Snowden drops Russia asylum request

MOSCOW: US fugitive Edward Snowden has abandoned his request for political asylum in Russia after learning he would have to stop leaking intelligence reports, the Kremlin said on Tuesday, as the American awaited asylum decisions from 20 other countries.

Snowden, who is holed up at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo airport, has accused Washington of pressuring foreign leaders to refuse him refuge as he tries to evade justice for revealing a vast US spying program that has strained ties with European allies.