Who is Edward Snowden?

A 29-year-old government contractor has been charged with espionage for recent leaks of classified intelligence. He has vaulted from obscurity to international notoriety, joining the ranks of high-profile leakers such as Daniel Ellsberg of Pentagon Papers fame.

1. The leak
Edward Snowden, a contract worker for the National Security Agency, revealed on June 9 that he was the source of the leaks to The Washington Post and the Guardian of information about the U.S. government’s vast collection of phone and Internet data. The United States charged Snowden with espionage on June 21 and asked the Hong Kong government to detain him on a provisional arrest warrant.

Guardian via AP

2. His first refuge
Snowden was reportedly staying at the Mira Hotel in Hong Kong before checking out on Sunday. He said he would seek asylum outside the United States, but according to experts, Hong Kong would be a questionable choice. The semiautonomous jurisdiction has a strong extradition treaty with the United States.

Alex Hofford / European Pressphoto Agency

3. Glenn Greenwald
Glenn Greenwald, a reporter for the British-based Guardian newspaper, speaks to the Associated Press in Hong Kong. Greenwald’s report last week exposed the U.S. government's widespread collection of phone data. Greenwald, in the Guardian, and Barton Gellman, in The Washington Post, later reported on the PRISM program, in which the U.S. government has collected Internet data from major U.S. technology firms. Edward Snowden later revealed himself to be the source for those stories.

Vincent Yu / AP

4. The solo trip
Snowden’s girlfriend, Lindsay Mills, 28, said she was in shock over Snowden's sudden departure last month from Hawaii for Hong Kong.

Kin Cheung / AP

5. His employer

Snowden was an employee of the consulting firm Booz Allen Hamilton, where he worked as a contractor for the NSA. The company announced Tuesday that he had been fired. Booz Allen said Snowden was paid $122,000 a year for his work as a systems administrator, substantially less than the $200,000 a year he had claimed.

Michael Reynolds / European Pressphoto Agency


5. His employer

Snowden was an employee of the consulting firm Booz Allen Hamilton, where he worked as a contractor for the NSA. The company announced Tuesday that he had been fired. Booz Allen said Snowden was paid $122,000 a year for his work as a systems administrator, substantially less than the $200,000 a year he had claimed.

Michael Reynolds / European Pressphoto Agency


7. Already gone

The home where Edward Snowden apparently lived with his girlfriend in the Honolulu neighborhood of Waipahu. They moved to Hawaii last year. Neighbors said Snowden rebuffed their overtures and provided no personal information.

Kent Nishimura / European Pressphoto Agency


8. Icelandic dreams?

In an interview, Snowden floated the idea of heading to Reykjavik. He told the Guardian that he was inclined to seek asylum in a country that shared his values — and “the nation that most encompasses this is Iceland.”

Kirsty Wigglesworth / AP

9. Early interests

Snowden is seen in 2002 wearing a hoodie when he worked as a webmaster and editor for a Japanese anime company run by friends in Maryland.

katiebair.com / via Reuters

10. High school dropout

Snowden’s sophomore yearbook photo from Arundel Senior High School in 1999. He dropped out after the first semester of his sophomore year.

Courtesy of Arundel Senior High School

11. Where he went to school

Snowden first grew up in North Carolina, but then he and his family moved to Maryland and lived in Anne Arundel County, where he went to school.

Jonathan Newton / The Washington Post

12. Childhood home

Snowden and his family lived at 1419 Knights Bridge Turn in Crofton, Md.

Jonathan Newton / The Washington Post

13. Snowden reportedly lands in Moscow

Russian journalists meet passengers from an Aeroflot flight from Hong Kong as they land in Moscow. Snowden fled Hong Kong for Moscow on Sunday with the help of the anti-secrecy organization WikiLeaks, according to Russian media reports and a WikiLeaks spokesman. Snowden’s ultimate destination is unknown, but Ecuador’s foreign minister tweeted that his government had received a request for asylum from him.

Igor Kharitonov / European Pressphoto Agency

MO Farah Oo Ku Guuleystay Orodka 5,000M Ee Yurub Iyo Sujuud Uu Dhulka ULa Dhacay + Sawiro

Orodyahanka heysta 2-da billadood ee dahabka MO Farah, ayaa wuxuu markale uu Boqortooyada Britain u soo gacan geliyay billad kaloo dahab ah, markii uu ku guuleystay tartanka orodada 5,000M ee Yurub.

Orodyahanka reer somaliland  ee heysta dhalashada Britain, ayaa wuxuu ka qeyb galay tartanka Sabtidii ka furmay Magaalada Gateshead ee dalkaasi Britain.

MO Farah ayaa wuxuu orodada 5,000M uu ku soo gaba gabeeyay qaddar 14 daqiiqo iyo 10 ilbiriqsi ah, waxayan tani ka caawisay inuu ku guuleysto billadii dahabka ee abaalmarin ahaanta loo qoondeeyay.

Markii uu MO xaqiiqsaday inuu ku guuleystay orodada tartankaan, ayaa wuxuu Sujuud kula dhacay Garoonkii uu tartanka ka soconaayay.

MO Farah oo Saxaafada ka soo dhex muuqday, ayaa wuxuu sheegay inuu si weyn ugu faraxsan yahay guusha uu gaaray, wuxuuna intaa raaciyay inuu sidoo kale ku faraxsan yahay inuu farxad la wadaago dadweynaha reer British.

Orodyahanka MO ayaa wuxuu horey ugu guuleystay 2-dii billadood ee dahabka ee orodada 10-ka kun iyo 5-ta kun, ee tartamadii Olympicada ee lagu qabtay. Magaalada London.

The Edward Snowden Drama Has Reached Peak Action Movie

By Matt Berman

A bus drives past a banner supporting Edward Snowden at Central, Hong Kong's business district, Tuesday, June 18, 2013.  (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

If the Edward Snowden saga is a Michael Bay movie that we are all just living in, on Sunday morning it would have passed over the believability abyss. That's when Snowden, the NSA leaker turned America's Most Wanted poster-boy, took a plane out of Hong Kong, en route to Russia, where he landed around 9:15 a.m. EST. Snowden is reportedly headed from there to Havana, Cuba on Monday. Originally, it looked like he was going from there to Caracas, Venezuela. Now, it appears he's off to Ecuador.

Oh, and on the run with Edward Snowden? Diplomatic and legal escorts from WikiLeaks, according to a press release from the organization. WikiLeaks released a profile of Sarah Harrison on Sunday morning, a U.K. citizen who the organization says is acting as Snowden's escort. WikiLeaks, being WikiLeaks, is live-tweeting the adventure:

-------------

 WikiLeaks        ✔ @wikileaks

Edward #Snowden has just now landed in Moscow on flight SU 213 http://www.ourairports.com/airports/UUEE/flights.html … … http://wikileaks.org/WikiLeaks-Statement-On-Edward.html … http://wikileaks.org/Statement-by-Julian-Assange-after,249.html …
5:19 PM - 23 Jun 2013

------------

WikiLeaks' founder Julian Assange is getting himself back in headlines with his moves to help Snowden. Assange has been living in the Ecudarian embassy in London for over a year, avoiding extradition to Sweden.

