Midday Roundup: Senate ponders Snowden sanctions over clean clothes, asylum

Extradition squeeze. As NSA leaker Edward Snowden extends his stay in a Moscow airport for another day, U.S. lawmakers are pushing for sanctions against Russia or any other country that offers the former intelligence analyst asylum, or even clean clothes. Earlier this week. Russian officials announced they had agreed to give Snowden temporary asylum. It’s not clear whether he wants to stay in Russia or hopes to gain access to one of the other countries that have offered him refuge. The Senate Appropriations Committee unanimously approve Snowden sanctions as an amendment to next year’s $50.6 billion diplomacy and international aid bill. The Obama administration has bipartisan support for Snowden’s extradition, as evidenced by comments from Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina: “I don’t know if he’s getting a change of clothes. I don’t know if he’s going to stay in Russia forever. I don’t know where he’s going to go. But I know this: That the right thing to do is to send him back home so he can face charges for the crimes he’s allegedly committed.”

Derailed. Spanish investigators are trying to figure out why an express train plowed off the tracks in the country’s northwestern region, killing as many as 80 passengers. The death toll is expected to rise. U.S. State Department officials say at least five of the 178 injured are Americans. Initial reports suggest the train might have been traveling too fast as it approached a curve. Police are questioning the driver.

In closing. U.S. Army Pfc. Bradley Manning will soon learn whether he will spend any more time in jail for giving classified documents to the website WikiLeaks. Closing arguments in Manning’s court martial began today, as the judge refused to dismiss theft charges pending against him. Manning also faces charges of aiding the enemy, which could keep him behind bars for life. The former low-level intelligence analyst waived his right to a jury trial, so Army Col. Denise Lind, the presiding judge, will determine the judgement and the sentence.

Internet TV. During a media event Wednesday, Google launched a new device that has the tech world buzzing. The $35 Chromecast will let users stream content from their smartphones or tablets to their television sets, competing with much more expensive devices that do the same thing. Although Google isn’t doing anything new, the price point could encourage a lot of people to give it a try.