RussiaToday-Video-News:Chasing Snowden: Don't Shoot The Messenger

Edward Snowden's story is worthy of a spy novel. He was charged with espionage for blowing the lid off US security operations. He was in Hong Kong at the time, and then reportedly wanted to flee to another country via Russia - but had his passport revoked by the US.
Snowden was expected to show on a flight to Cuba after he booked a ticket, but journalists were left staring at an empty seat, instead of the whistleblower - on that Havana-bound plane. RT's Paul Scott, Thabang Motsei and Ivor Crotty, who've all been monitoring the developments as they happened, share their opinions on this story


While the cat-and-mouse game over Edward Snowden continues, there've been yet more revelations on the US snooping programme. The NSA has been collecting huge amounts of email data for more than two years during the Obama administration, and is actually still mining the US internet. That's according to the british daily, the Guardian, which was referring to some secret documents. Rick Falkvinge, the founder of the Swedish Pirate Party gives more on the issue.


Iran has burned at least 100 tons of drugs as part of its efforts to fight drug smuggling. June 26 is the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking. To mark this day Iran, which lies on a major trafficking route between Afghanistan and Europe, has burned tons of drugs. Iranian authorities and foreign guests watched at the burning ceremony in Tehran.


It appears the UK's sweeping surveillance is going beyond the GCHQ phone and online eavesdropping. A special police unit has reportedly been scanning what British citizens are posting online in social networks.


Ecuador says there are obstacles in granting asylum to whistleblower Edward Snowden. The development was revealed in a press conference by the country's government in the Ecuadorian capital. Snowden himself remains somewhere in the transit zone of Moscow's Sheremetyevo airport. RT's Lucy Kafanov outside the airport brings the latest.


Fierce clashes broke out between protesters and riot police during a demonstration near the Mineirao Stadium in Belo Horizonte on Wednesday. Clashes began after tens of thousands of protesters, in part angered by the billions spent in World Cup preparations, tried to march to the stadium and were confronted by police who fired tear gas and rubber bullets. Angry protesters picked up tear-gas canisters and hurled them back at police, along with a shower of rocks. Two protesters were hurt, including a 21-year-old man who fell from an overpass and is reported to be in a critical condition.


Massive fire video: Gas tanker explodes wreaking huge damage in Kazakhstan