The first seeming plot-hole in today's story: how did Snowden get out of Hong Kong? Especially with all of the pressure that the Obama administration was putting on the government to extradite hm? Hong Kong's governmnet has plugged that hole with a statement:

    The U.S. Government earlier on made a request to the HKSAR Government for the issue of a provisional warrant of arrest against Mr Snowden. Since the documents provided by the U.S. Government did not fully comply with the legal requirements under Hong Kong law, the HKSAR Government has requested the U.S. Government to provide additional information so that the Department of Justice could consider whether the U.S. Government's request can meet the relevant legal conditions. As the HKSAR Government has yet to have sufficient information to process the request for provisional warrant of arrest, there is no legal basis to restrict Mr Snowden from leaving Hong Kong.

If that part of the statement doesn't make this point obvious, the government of Hong Kong is not too pleased with the United States:

    Meanwhile, the HKSAR Government has formally written to the U.S. Government requesting clarification on earlier reports about the hacking of computer systems in Hong Kong by U.S. government agencies. The HKSAR Government will continue to follow up on the matter so as to protect the legal rights of the people of Hong Kong.

So much for extradition treaties.

And just how many more U.S. relationships with how many more countries will Snowden muck up?

Sen. Chuck Schumer, on CNN's State of the Union Sunday morning, told host Candy Crowley that he is "very disappointed" with how Hong Kong handled Snowden, and believed that "the hand of Beijing was involved here." He had harsher words for Russia, saying there'd be "serious consequences" for the U.S.-Russia relationship, and that "allies are supposed to treat each other in decent ways." The senator also made the assumption that Vladimir Putin approved Snowden's plane landing in Russia, and called the president "infuriating."

Sen. Rand Paul, also on State of the Union, had kinder words for Snowden: "I think it's still going to be an open question how this young man's judged." The Kentucky senator and 2016-maybe said that history would look back at the records of both Snowden and National Intelligence Director James Clapper, saying that "Mr. Clapper lied to Congress, in defiance of the law, in the name of security," and that "Mr. Snowden told the truth in the name of privacy."

Paul, however, wasn't too thrilled with what Snowden looked to be doing on Sunday morning:

    If he cozies up to either the Russian government, the Chinese government, or any of these governments that are perceived still as enemies of ours, I think that that'll be a real problem for him in history.

While the U.S. doesn't actually consider Russia or China to be enemy nations, you can get a pretty decent sense of where this drama could be heading in the coming days.

Update (1:58): Sen. John McCain took to Twitter Sunday afternoon to pile on China and Russia:

Britain builds £14m prison... in Somalia Cash to cage terrorists

Rebuild ... the old prison in Somalia

Exclusive.
By DAVID WOODING, Associate Political Editor

BRITAIN is spending £14million on a jail to lock up terrorists and pirates — in Somalia.

Taxpayers’ money will also go to fund mobile criminal courts in lawless states currently plagued by al-Qaeda.

The prison in Mogadishu will ensure dangerous warlords are kept behind bars.

It will also make it easier for Britain to deport foreign criminals and terror suspects.

 More than 400 Somali criminals are in UK jails because there is nowhere to detain them back home in Africa.

International Development Secretary Justine Greening is splashing out to rebuild the Somali capital’s 180-year-old prison, which will hold 700.

But she risks a row about Britain’s overseas aid spending as it is protected from cuts.

Somalia — scene of Hollywood movie Black Hawk Down — is fighting al-Qaeda terror groups and pirates who prey on UK ships and tourists.

Ms Greening said: “By building jail places and courts in Somalia we can help our African allies challenge terror and crime on their own doorstep so less ends up on ours.”

Djibouti: Economic Developments 2013

Written by: African Economic Outlook on June 20, 2013.

Gross domestic product (GDP) increased by 4.5% in 2012, mainly due to more port activity and a revival in FDI, but these two pillars of the economy are still below levels of before the 2008 world financial crisis. Overall growth should speed up until 2014 thanks to extensive investment in the port and transport sectors.

The economy remains dominated by the tertiary sector – transport, communications, commerce and tourism – which accounts for 73% of GDP and employs most of the working population. The smaller secondary sector is growing, but the primary sector remains insignificant.

Transport and related logistical services remain the backbone of the economy. Port activity has revived though transshipment operations remain small. The government launched a programme to develop the sector in 2012 by raising money to build two ports as well as road corridors. A port in Tadjourah to handle potassium exports from Ethiopia is expected to be ready by the end of 2014. A road from Tadjourah to Bahlo via Randa was completed in 2012 to carry 8 million tonnes a year of ore to the new terminal that will boost the country’s port activity by 15-20%. A bulk-carrier port at Goubet for salt from Lake Assal will open in 2013.

Telecommunications, construction and tourism continue to grow, although less than the dominant transport sector. Telecommunications is steadily expanding due to mobile phones, whose operators had 211 000 subscribers in an estimated population of 864 617 in 2011, but growth of subscriptions has slowed due to network saturation. Work begun in 2012 to allow third-generation (3G) connections will be complete in 2013 and expand network capacity to 600 000 subscribers.

Internet subscriptions showed the biggest expansion in 2012 (of about 30%) due to higher-speed lines, lower rates and extension of service to other parts of the country. Growth outside the capital of CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access) technology, which is similar to Wi-Fi but considered land-line, became popular in rural areas in 2012, and CDMA subscriptions increased some 170% between 2011 and 2012. Rapid expansion of land and mobile lines forced a switch from six- to eight-figure numbers in 2012.

Construction in 2012 continued its steady growth of recent years. More construction permit applications were made in 2011, (249 compared with 183 in 2009), while land purchase requests rose to 1 162 in 2011 (621 in 2010 and 162 in 2008). The national housing fund’s effort in 2010 to widen access to house ownership by legalising land titles greatly boosted applications. The construction boom highlighted the need to update planning frameworks in Djibouti and in the provinces and the government promised this for 2013.

Tourism also continued to grow and overnight stays increased by one-fifth in 2012, mainly with business travel connected with the foreign military bases and forces in the country, as well as with travel connected with efforts to fight piracy off the Horn of Africa. These visitors stayed in the capital despite the potentially very attractive sites elsewhere in the country.

The IMF’s ECF ended in May 2012 with the sixth and last review of the programme, which was pronounced satisfactory, with good macroeconomic stability, and structural reforms in the financial sector (notably bank supervision) and in public finance management. The government asked for a new programme after the February 2013 parliamentary elections. The IMF said it would depend on achievement of macroeconomic targets worked out at the end of the last programme.

