight white satin bow and queenly gold collar.

In a great touch, the lobster dress was reimagined as a clutch bag.

Lacroix was chosen as a one-off designer, and the house is still to name an artistic director.

IRIS VAN HERPEN

Wild nature was in the spotlight for Dutch wunderkind Iris Van Herpen, who produced a typically organic-infused couture display for fall-winter.

The show venue -- among the pillared architecture of the neoclassical science museum - lent itself well to explorations of organisms and exoskeletons that ran through the 11 creations.

The twist this season was a neat fusion with Japanese styles. That featured nicely, for example, on a bronze kimono dress with round, large arms in the shape of a moth. Here, scratched detailing evoked the feeling of a perforated cocoon.

The piece de resistance had to be an incredible oval dark gray mini dress that, in its intricate hard ruffles, teaming sinews and un-human shape, looked like a work of abstract sculpture.

There was a feeling, however, that Van Herpen is having trouble moving forward creatively from her organic themes ? though finely executed, two exoskeletal sheath dresses felt a little like a rehash of old-styles.

____

Thomas Adamson can be followed at Twitter.com/ThomasAdamsonAP

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/dior-valli-versace-schiaparelli-energize-paris-231250975.html

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Windows 8.1 doesn?t seem likely to help sliding PC sales

Edward Snowden is marooned in the Moscow airport, perhaps without any clean pants, because he flew there without checking bags. On June 21, Snowden received an encrypted email from someone claiming to be a government representative, The Wall Street Journal's Te-Ping Chen and Ken Brown report, and the person urged him to leave Hong Kong, assuring him that he'd be able to clear immigration. ...

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/windows-8-1-doesn-t-seem-likely-help-214029003.html

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Official: 19 firefighters die battling Ariz. fire

YARNELL, Ariz. (AP) ? An Arizona forestry official says 19 firefighters have died battling a fast-moving wildfire.

Forestry spokesman Art Morrison says the firefighters were caught by the fire Sunday afternoon near the central Arizona town of Yarnell. He says they were forced to deploy their fire shelters.

Earlier Sunday, the wildfire prompted evacuations of 50 homes in several communities about 85 miles northwest of Phoenix. Later Sunday afternoon, the Yavapai County Sheriff's Office expanded the evacuations to include more residents in the town of Yarnell.

Morrison says several homes in the community of Glenisle have been burned. He says no injuries or deaths have been reported from that area.

About 200 firefighters are fighting the wildfire, which has also forced the closure of parts of state Route 89.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/official-19-firefighters-die-battling-ariz-fire-033422890.html

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Federal Energy Tax Credit

Although they sound similar, there is a significant difference between a credit and a deduction. When a deduction is used, the amount is subtracted from income before computing tax liability. A credit, however, is subtracted directly from the total tax owed. Therefore, a credit winds up extending a three (or more) times greater effect. Do some research before signing contracts for products, and check the online Database of State Incentives for Renewables and Efficiency for information on state, local, federal and even utility company incentives.

Congress has routinely extended deadlines for federal energy tax credit. An individual can take both a credit (up to a specified cap) for about a third of the cost of installing photovoltaic (solar electric panel) systems and another one (up to an additional cap) for about a third of the cost of a solar water heating system. (Unfortunately for owners of pools and hot tubs, the solar tax credit does not apply to these items.) Another credit is available for fuel cells. Equipment must be certified by the Solar Rating Certification Corporation (SRCC) or another entity which a state government chooses.

A pitfall to avoid is the fact that many dealers who advertise themselves as 'solar dealers' are not only without connection to the Solar Rating Certification Corporation, but also may not even be licensed contractors! The systems they sell may not be SRCC approved. If a person takes an exemption from installing a non-approved system, he or she will be liable for any tax penalties incurred. Be sure that the installer is a licensed solar contractor, installing a properly approved system. There are websites which can recommend a list of solar contractors and products in areas throughout the United States.

The solar tax credit is figured out based on an individual's expenses for equipment (including labor). However, this does not include any expenses which have been subsidized by other programs. Fill out IRS Form 5695 to apply for this program. Various forms of federal energy tax credit programs have run their course and some have been extended. Groups are urging an eight year extension to current programs, in order to give the industry some sense of stability as members consider future investments. However, there is no guarantee that an extension will happen, so one is left wondering whether it is best to rush to complete renewable energy projects before the deadline, or wait and hope that a lengthy extension is granted, the industry continues to grow, and costs for renewable systems continue to decrease.

Current programs or exemptions have had significant results. Wind and solar-powered industries received much-needed assistance during periods when several consecutive years of federal energy tax credit had been extended. One year, nearly one third of all United States power capacity was added in the wind sector. Another year, this sector increased by nearly half. Solar tax credit also helped enable the solar sector to grow significantly. Plans for more large solar power projects are in development. These will either be shored up or stunted by future plans for extension or removal of credits. Advocates for extension of federal credits point to the additional jobs created by these facilities as further evidence that they are an appropriate economic bonus as well. The decisions which need to be made by government officials are complicated and may have long-term, widespread effects. This may especially be true in areas of fuels and energy use, which have an impact upon food supplies, natural resources and relationships between nations. No wonder Paul urges Timothy and other believers that "...supplications, prayers, intercessions and giving of thanks, be made for all men; For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty..." (I Timothy 2:1-2). Christians can pray that leaders will be guided to make decisions which are beneficial to all members of an increasingly inter-related world.

In the meantime, green buildings credits and efficient appliances credits remain the most commonly employed forms of assistance. No doubt there are many people who would be quite interested in investing in renewable energy systems for their personal or business use, but the up-front costs make it impossible to do so at this time. For this reason, further federal energy tax credit or solar tax credit may be the answer for this problem. It would also be helpful to advertise the existence of incentives and programs which offer assistance in procuring these renewable systems. Actually, most people are probably unfamiliar with the various products which are available for purchase by the public. Although there are doubtless many websites devoted to such items, perhaps a more widespread campaign utilizing television programs or commercials would be helpful in order to bring this information into public awareness. Such projects add long-term value to a home or business, while lowering costs and providing additional clean energy. Those are three incentives which will remain constant regardless of government policies.

Source: http://www.christianet.com/accounting/federalenergytaxcredit.htm

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