From NPR News in Washington, I'm Lakshmi Singh.

 

　　More than 20,000 people have petitioned the White House to pardon Edward Snowden for leaking secret documents. NPR's Scott Horsley reports the former national security agency contractor admits to be the source of leaks that expose widespread government surveillance efforts.

 

　　The White House declared comment on the suspected leaker, citing an ongoing justice department investigation. White House spokesman Jay Carney says in general, leaks of classified information are a problem. Even though the president has said he welcomes more public debate, of the tradeoffs between privacy and security.

 

　　This is not the manner by which he had hoped, to have the debate but to believe it's in our interest as a nation to discuss it and debate it and for us to collectively assess where that balance should be struck.

 

　　The president has said he believes collecting telephone and internet communications data is both necessary and effective at preventing terrorism. Scott Horsley NPR News, the White House.

 

　　Britain is dismissing as baseless allegations that it got around its surveillance law by using PRISM, one of the NRC programs recently discosed to the media. Foreign secretary William Hague told parliament that its own eavesdropping agency GCHQ strictly adheres to British law. The NRC issue is expected to come up during President Obama's trip to Germany next week. Chancellor Angela Merkel's office says she plans to question Obama about the impact of the programs on Germans and other Europeans who often use US based internet providers.

 

　　Secretary of state John Kerry called off plans to visit the middle east this week to take part in the White House meetings on Syria. NPR's Michele Kelemen reports, the Obama administration's looking for ways to help opponents of Bashar al-Assad.

 

　　The rebel defeat in the Syrian city of Qusair last week seems to be win heavily on the administration officials. Spokesperson, JanZuckyxx, says conditions of the ground in Syria have worsened and she says Kerry will be taking part in discussion to the White House on how to support the opposition.

 

　　and a wide range of options have been prepared for their president's consideration and internal meetings to discuss the situation.

 

　　Obama administration officials have rolled out having boots on the ground in Syria, but they're expected to discuss arming the rebels who have been losing ground in their fight to topple Bsahar Al Assad regime. Michele Kelemen NPR News, the state department.

 

　　Meanwhile human rights groups are again warning of escalating abuses by rebel fighters. Over the weekend, activists group reported that a teenage had been publicly executed by Islamist rebel fighters in Aleppo, for allegedly offensive remarks about the islam, it is unclear if the rebels were sharing in foreign fighters backing the opposition.

 

　　Before the closing bell, Dow Jones Industrial Average turned lower down nine points at 15,239; NASDAQ up five and the S&P 500 down slightly. This is NPR News.

 

　　The series of explosions involving car bombings and a suicide attack rocked two towns north of Bagdad today. Local authorities say at least 21 people were killed. The blood shed follows months of protests by the country's Sunnite Arab minority against the Shiah-led government. Ranging fierce sectarian violence will continue to escalate in Iraq.

 

　　Former South African president and anti apartheid icon Nelson Mandela remains in serious but stable condition at a Pretoria hospital for a reoccuring lung infection. His ex-wife, Winnie visited the hospital. NPR's Ofeibea Quist-Arcton reports their eldest daughter has flown home to Johannesburg from Argentina.

 

　　South Africa's presidential press man says there is no change in Nelson Mandela's serious but stable condition since he visited matey to a Pretoria hospital earlier on Saturday. Winnie Madikizela Mandela, the illing Mandela's former wife visited him. Their eldest daughter Zenani, who's South Africa's embassador to Argentina, arrived back in Johannesburg to visit her father. The revered 94-year-old former president, is in intensive care. Official say they want to control the flow of visiters to avoid stressing Mandela. Earlier, local media reported that Mandela's wanted to restrict visiters to family members, excluding government and party officials, a claim denied by the ANC and the official spokesman. Ofeibea Quist-Arcton NPR News, Johannesburg.

 

　　The man appointed to a temprarily service senator of New Jersey is due to take the oath at officer this afternoon, this hour, effect, Jeffrey Chiesa was selected to fill the stay left vacant, and democrat Frank Lautenberg died last week.

 

　　I'm Lakshmi Singh, NPR News in Washington.