These included reducing the government’s use of bank loans, tightening spending controls, collecting more taxes, and continuing to seek soft loans, repaying domestic debt arrears and protecting social spending, mainly by creating a safety net for poor families.

The government has launched an ambitious programme of infrastructure expansion to consolidate Djibouti’s position as a regional trading and services hub. Projects planned for 2013 and 2014 include upgrading the railway line between Ethiopia and Djibouti (feasibility surveys have been commissioned) and improving roads after a regional integration agreement signed with Ethiopia and South Sudan as part of the wider framework of the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA).

Plans to prospect for oil continue, along with building a pipeline from South Sudan to Djibouti, expanding the Doraleh oil terminal and building a refinery there.

The government has also announced it will enlarge the Doraleh container terminal using its own funding, set up a new free-trade zone and build a fishing port at Damerzog.

Excerpt from African Economic Outlook 2013: Djibouti

Edward Snowden lands in Moscow, likely bound for Ecuador

Updated 1:24 p.m. ET

Edward Snowden

MOSCOW
A former National Security Agency contractor wanted by the United States for revealing highly classified surveillance programs has landed in Moscow after fleeing Hong Kong.

Anti-secrecy organization WikiLeaks, which claims it is helping Edward Snowden evade extradition to the U.S., said late Sunday in a statement that Snowden "is bound for the Republic of Ecuador via a safe route for the purposes of asylum."

Ecaudor's foreign minister, Ricardo Patino Aroca, said on Twitter after Snowden's arrival in Moscow that his government received an asylum request from Snowden.

The United States has officially revoked his passport, reports CBS News correspondent Margaret Brennan, although that would be unlikely to hinder Snowden's ability to travel to a country that wanted him.

WikiLeaks said Snowden is being "escorted by diplomats and legal advisors from WikiLeaks," and that "once Mr Snowden arrives in Ecuador his request will be formally processed."

The online organization's founder, Julian Assange, has been hiding in refuge in Ecuador's embassy in London, battling an extradition request from Sweden, where he is wanted for questioning in a pair of sexual assault cases.

Reporter Kevin O'Flynn told host Bob Schieffer on CBS' "Face the Nation" that Edward Snowden landed at Moscow's Sheremetyevo International Airport at around 9:15 a.m. ET. While his current whereabouts are unknown, most reports indicate he will not stay in Moscow, but will instead continue to another destination on Monday.

A spokesman for Russian President Vladimir Putin said he was unaware of Snowden's whereabouts or travel plans.

Both Russia's state ITAR-Tass news agency and Reuters have cited an unnamed Aeroflot airline official as saying Snowden will continue along to Cuba on Monday, and possibly travel from their to Venezuela. Snowden said in recent interviews that Iceland was also a destination he preferred.

Early Sunday morning, Hong Kong officials said Snowden had been allowed to leave for a "third country" because a U.S. extradition request did not fully comply with their laws. Snowden had been in hiding in Hong Kong for several weeks since he revealed information on the highly classified spy programs.

Snowden's flight to Moscow appears to have caught U.S. officials off guard, with Senate Intelligence Committee Chairwoman Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., calling it "a very big surprise."

"I want to get him caught and brought back for trial, and I think we need to know exactly what he has - he could have a lot, lot more," Feinstein said on CBS' "Face the Nation." "But I think the chase is on."

CBS News White House correspondent Major Garrett, also appearing on "Face the Nation," said: "The United States doesn't know what happened. It put together what it said and thought were really good charges that represented everything we could legally prosecute Edward Snowden under, thought there was an agreement with the Hong Kong authorities...It looks like there was a technicality."

Interpol said there is no public Red Notice -- an international alert that an individual is wanted for arrest by an Interpol member country -- at the moment for Snowden.

A U.S. Department of Justice spokesperson, Nanda Chitre, told CBS News they had been informed Snowden had left Hong Kong.

"We will continue to discuss this matter with Hong Kong and pursue relevant law enforcement cooperation with other countries where Mr. Snowden may be attempting to travel," Chindre said.

WikiLeaks, the organization that has released reams of classified material online from the U.S. government and others, claims to have aided Snowden in his flight. They released a statement saying he was bound for a "democratic nation via a safe route for the purpose of asylum."

An Aeroflot agent told Russia's Interfax news service that Snowden is traveling with one other person with the surname Harrison, but the agent declined to release the traveler's full name.

U.K. journalist Sarah Harrison is a known close adviser to WikiLeaks' founder Julian Assange, prompting speculation that she was with Snowden during his flight from Hong Kong. WikiLeaks tweeted out her profile Sunday morning, as well as another tweet asking followers to read about her "before the smears arrive."

• Hong Kong: Edward Snowden has left for third country
• Edward Snowden's espionage charges met in Hong Kong with silence
• U.S. files espionage charges against NSA leaker

The White House itself has not commented yet on Snowden's departure, which came a day after the United States made a formal request for his extradition and gave a pointed warning to Hong Kong against delaying the process of returning him to face trial in the U.S.

The Hong Kong government said in a statement that Snowden left "on his own accord for a third country through a lawful and normal channel."

It acknowledged the U.S. extradition request, but said U.S. documentation did not "fully comply with the legal requirements under Hong Kong law." It said additional information was requested from Washington, but since the Hong Kong government "has yet to have sufficient information to process the request for provisional warrant of arrest, there is no legal basis to restrict Mr. Snowden from leaving Hong Kong."

Russian officials have given no indication that they have any interest in detaining Snowden or any grounds to do so. Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has said that Russia would be willing to consider granting asylum if Snowden were to make such a request.


Russia and the United States have no extradition treaty that would oblige Russia to hand over a U.S. citizen at Washington's request.

WikiLeaks said it was providing legal help to Snowden at his request and that he was being escorted by diplomats and legal advisors from the group. Its founder, Julian Assange, who has spent a year inside the Ecuadorean Embassy in London to avoid extradition to Sweden to face questioning about sex crime allegations, told the Sydney Morning Herald that his organization is in a position to help because it has expertise in international asylum and extradition law.

The Cuban government had no comment on Snowden's movements or reports he might use Havana as a transit point.

Michael Ratner, Assange's lawyer, said he didn't know Snowden's final destination, but said his options were not numerous.

"You have to have a country that's going to stand up to the United States," Ratner said. "You're not talking about a huge range of countries here."

Ratner said a country's extradition treaty with the U.S. is "not going to be relevant" because the country he ends up going to will likely be one willing to give him a political exemption.

