Russian insider suggests
Snowden go to Venezuela


An influential Russian parliament member who often speaks for the Kremlin has encouraged former U.S. intelligence contractor Edward Snowden to accept Venezuela's offer of asylum.

Alexei Pushkov, who heads the international affairs committee in Russia's parliament, has posted several messages on Twitter about the case, including one Sunday that says "Venezuela is waiting for an answer from Snowden. This, perhaps, is his last chance to receive political asylum.''

Snowden is believed to be in the transit area of Moscow Airport since arriving on a flight from Hong Kong two weeks ago, unable to travel farther because the United States annulled his passport.

Meanwhile, Brazil's foreign minister says his government is worried about a newspaper report that the U.S. has collected data on billions of telephone and email conversations in his country. He promised an effort for international protection of Internet privacy.

Antonio Patriota said Brazil will demand an explanation from the United States. Brazil also plans to propose changes to international communications rules.

Saturday, Bolivian President Evo Morales offered asylum to Snowden, becoming the third leftist Latin American leader to do so, following Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega.

It is not clear how the 30-year-old Snowden, who leaked secret details of surveillance programs conducted by the clandestine U.S. National Security Agency, will get to any of the Latin American nations.

American authorities want him extradited to the U.S. to stand trial on espionage charges, but Russian President Vladimir Putin has refused, even as he says he wants Snowden to leave for another country.

Snowden has sought asylum in more than 20 countries. But most of them have either turned him down or said he must be in their countries or one of their embassies before they will consider his asylum bid.

The NSA says the information it has collected helped foil terrorist attacks. Snowden has said Americans should know their government has them under surveillance.


Austrian president denies
Morales' jet was searched


Austrian officials did not search Bolivia's presidential jet for fugitive U.S. intelligence contractor Edward Snowden, Austria's president said, seeking to defuse a diplomatic tussle over the incident.
   
One airport officer did board the aircraft on Tuesday to find out why it had landed in Vienna reporting technical problems, but there was no formal inspection, Austrian President Heinz Fischer told Kurier newspaper.
   
Fischer's comments, published on Sunday, appeared aimed at untangling contradictory accounts of how Bolivian President Evo Morales was treated as he flew home from a conference in Moscow last week.
   
Bolivia protested after several European countries refused to allow the aircraft to pass through their airspace, amid speculation Morales was taking Snowden to Latin America.
   
Diplomatic tensions heightened after the plane landed in Vienna and Austrian officials initially said they got official permission to inspect the aircraft for Snowden, who is wanted for leaking details of U.S. surveillance programs. Bolivia insisted no such inspection took place.
   
"Someone from the airport staff sought out the aircraft or the pilot after landing to inquire about the nature of the technical problem," Fischer was quoted as saying.
   
"The Austrian official was advised that the defect was already fixed, and saw on this occasion that the plane was empty. He did not look under the seats. There was no formal inspection, but no other people were found on board," Fischer added.
   
Pressed on whether that meant Austrians had not searched the plane, he said, "There was no search in the forensic sense. There was also no reason to under international law. The plane of a president belongs to his territory and cannot be searched readily."
   
Snowden is believed to be still holed up in the transit area of Moscow's Sheremetyevo international airport and has been trying to find a country that would give him sanctuary since he landed there from Hong Kong June 23.
   

Korean jet that crashed
flew too slow, probers say


U.S. investigators say the Korean jetliner that crashed Saturday at San Francisco airport was flying significantly below its target speed as it approached the runway and that the pilot tried to abort the landing.

National Transportation Safety Board Chairwoman Deborah Hersman spoke to reporters Sunday afternoon. She said the verbal abort request came just 1.5 seconds before impact, too late to avoid the crash that killed two people and injured dozens more.

Seconds earlier, she said, engine stall warnings sounded in the cockpit.

San Francisco's fire chief, speaking earlier Sunday, said 19 people remain hospitalized, six of them in critical condition.

