News in Brief

Snowden wins key human rights award
The Guardian Online

Whistleblower Edward Snowden received several standing ovations in the Swedish parliament after being given the Right Livelihood award for his revelations of the scale of state surveillance. Snowden, who is in exile in Russia, addressed the parliament by video from Moscow. In a symbolic gesture, his family and supporters said no one picked up the award on his behalf in the hope that one day he might be free to travel to Sweden to receive it in person.

Pak army offensive kills 24 militants
Afp, Peshawar

The Pakistan military yesterday said it had killed at least 24 militants in air strikes and ground fighting in northwestern tribal areas bordering Afghanistan, as part of ongoing offensives in the region. Air strikes took place in North Waziristan tribal district as ground troops traded fire with militants in Khyber agency, where Taliban and Lashkar-e-Islam fighters are based.

Britain's ex-PM Brown retires from politics
Afp, London

Britain's former prime minister Gordon Brown, who waited patiently for the top job only to be voted out after three years, said Monday he was stepping down from parliament after three decades. Brown said he would not be returning to the Westminster parliament in any capacity, but would work as the United Nations special envoy for global education from Fife in Scotland, a position he has held since 2012.