© 2013 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Edward Snowden leaves Hong Kong for Moscow: live updates

The NSA whistleblower has left Hong Kong on an Aeroflot flight to Moscow, two days after the US charged him with espionage, with his eventual destination unknown

Edward Snowden, who has left Hong Kong on a plane to Moscow. Photograph: AP

Peter Walker - guardian.co.uk,

2.37pm BST
Reuters has been listening to Mike Rogers, the Republic congressman who chairs the Intelligence Select Committee. The initial quotes have Rogers arguing that Snowden's flight "defies logic" given his self-state whistleblower status, and that the US should use all legal options to have him brought to the US.

Updated at 2.40pm BST
2.33pm BST
Various tweets are citing Russia's Interfax news agency as saying Snowden was met on the airport tarmac by a Venezuelan diplomat, who took him away in a car.

#Russia's Interfax news agency reports Venezuelan diplomat picked Snowden up in a car on tarmac at Moscow airport. Whisked him away #NSA

— Jon Williams (@WilliamsJon) June 23, 2013
2.25pm BST
Vans belonging to Russian presidential administration waiting by Aeroflot jets pic.twitter.com/f2THVsAytq

— Miriam Elder (@MiriamElder) June 23, 2013
Miriam Elder in Moscow, who is at Sheremetyevo airport, has tweeted this.

2.21pm BST
Dominic Rushe sends this statement from a US Department of Justice spokeswoman:

As we stated yesterday, the United States had contacted authorities in Hong Kong to seek the extradition of Mr Snowden, based on the criminal complaint filed in the Eastern District of Virginia, and in accordance with the US-Hong Kong agreement for the surrender of fugitive offenders.

We have been informed by the Hong Kong authorities Mr Snowden has departed for a third country. We will continue to discuss this mater with Hong Kong and pursue relevant law enforcement cooperation with other countries where Mr Snowden may be attempting to travel.

2.18pm BST
WikiLeaks has issued a brief profile of Sarah Harrison, the WikiLeaks staffer believed to have flown with Snowden.

2.16pm BST Snowden arrives
The arrival of Snowden's plane has been confirmed by Moscow's Sheremetyevo airport. The flight touched down at 5.03pm local time (2.03om BST).

Updated at 2.16pm BST
2.13pm BST
Snowden's flight from Hong Kong has touched down in Moscow, according to the New York Times correspondent in the city.

Snowden has landed in Moscow.

— Ellen Barry (@EllenBarryNYT) June 23, 2013
2.09pm BST
My colleague Dominic Rushe in New York has been speaking to a US extradition expert:

Douglas McNabb, founder of McNabb Associates, a law firm that specialises in extradition cases, points out that the US has extradition treaties with both Venezuela and Cuba but not Russia.

Cuba's treaties date back to 1904 and 1905 and Venezuela's to 1922 and 1923.

“There are old but valid treaties with both Venezuela and Cuba. But the US doesn’t exactly have great international relations with either of those countries. In any of these countries, Russia included, politics is going to play a large part. This case is going to be 10% legal and 90% politics,” he said.

2.05pm BST
Snowden's flight from Hong Kong is scheduled to arrive at terminal F of Moscow's Sheremetyevo airport in the next few minutes, according to live airport arrivals information.

Updated at 2.06pm BST
1.33pm BST
Snowden's Aeroflot flight to Havana passes thru US airspace. Will Federal authorities allow wanted man to fly over US or make plane land?

— Jon Williams (@WilliamsJon) June 23, 2013
A thought from Jon Williams, foreign editor at ABC News.

1.25pm BST
The handy flight tracker shows Snowden's plane is within reach of Moscow. It should land in about 45 minutes or so. But of course, if he is visa-less and awaiting an onward flight to Havana the 30-year-old will then be a little more visible than he is currently on the plane.

Updated at 1.33pm BST
1.15pm BST
Reuters is quoting a source at Aeroflot saying Snowden is, as predicted, booked on a Moscow to Havana flight on Monday, and "plans to go to Venezuela".

1.09pm BST
WikiLeaks has now issued this statement, which largely echoes what Assange said:

Mr Edward Snowden, the American whistleblower who exposed evidence of a global surveillance regime conducted by US and UK intelligence agencies, has left Hong Kong legally. He is bound for a democratic nation via a safe route for the purposes of asylum, and is being escorted by diplomats and legal advisors from WikiLeaks.

Mr Snowden requested that WikiLeaks use its legal expertise and experience to secure his safety. Once Mr Snowden arrives at his final destination his request will be formally processed.

Updated at 1.32pm BST
1.05pm BST
Assuming Assange's comments, below, are correct – and there is some evidence pointing to a WikiLeaks involvement – then talk of a "democratic country" would appear to lean more towards Venezuela as an eventual destination rather than Cuba. But it's fair to say we simply don't know yet.

1.02pm BST
Julian Assange, the WikiLeaks founder, has been speaking about Snowden's departure from his own exile, inside the Ecuadorean embassy in London.

Speaking to the Sydney Morning Herald, Assange said WikiLeaks had arranged Snowden's passage to a "democratic country" that he refused to name. He said:

He is expected to land in Moscow at 5pm, local time and will be met by diplomats from the country that will be his ultimate destination. Diplomats from that country will accompany him on a further flight to his destination...

Owing to WikiLeaks' own circumstances, we have developed significant expertise in international asylum and extradition law, associated diplomacy and the practicalities in these matters.

I have great personal sympathy for Ed Snowden's position. WikiLeaks absolutely supports his decision to blow the whistle on the mass surveillance of the world's population by the US government.

12.56pm BST Summary
It's time for a brief precis of where we are with this fast-moving story:

• Edward Snowden, the US National Security Agency contractor who revealed secrets of the extent and scale of American surveillance and hacking activities to the Guardian, has left Hong Kong, according to the territory's government. A Hong Kong government statement said Snowden left "of his own accord for a third country through a lawful and normal channel". The US had filed for an arrest warrant, but the documents sent by Washington did not fully meet legal requirements, the statement added.

• The 30-year-old is widely reported to be on an Aeroflot flight to Moscow, which is due to land in about 90 minutes. Sources with the airline say he is booked on the plane with someone called Harrison, believed to be Sarah Harrison, a WikiLeaks staffer.

• WikiLeaks has claimed in tweets it "assisted Mr Snowden's political asylum in a democratic country" and that its "legal advisers" are with him.

• Snowden is reportedly heading to an unknown destination after Moscow. Russian news agencies say he is booked on an onward flight on Monday to Havana, with one report saying he will then travel from Cuba to Caracas in Venezuela. The agencies say Snowden does not have a Russian visa.

• Snowden's departure came on the same day the South China Morning Post carried detailed reports of claims from him about US actions against China, including allegations of the hacking of phone text messages.

• The US is likely to be angered by Hong Kong's decision to let Snowden leave. Some politicians in the territory say the decision has saved Hong Kong what could have been a long and anguished debate over whether to extradite him. Beijing has yet to comment on the news.