The two passengers killed were identified as 16-year-old Chinese girls who were among a group of 30 students and their teachers headed to a summer camp from east China's Zhejiang province.

The Asiana flight originated in Shanghai and stopped in South Korea before heading to San Francisco.

Witnesses say the plane's tail appeared to hit first as it sought to clear a sea wall at the base of the runway. After the crash, much of the cabin burned through and debris was scattered along the runway.

Asiana Airlines officials say there is no indication of mechanical problems with the plane or its engines at the time of the crash.

Asiana is South Korea's second largest airline after national carrier Korean Air.

The U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation says there is no indication the accident was linked to terrorism. The FBI will work with the safety board, Korean investigators and Boeing as the probe unfolds.

President Barack Obama expressed his condolences to the victims and their families, as did Chinese President Xi Jinping. Chinese media say Xi also ordered Chinese diplomatic missions to do everything they can to help the survivors.

In 2008, a British Airways Boeing 777 jet crash-landed short of the runway at London's Heathrow Airport, but all on board survived.


French wants treaty clause
to protect their culture


Negotiations get under way Monday between Washington and Europe to strike the world's largest free trade agreement. While talks are shadowed by European anger at the U.S. Prism surveillance program, there are plenty of other potential roadblocks, including France's demand for a cultural exception protecting Europe's movie, television and online entertainment sector.

On a summer evening in eastern Paris people are out picnicking and playing the traditional French game of boules and buying tickets for an evening show at the local cinema. The current lineup includes several new French movies.

But Morelle and Xavier Dupuis have other plans.

"Superman: Man of Steel" is the couple's hands-down choice. The two are in their 30s, and Morelle Dupuis said they grew up with Superman. He's their hero.

The French film "The Artist" may have swept Hollywood's Academy Awards last year, but across Europe, American movies, radio and TV programs are dominating the airwaves and movie theaters.

Even in France, which sets quota requirements favoring French productions, some of the most popular movies and television shows are produced by Hollywood.

Now, as trade talks get under way between the European Union and Washington for a massive free trade agreement, France's insistence for a cultural exception may prove a key sticking point.

Not surprisingly, the battle for cultural exception has galvanized Europe's movie industry. Artist star Berenice Bejo made a passionate defense of it at the European Parliament.

But the cultural clause has even proved controversial in Europe. European Commission President José Manuel Barroso, for one, has criticized as reactionary those in France who are against globalization.

Barroso did not specifically mention the French government and later he said that culture should be accorded specific treatment in the trade talks.

But in an interview with French media, Barroso said that a resounding majority of EU member states supported the commission's position not to exclude any particular category ahead of the trade talks.

Nonetheless, outrage at Barroso's "reactionary" remark has resounded across France's political landscape, from far right leader Marine Le Pen to Socialist Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault.

Addressing the French parliament, Ayrault said championing cultural exception was not reactionary. To the contrary, it was a necessary affirmation of the world's cultural diversity, which even Barroso must accept.

But as far as French analyst Philippe Moreau Defarges is concerned, the campaign for cultural exception has already been defeated.

"You must look at the screens in Paris - so many American movies. It's clear that Hollywood is present everywhere. And cultural exception will not change that," he said.

Still, the Dupuis, for one, believe there should be a cultural exception clause in the talks despite their differences over the quality of French cinema.

The couple said that such an exception would allow young French actors to emerge and flourish.

Another movie goer, Helene Bugaut, agreed.

Bugaut said the government was right to help French production, since the world was dominated by English speakers. She said she watched lots of French movies.

But not tonight. Like the Dupuis, Bugaut has bought a ticket for "Superman."


Kerry's wife is hospitalized
after emergency flight


Teresa Heinz Kerry, the wife of U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, is hospitalized at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston with an undisclosed condition.

Earlier Sunday, Ms. Kerry was rushed to a hospital on the Massachusetts island of Nantucket in critical condition. She was flown to Boston after doctors in Nantucket stabilized her.

