13.07 Main News of July 13

WORLD

* China is on the alert for floods and mudslides as Typhoon Soulik made landfall in Taiwan early on Saturday and is expected to reach mainland China by the afternoon, local media reported.

* Members of South American trading bloc Mercosur have harshly criticized the United States for alleged spying in the region and defended their authority to grant the right of asylum.

* Putin, Obama Discussed Snowden Over Phone KremlinRussian President Vladimir Putin and US President Barack Obama have discussed by phone urgent bilateral relations issues as well as the situation around fugitive US intelligence contractor Edward Snowden, the Kremlin said Saturday

RUSSIA

* Russian immigration officials pledged to consider an asylum application from CIA leaker Edward Snowden as soon as they get one.

* The bodyguard of Russias most wanted terrorist whose group pledged to attack the 2014 Winter Olympics was killed in the restive Caucasus region in a clash with federal troops, officials said Saturday.

* The glamorous and powerful daughter of Uzbekistans authoritarian leader said Saturday she quit her job as the ex-Soviet nations representative to the United Nations in Switzerland and accused Swiss authorities and a Russian telecom of spreading false rumors about losing her diplomatic immunity.

* Russias defense minister on Saturday said that up to 160,000 servicemen are involved in the large-scale exercises in the Eastern Military District, double the number initially reported.