Updated at 12.59pm BST
12.39pm BST
It's worth noting that the Moscow-based English language news channel Russia Today has been claiming for the past hour that Snowden is already in Moscow. It appears to be alone in saying this.

BREAKING: #Snowden is already in Moscow - RT's source http://t.co/8CJew5QeqP

— RT (@RT_com) June 23, 2013
Updated at 12.55pm BST
12.34pm BST
The Moscow correspondent for ABC News makes this interesting point. It was sent after ABC said it had confirmed Snowden and WikiLeaks staffer Sarah Harrison were booked on an Aeroflot flight to Cuba on Monday.

Remember, "booked" doesnt nec mean "traveling." #Snowden needed connecting flight to reach #Russia w/o visa. Could request asylum on arrival

— Kirit Radia (@KiritRadia_ABC) June 23, 2013
Updated at 12.55pm BST
12.31pm BST
Tania Branigan emails in to say that the ministry of foreign affairs in Beijing is, as yet, not commenting on the departure of Snowden.

12.30pm BST
Interfax says Snowden doesn't have a Russian visa and will await Havana flight in SVO transit zone http://t.co/pzpa4MflHI

— Miriam Elder (@MiriamElder) June 23, 2013
A tweeted update from Miriam Elder in Moscow.

12.17pm BST
Tania Branigan has been speaking to another politician in Hong Kong, who says Snowden's departure has a lot to recommend it for both the territory and Beijing:

Ronny Tong Ka-wah, a barrister and legislator for the pro-democracy Civic Party, said: “From Beijing’s point of view it is probably the most acceptable solution. If Beijing was to refuse to surrender Snowden that might harm Sino-US relations. On the other hand, if Beijing was to allow Snowden to surrender, it might well be subject to criticism both here in Hong Kong and in European countries making noises about the conduct of the US. The additional issue is that if it was put through the judicial process, it would be difficult to predict the outcome.”

Hong Kong is part of China but governed under the “one country, two systems” framework, which gives it considerable autonomy but makes it clear that Beijing has authority on matters of foreign relations.

The statement on Snowden’s departure came from the Hong Kong government and Tong said he doubted Beijing would want to be publicly involved, adding: “It’s far better to stay behind the scenes and allow Hong Kong to appear to be dealing with it.”

12.04pm BST
The New York Times has an interesting quote from the veteran Hong Kong politician Regina Ip, arguing that by letting Snowden slip out the territory's government has saved itself a long and difficult debate on whether to extradite him:

I think your (the US) government will be upset for a while, but I hope that they will shrug it off, because our government acted in accordance with the law. Our government officials can breathe a sigh of relief.

Updated at 12.52pm BST
11.46am BST
As an indicator of Beijing's possible attitude to the decision of Hong Kong in allowing Snowden to leave, this commentary piece today from the official Xinhua news agency is interesting. It talks of Snowden's latest revelations of US hacking against China as "clearly troubling", adding:

They demonstrate that the United States, which has long been trying to play innocent as a victim of cyber attacks, has turned out to be the biggest villain in our age.

At the moment, Washington is busy with a legal process of extraditing whistleblower Snowden.

But for other countries, Washington should come clean about its record first. It owes too an explanation to China and other countries it has allegedly spied on. It has to share with the world the range, extent and intent of its clandestine hacking programs.

11.36am BST
As a reminder of the issues at stake here, this is Edward Snowden's video interview with the Guardian from earlier this month in which he describes the motivations for his actions.

Here, Snowden answered questions from readers.

11.32am BST
Miriam Elder notes that some Russian MPs have been taking to Twitter to call on their government to offer Snowden asylum:

Alexey Pushkov, the head of the Duma’s international affairs committee said: “It’s already being said that an offer of asylum to Snowden from us would be ‘a Cold War act’. But spying in wigs is the norm, so asylum isn’t an act,” he said referring to the Kremlin’s recent expulsion of a suspected US spy.

Robert Shlegel, another MP, tweeted: “Mr. Snowden stay in Russia!” with a smiley face emoticon. He later added: “If Snowden will be in transit in Russia for nearly 24h it would be right to offer him political asylum during that time.”

11.25am BST
For weeks only a handful of people have known Edward Snowden's location. For the next three hours at least we all do – you can follow the progress of Aeroflot SU213 live, via this website. He's just passed slightly north of Omsk.

11.08am BST
More from Tania Branigan in Hong Kong:

Barrister Robert Tibbo and solicitor Jonathan Man have just said they have been acting for Snowden during his stay in Hong Kong. Tibbo confirmed: "He departed Hong Kong through legal means, through immigration channels. We have no comment on his specific departure details at this time."

Updated at 11.28am BST
11.06am BST
It's possible Cuba could also be a staging point, according to Russian news agencies.

While both Interfax and Itar-Tass are now saying Snowden is booked on a Monday flight from Moscow to Havana, the latter is also citing an unnamed source as saying the American will then go on from Havana to Caracas in Venezuela.

Updated at 12.49pm BST
11.01am BST
If Snowden does end up in Cuba he will, of course, be in a deeply paradoxical position for a whistleblower and advocate of open information. Cuba maintains significant repression against independent journalists, along with government opponents and right activists. It's also not at all that keen on free internet access. Here's what the Amnesty International 2013 report has to say:

Peaceful demonstrators, independent journalists and human rights activists were routinely detained for exercising their rights to freedom of expression, association and assembly. Many were detained and others were subjected to acts of repudiation by government supporters...

The authorities adopted a range of measures to prevent activists reporting on human rights including surrounding the homes of activists and disconnecting phones. Organisations whose activities had been tolerated by the authorities in the past, such as the Cuban Commission on Human Rights and National Reconciliation, were targeted. Independent journalists reporting on dissidents’ activities were detained.

The government continued to exert control over all media, while access to information on the internet remained challenging due to technical limitations and restrictions on content.

Updated at 12.47pm BST
10.55am BST
This comes in from Tania Branigan in Hong Kong:

Simon Young, director of the Centre for Comparative and Public Law at the University of Hong Kong, described the news of Snowden's departure as "a shocker". He said: "The US government will be irate with their Hong Kong counterparts [and] may even question whether the Hong Kong government was acting in good faith pursuant to their treaty obligations. I have no doubt that they were, and it is quite common for government lawyers to seek more information on surrender or mutual legal assistance requests before local process can begin.

"But I'm surprised here. Under the Foreign Offenders Ordinance, it is a very low threshold test to get the provisional warrant in place. Only two requirements are needed; evidence that the person is in HK (no doubt here) and that the person is wanted for prosecution in the US (again, another no brainer). The US government will wonder why the Hong Kong government feels the surrender paperwork needs to be fully in place before the provisional warrant can be obtained."

He added: "It's no surprise that Snowden left. His situation would have changed drastically with the issue of the warrant. From his 'safe place' he would have been detained in prison awaiting the completion of both his surrender and asylum proceedings. That would have been a harsh existence if he was to fight it out and [with] no certainty that he would not be surrendered."