The secretary of State was by his wife's side through her ordeal.

No additional details about Ms. Kerry's condition or illness have been released.

Ms. Kerry is heiress to the Heinz ketchup fortune and the widow of former U.S. senator John Heinz III.


More bodies are expected
at Quebec train crash site


Police in Canada say the death toll has risen to five after a runaway train carrying crude oil derailed Saturday in eastern Quebec province.

The derailment caused four of the train's more than 70 cars to explode in the middle of the town of Lac Megantic, igniting fires that destroyed dozens of buildings, including stores and at least one bar.

A police spokesman said 40 people are reported missing, and he predicted the confirmed number of deaths will rise.

The accident forced up to 2,000 people to evacuate their homes. That's a third of Lac-Megantic's 6,000 residents.

The cause of the derailment is still not known. Canada's transportation safety agency is investigating.

Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper called the accident shocking and truly devastating. He said the government is ready to provide assistance.

Last week, Canada suffered another derailment of a train carrying petroleum products. The train went off the track in Calgary, Alberta, when a flood-damaged bridge sagged toward the still-swollen Bow River. The derailed rail cars were able to be removed without spilling their cargo.


Festival spotlights languages
that are likely to vanish


The U.S. Smithsonian Institution reports that more than 2,500 world languages will disappear by the end of this century. That is why the world’s largest museum and research complex dedicated part of its annual folklife festival to shine a light on these languages.

As soon as she heard the music, festival goer Patricia Joseph knew she had to dance.

"I always felt like dancing when I heard this kind of music, and I always felt restrained. But this was so liberating. This is such an unusual venue that we’re going to spend most of the day here,” said Joseph.

The song is unusual, too, It’s sung in a language that is slowly disappearing.

It's all part of the Smithsonian Folklife Festival, an annual celebration of world cultures on the National Mall in Washington, D.C.

One focus this year is on some of languages from around the globe that are expected to vanish. The different language representatives used a variety of art forms to express their native tongues. This includes the fast-paced music of the Quechua language from South America, the throat singing of the Tuvan language in Siberia, and the iconic dancing of the Hawaiian language.

Aaron Sala is one of the musicians for the disappearing Hawaiian language. "It’s a great experience to be with other cultures who are working to preserve and to ensure the survival and thriving of their languages," he said.

Representatives of these cultures, however, aren’t merely working to stimulate the auditory senses. Besides music, the festival has many authentic cultural artifacts, like a Colombian rice grinder. 

Maryland native Elisabeth Ostler said this festival, with its artifacts and music, allows Americans like herself to learn about the different cultures around the world.

"Generally speaking, we’re pretty isolated to different cultures. There’s so much to be appreciated and experienced," she said.

Ms. Ostler hopes young people like her seven children will be inspired by the festival, and will want to make a difference in the world.


Immigration again the topic,
but this time in House


Immigration reform remains in Washington’s political spotlight this week. Attention will be focused on whether and how the House of Representatives proceeds on an overhaul of federal immigration laws.

Congress returns to work after a weeklong recess.  Many legislators heard passionate and pointed words in their home districts on immigration reform.

“We are here today as a coalition, as a group to put the pressure where the fight will be: on the House," said immigration reform protester Richard McDaniel.

Last month, the Democratically-controlled Senate passed a bill that would boost U.S border security, streamline the legal immigration process, and provide a path to citizenship for millions of undocumented workers.  Action in the Republican-controlled House is far from assured.

Rep. Bob Goodlatte is chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, which oversees immigration matters. "I do not think a special pathway to citizenship should be provided at all," he said.

Instead, many Republicans want to focus on border security first and foremost.  But an enforcement-only approach that fails to address the legal status of the undocumented is unacceptable to many Democrats, including President Barack Obama.

Only if both houses of Congress pass an identical version of immigration reform would the bill go to the White House for  Obama’s signature.

House Speaker John Boehner has given no indication a vote will be held.