10.50am BST
Amid the fast-moving speculation about Snowden's eventual destination, it's worth considering again the decision of Hong Kong's government to let the whistleblower go despite the US formally requesting his arrest.

Since Snowden announced his presence in Hong Kong there has been lengthy speculation about whether the Chinese territory would simply bow to American demands. It did not: Hong Kong officials decreed the US request did not contain enough information, and thus Snowden could leave freely. That's a fairly significant step by the former British colony, and will annoy Washington.

Updated at 12.41pm BST
10.40am BST
Going back to our 10.18am update, which said Snowden was travelling with someone called Harrison, it's worth noting that WikiLeaks has a staff member called Sarah Harrison. This would tie in with the WikiLeaks tweets.

Updated at 12.40pm BST
10.37am BST
Interfax, the Russian news agency, is saying Snowden is set to fly on to Cuba. It's citing Aeroflot sources as saying there is a ticket in the American's name for a Moscow to Cuba flight, Reuters reports.

10.31am BST
Today's South China Morning Post also has further revelations from Snowden about what he describes as large scale US espionage and data-gathering operations against mainland China. The allegations include:

• Extensive hacking into private phone text messages in China.

• Attacks on the main servers at China's prestigious Tsinghua University.

• Hacking computers at the Hong Kong offices of Pacnet, a company which operates the region's biggest network of undersea fibre optic cables.

Updated at 12.37pm BST
10.27am BST
WikiLeaks has tweeted again, saying Snowden is on the flight "accompanied by WikiLeaks legal advisers". Presumably one of these is called Harrison.

FLASH: Mr. Snowden is currently over Russian airspace accompanied by WikiLeaks legal advisors.

— WikiLeaks (@wikileaks) June 23, 2013
Updated at 12.36pm BST
10.22am BST
Miriam Elder in Moscow has been talking to a spokesman for Vladimir Putin, Dmitry Peskov. He says:

I don’t [know if he's planning to stay in Moscow]. I heard about his potential arrival from the press. I know nothing.

Asked whether Russia itself would consider an asylum request:

Every application is being considered so it’s standard procedure... We are not tracing his movements and I know nothing.

10.18am BST
The New York Times has managed to speak to an Aeroflot reservations agent who said Snowden's ticket to Moscow was one-way and didn't include any onward travel. Snowden was travelling with one other person, called Harrison, the agent said.

10.14am BST
So now to the unanswered question: where from Moscow? The South China Morning Post is very confident Snowden is heading to another destination. The obvious initial bet would be Iceland, which has reportedly already received an informal approach as to whether it would accept an asylum application from him.

Other possible destinations touted so far include Ecuador – which would tie in with a WikiLeaks link, given Julian Assange's year-long sojourn inside the Ecuadorean embassy in London – and even Havana. But it's safe to say we don't know yet.

Updated at 12.35pm BST
10.08am BST
This is the full Hong Kong government statement on Snowden's departure. HKSAR stands for Hong Kong Special Autonomous Region, the territory's somewhat cumbersome official name.

The HKSAR Government today (June 23) issued the following statement on Mr Edward Snowden:

Mr Edward Snowden left Hong Kong today (June 23) on his own accord for a third country through a lawful and normal channel.

The US Government earlier on made a request to the HKSAR Government for the issue of a provisional warrant of arrest against Mr Snowden. Since the documents provided by the US Government did not fully comply with the legal requirements under Hong Kong law, the HKSAR Government has requested the US Government to provide additional information so that the Department of Justice could consider whether the US Government's request can meet the relevant legal conditions. As the HKSAR Government has yet to have sufficient information to process the request for provisional warrant of arrest, there is no legal basis to restrict Mr Snowden from leaving Hong Kong.

The HKSAR Government has already informed the US Government of Mr Snowden's departure.

Meanwhile, the HKSAR Government has formally written to the US Government requesting clarification on earlier reports about the hacking of computer systems in Hong Kong by US government agencies. The HKSAR Government will continue to follow up on the matter so as to protect the legal rights of the people of Hong Kong.

Ends/Sunday, June 23, 2013
Issued at HKT 16:05

10.05am BST
WikiLeaks has issued a tweet claiming it "assisted" Snowden to leave Hong Kong and get "political asylum in a democratic country".

FLASH: WikiLeaks has assisted Mr. Snowden's political asylum in a democratic country, travel papers ans safe exit from Hong Kong. More soon.

— WikiLeaks (@wikileaks) June 23, 2013
Updated at 12.35pm BST
10.01am BST
Snowden faces espionage charges in connection with the revelations he passed to the Guardian based on his work as a contractor with the US National Security Agency (NSA). He is charged with theft of government property, unauthorised communication of national defence information and wilful communication of classified communications intelligence information to an unauthorised person, according to court documents.

So why was he able to leave Hong Kong? Seemingly because the US arrest documents were not detailed enough for the Chinese territory.

The Hong Kong government said in a statement on Sunday that while US authorities issued a provisional arrest warrant against Snowden, the documents "did not fully comply with the legal requirements under Hong Kong law". Hong Kong's government asked the US for more information, but before that happened there was no legal reason to stop Snowden leaving the territory.

9.52am BST
Edward Snowden has left Hong Kong: the NSA whistleblower, now sought by US authorities on espionage charges, departed the Chinese territory by commercial airliner on Sunday morning local time and is en route to Moscow, the South China Morning Post reported.

Russia will not be his eventual destination, the report said, though it is not known where Snowden will eventually end up. The paper quoted Hong Kong's government as saying the 30-year-old left "of his own accord for a third country through a lawful and normal channel".

Snowden is reported to be on Aeroflot flight SU23, scheduled to arrive in Moscow at 5.15pm local time (2.15pm BST).

Here's our initial report on the story, by Tania Branigan in Hong Kong.

In Somalia, UN Mine Action's Bax Gives Info to US, Travels Armed with Denel, Whistleblowers Tell ICP

By Matthew Russell Lee, Exclusive

UNITED NATIONS, June 22 – In Somalia the UN Mine Action Service is passing along genetic information from bombings to US intelligence agencies, in a move some say has endangered the lives of UN personnel.

  In the wake of the deadly attack on the UN compound in Mogadishu, among the victims were three employees of South African state owned arms manufacturer Denel.

  At the UN in New York, Inner City Press asked UN Security Council president Mark Lyall Grant (video here from Minute 4:30) then UN spokesman Eduardo Del Buey about Denel.

   The UN replied to Inner City Press, “Regarding your question at noon about the contractors killed in Mogadishu on Wednesday, we can confirm that the three contractors were employed by MECHEM, a demining company based in South Africa.”

Now Inner City Press has exclusively been provided by whistleblowers with detailed complaints about the UN Mine Action Service's David Bax, including that he shares both genetic information and physical evidence from bombings with American intelligence services, including through shadow private military contractor Bancroft Global Development.

  According to the whistleblowers, this combined with Bax and “his” Denel contractors traveling armed around Mogadishu leads to a perception that they and the UN have taken sides, and helps to make them a target.

Somalia crisis produced 1.14 million refugee in 2012: UNHCR

Iraqis were the third largest refugee group (746,700 persons), followed by Syrians (471,400)
    
NAIROBI (Xinhua) -- Somalia generated the second largest number of refugees (1.14 million) of any country in the world in 2012, though the rate of refugee outflow slowed, the UN refugee agency said in a report published on Thursday.

The report which was launched ahead of the World Refugee Day on Thursday also reveals that Iraqis were the third largest refugee group (746,700 persons), followed by Syrians (471,400).

UNHCR’ s annual Global Trends in displacement report highlights that last year 7.6 million people were newly displaced due to conflict or persecution, with a total of 45.2 million people around the world in situations of displacement, meaning that more people are refugees or internally displaced than at any point since 1994.

Reacting to the report, UNHCR Somalia Representative, Alessandra Morelli, said over one million people are still internally displaced (IDPs) in Somalia while another one million Somalis are refugees in neighbouring countries.

    “For the first time in over 22 years, Somalia is showing tangible signs of a return to normality, characterised by an improvement in the political and security landscape,” Morelli said on Wednesday.

The report comes as Kenya has been lobbying the international community for support for speedy resettlement of Somali refugees residing in the world’s largest refugee camp, Dadaab in northern Kenya and those living in other urban cities and towns.

Kenyan leaders have emphasized that it has no intention of interfering with the domestic affairs of Somalia saying his government’s only agenda is to support the establishment of administrative structures as well as institutions necessary for the stabilization and reconstruction of Somalia.

According to UNHCR, a total of 18,108 refugees have returned from the neighboring countries into Somalia since January.

Kenya, a signatory of the 1951 UN Refugee Convention and the 1969 OAU Refugee Convention, currently hosts some 630,000 refugees, of whom more than half a million are from neighbouring Somalia.

The report covers displacement that occurred during 2012 based on data from governments, NGO partners, and UNHCR itself.

The report shows that as of the end of 2012, more than 45.2 million people were in situations of displacement compared to 42.5 million at the end of 2011.

This includes 15.4 million refugees, 937,000 asylum seekers, and 28.8 million people forced to flee within the borders of their own countries.

According to the report, war remains the dominant cause with about 55 per cent of all refugees listed in UNHCR’s report come from just five war-affected countries of Somalia, Sudan, Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria.

The report also charts major new displacement from Mali, in Democratic Republic of the Congo, and from Sudan into South Sudan and Ethiopia.

The UN refugee agency also highlights worrisome trends in several areas, one of which is the rate at which people are today being forced into situations of displacement.

During 2012 some 7.6 million people became newly displaced, 1.1 million of them as refugees and 6.5 million as internally displaced people. This translates to a new refugee or internally displaced person every 4.1 seconds.

“In this context, UNHCR and its partners will maximise these opportunities in the search for durable solutions for displaced Somalis. This is the time for UNHCR to stay at the centre of this change,” Morelli said.

Also evident is a continuing gap between richer and poorer countries when it comes to who is hosting refugees. In all, developing countries host 81 per cent of the world’s refugees compared to 70 per cent a decade ago.

According to the report, children below age 18 make up 46 percent of all refugees.

‘Incredible increase’ in oil, gas exploration in East Africa; industry eyes new boom region

By Associated Press,

NAIROBI, Kenya — East Africa is in the middle of an incredible energy boom that is likely to last decades, according to energy industry executives who gathered this week in Kenya’s capital in a sign of the region’s growing prominence.

The last couple of years have seen significant oil and gas discoveries in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and Mozambique. Even Somalia hopes to get onboard though security woes and a lack of regulation make the likelihood still years away.



“This region was definitely underexplored in the last decade,” said Martin Trachsel, the chief executive of South Atlantic Petroleum Limited. “Most companies were exploring in West Africa. It’s part of a general trend of people looking for more oil.”

New technology also has contributed to the string of new discoveries, he said.

“The industry is innovative. It always finds new plays and new ways of finding oil and gas,” Trachsel said.

Kenya’s president announced last year that oil had been discovered there for the first time. Tullow Oil, which is carrying the exploration in the region, has reported progress in bringing the oil to market, though no date for that has been announced.

Uganda, which has confirmed oil deposits of about 3.5 billion barrels, wants to extract at least 1.2 billion barrels over the next three decades. That figure could rise when more oil blocks are put up for exploration later this year, potentially making Uganda one of Africa’s top oil producers.

“It won’t be boom and bust. We’re talking about fairly large reserves,” Trachsel said. “It will have a 40-year lifetime or more.”

Allegations of corruption in the oil procurement progress already have dogged the situation in Uganda, though.

An independent lawmaker fingered three government ministers he believed had been bribed by foreign oil companies seeking contracts with Uganda’s government. The charges, denied by the three officials, forced lawmakers across the political spectrum to order an investigation. That investigation is still ongoing two years later.

Trachsel said that oil companies can influence whether the oil industries’ activates in a given country become corrupt, but he said “ultimately it’s the government’s decision.”

Another East Africa region that could also hold energy reserves is Somalia. But Somalia brings with it problems like piracy, clanism, corruption, and a lack of a central bank, said Alec Robinson, president and chief executive of London-based Temo Petroleum.

Perhaps the biggest obstacle: “There is no legal framework for oil exploration,” he said. “A law is planned but it needs work, and the support of regional states. There’s a lot to do in Somalia. Don’t expect this to happen soon.”

South Atlantic Petroleum is currently working in Benin and Nigeria in Africa’s west, and in Madagascar and French overseas territories in the east. Trachsel said his company will continue to develop its business in Nigeria and in other regions of sub-Saharan Africa, areas he called high risk but potentially high reward.

“Bringing Africa and some of these countries out of poverty is positive for all parts of the world. Poverty causes instability and that can lead to conflict. I think the U.S. would be very glad to see the average income of the population increase in Africa,” he said.

Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Egypt-Ethiopia conflict over Nile waters flares

CAIRO, Egypt/ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia - When an Egyptian officer said recently on national television that the conflict with Ethiopia over the waters of the Nile was "not yet" a military one, his words sounded more threatening than reassuring.

Colonel Ahmed Mohammed Ali may have been trying to calm tempers, but long-standing animosities between the two countries has flared up with renewed bitterness.

The Egyptians see the river as a gift from God - to them. Without the Nile there would have been no Ancient Egypt and its great heritage, only desert. The Nile remains a vital artery.
But Ethiopia, where most of the river's water originates, also wants to make use of it and has been planning a huge dam for years.