Intel Labs displays some
of next generation goodies


High tech companies are busy developing the next generation of products that will help us drive cars, do shopping and even care for children. High tech giant Intel showed reporters some experimental devices in San Francisco.
 
A vehicle mock-up shows a driver whose brain activity, monitored by head sensors, and eye movement, tracked by a dashboard camera, tell how alert he is at the wheel.

Intel Labs senior fellow Justin Rattner says devices like these will make driving safer.

"We're not monitoring brain waves. We're seeing how much of the brain is occupied in a given situation, how much of the brain is occupied when you're driving your car, or when you're driving and trying to send text messages," said Rattner.
 
Which is unsafe at any speed, as Rattner points out, unless you're in Google's experimental self-driving car. Google is another company that is pushing the limits of the latest technology. It is testing autonomous vehicles on the roads of several American states, including California.
 
This technology is years away from general use. But even cars from Honda and other automakers are using sensors and cameras today to monitor traffic and warn drivers of dangerous situations.
 
Rattner points to an experimental Intel technology to link cars electronically so that the driver in the rear knows what the vehicle ahead of him is doing. When the front driver signals a turn or slows down, a dashboard indicator alerts the driver in the rear.
 
In future, we may not need to carry computers. We could project a virtual machine onto a table or other surface anywhere.
 
In this demonstration, one was projected onto the table from a controller hidden in a flower pot. Sensors read the movements of the hands, so the system needs no mouse or hand-held devices.
 
At the market, sensors and computer chips embedded in products could mesh with devices carried by shoppers to help them locate the items they want and avoid those with ingredients such as peanuts, to which they may be allergic.
 
Cameras and sensors are already available to help parents watch their children. More advanced monitors will one day check the baby's health and mood.
 
Security badges for a company's workers could, in a few years, have built-in computers, like some on display. A swipe of the badge brings up a tiny computer display.
 
And security is being enhanced and simplified, with face-recognition software instead of complicated passwords, says Paul Schmitz of Intel Labs. He says a simple device like a mobile phone could provide multiple levels of security, with face recognition software, and if needed, added but simple-to-use tiers of protection.
 
"And that could be in terms of voice, it could be in terms of a 3D facial scan so that you can make sure that it really is me and not somebody holding up a picture of me," said Schmitz.
 
Schmitz says new forms of encryption will make high-tech systems harder to hack.

The key to these new devices and systems is learning what people want and devising solutions to provide that, says Rattner. He says one thing is certain in the world of technology.
 
"It's the steady advance of chip technology that makes all of these other devices and services possible," he said.
 
Rattner says new technology brings new concerns about privacy and data protection, and that Intel takes that seriously. But, he adds, that growing computing capacity, used in imaginative ways, is already changing our lives and will change them more in the future.


Double murder on soccer field
reverberates within Brazil


One man has been arrested in northern Brazil after a referee who fatally stabbed an amateur player over his refusal to leave the field was decapitated by a mob, police said on Saturday.

Referee Octavio da Silva, 20, stabbed player Josenir dos Santos, 30, on June 30 after dos Santos refused to heed his order to leave, police spokesman Kena Souza said.

A mob then turned on da Silva, killing him before severing his head in the remote town of Pio XII, named after a former pope. A 27-year-old man was arrested on July 2 and police in the regional headquarters of Santa Ines will continue to investigate the incident, Souza said.

Brazil has made significant strides in lowering homicide rates in recent years, as millions were lifted from poverty, but it faces mounting pressures to show it is a safe place for tourists before 12 Brazilian cities host the 2014 soccer World Cup and Rio de Janeiro the Olympic Games in 2016.

In Rio de Janeiro on the day of the brawl, Brazil's national team handily defeated Spain in the Confederations Cup, considered a test run for next year's much bigger championship. The eight-team tournament was marked by an unexpected wave of demonstrations, some violent, in part to protest the $14 billion being spent on World Cup preparations amid a lack of adequate public services.