On completion the Renaissance dam, costing $4.3 billion and spanning the Blue Nile at the border with Sudan, is to generate 6,000 megawatts of electricity.

At the end of last month, Ethiopia began to change the course of the river, displacing it by several hundred meters, in a move that has outraged Egypt and generated near panic over future water supplies.

Egypt depends on the Nile for 98 per cent of its water - and water is in increasingly short supply. The Arab world's most populous country has seen its population soar from 53 million in 1990 to more than 80 million today.

Wasteful use of water, for example in agriculture, has caused demand to rise.

It is closely watching developments on the Blue Nile, which rises at Lake Tana in northern Ethiopia and which contributes some 80 per cent of the river's water. In Sudan the Blue Nile joins the White Nile, which has its source in Lake Victoria in Uganda and carries much less water.

Water concerns have taken center stage in Egyptian politics, with President Mohammed Morsi stating he does not wish to "lose a single drop of Nile water," and adding ominously that "all options remain open."

Ethiopia dismissed his remarks as "unconstructive propaganda" and "empty and violent rhetoric". Cairo's provocative comments constituted an attack on both Ethiopia's national interests and the attempts of its inhabitants to escape poverty, the Foreign Ministry said.

Egypt's Foreign Minister Mohammed Kamel Amr travelled to Addis Ababa for a two-day visit in attempt to ease the situation.

Egypt's attitude to "its" Nile has long caused irritation among other countries along the river's course, and Ethiopia has received support for its position on the dam project, from Uganda for example.

But Cairo is determined to uphold an agreement dating back to 1929 and the colonial era. This document provides for Egypt and Sudan to have rights to more than 80 per cent of the water, even though the Nile flows through 11 countries in all.

The two countries have right of veto on projects that could influence or change the river's course. The other countries aim to change this provision.

Ethiopia's parliament has now passed the ratification of a treaty intended to replace the old Nile Water Agreement, in terms of which a joint forum will decide on how the waters are used.

But Egypt has rejected this, insisting on its prior rights,

In the longer term, Cairo will have to make concessions to Addis Ababa. Military experts see the Egyptian army's options as limited, with US thin tank Stratfor noting the long distance to the proposed dam.

And as Egypt lacks refueling capabilities for its aircraft, it would be impossible to destroy the project from the air. - Rappler.com

Ethiopia urges Nile nations to deal opposed by Egypt

By William Lloyd-George | AFP

 

Ethiopia used a regional meeting Thursday aimed to promote cooperation over the Nile river to urge other nations to ratify a controversial water deal fiercely opposed by Egypt.

Addressing water ministers and officials from the 10-nation Nile Basin Initiative (NBI), Ethiopia's Minister for Water and Energy Alemayehu Tegenu challenged Egypt's historical majority control usage of the river water.

"We will not allow a single country to have full control over our shared resources," Alemayehu said, speaking at the annual NBI conference held in Juba, the capital of its newest member South Sudan.

The countries have been embroiled in a heated row after Ethiopia began diverting the Blue Nile River last month for the construction of the 6,000 megawatt Grand Renaissance Dam, sparking concern in Cairo about the impact on downstream water levels.

Ethiopia's parliament last week was the first to ratify the NBI's Cooperative Framework Agreement (CFA), a deal that replaces a colonial-era agreement that granted Egypt and Sudan the majority of water rights.

It allows upstream countries to implement irrigation and hydropower projects without first seeking Egypt's approval.

"It is therefore my duty to call on all countries of the basin to finalise the process of ratification as soon as possible," Alemayehu said, adding it was a "very critical time in the history of the Nile basin."

Egypt and Sudan have not signed the agreement.

But in addition to Ethiopia, five other upstream nations have signed -- Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda.

Democratic Republic of Congo and newly independent South Sudan have said they also would like to sign, although the deadline to ink the CFA deal expired in 2011.

The deal would come into effect once ratified by six states, but it is not clear how it would impact those states who choose to remain outside.

Ethiopia is building the $4.2 billion (3.2 billion euro) Grand Renaissance Dam in order to generate electricity, including for export to neighbouring countries.

Ethiopia insists it will not hamper downstream flows.

It is set to become Africa's biggest hydroelectric dam, with completion earmarked for 2017, and is being funded entirely from internal resources.

Politics over Nile waters are complex, with its basin including 10 countries and the river travelling some 6,695 kilometres (4,160 miles) from headwaters in Rwanda and Burundi to the Mediterranean, according to NBI.

Ethiopian Airlines Awarded Best Airline Staff Service in Africa

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The 2013 World Airline Awards were announced at the Paris Air Show on June 18 and Ethiopian Airlines (Ethiopian), the fastest growing airline in Africa, was awarded as the Best Airline Staff Service in Africa.

Ethiopian Airlines (Ethiopian), the fastest growing airline in Africa, was awarded as the Best Airline Staff Service in Africa

The World Airline Awards are presented by Skytrax, the world’s largest airline and airport review site. Awards are bestowed based on reviews from more than 180 million completed customer surveys measuring passenger experiences on the ground and onboard. Ethiopian’s outstanding customer service propelled the airline to the top of the Africa category.
“This award is a testament to the hard work of Ethiopian’s more than 7,000 employees,” said Tewolde Gebremariam, CEO of Ethiopian. “We are proud that the training and development of our staff is being recognized and pledge that we will continue to provide the best possible travel experience to our customers.”

Ethiopian is currently implementing a 15-year strategic plan, Vision 2025, which emphasizes five-star service delivery, along with state-of-the-art technology and a modern fleet. The World Airline Award affirms that Ethiopian is on the right track.

About Ethiopian Airlines

Ethiopian Airlines (Ethiopian) is the fastest growing airline in Africa. In its almost seven decades of operation, Ethiopian has become one of the continent’s leading carriers, unrivalled in efficiency and operational success.

Ethiopian commands the lion’s share of the pan-African passenger and cargo network, operating the youngest and most modern fleet to more than 74 international destinations across five continents. The Ethiopian fleet includes ultra-modern and environmentally friendly aircraft such as the Boeing 787, Boeing 777-200LR, Boeing 777-200LR Freighter, and Bombardier Q-400 with double cabin. In fact, Ethiopian is the first airline in Africa to own and operate these aircraft.

Ethiopian is currently implementing a 15-year strategic plan, entitled “Vision 2025,” which will see the airline become the leading aviation group in Africa with seven business centers: Ethiopian Domestic and Regional Airline; Ethiopian International Passenger Airline; Ethiopian Cargo; Ethiopian MRO; Ethiopian Aviation Academy; Ethiopian In-flight Catering Services; and Ethiopian Ground Service.

Ethiopian is a multi-award-winning airline and a member of Star Alliance since 2011, registering an average growth of 25 percent in the past seven years.