News Headlines - 12 October 2013

▽Edward Snowden says NSA surveillance programmes 'hurt our country' | theguardian.com

The National Security Agency whistleblower, Edward Snowden, has said that the mass surveillance programmes used by the US to tap into phone and internet connections around the world is making people less safe. In short video clips posted by the WikiLeaks website on Friday, Snowden said that the NSA's mass surveillance, which he disclosed before fleeing to Russia, "puts us at risk of coming into conflict with our own government".

▽Google to include users' names and photos in web ads - Telegraph

Google explained that user names and photos will be used for ‘shared endorsements’, which are small, one-line reviews displayed underneath a specific advert or listing on one of Google’s services. For example, your friends might see that you rated an album 4 stars on the band’s Google Play page, or the +1 you gave your favorite local bakery could be included in an ad that the bakery runs through Google. Under the new terms of service, whenever you comment on, follow or +1 a page while logged in with your Google account, that content can then be used alongside relevant ads.

▽BBC News - Amazon removes abuse-themed e-books from store

Retailer Amazon has removed several abuse-themed e-books from its Kindle Store after a report highlighted titles depicting rape, incest and bestiality.

▽iPhone trade-in scheme 'coming to UK Apple Stores soon' - Telegraph

Apple looks set to roll out its “Reuse and Recycle” trade-in programme in the UK in the coming months, allowing customers to take their old iPhone into an Apple Store and exchange it for some credit towards a new one.

▽BBC News - Richard III burial petition for Leicester hits 34,000 signatures

A petition supporting a decision to bury Richard III in Leicester has ended, beating a rival petition by more than 3,000 signatures. The skeletal remains of the king, who died in 1485, were discovered beneath a car park in Leicester in February 2012. More than 34,300 people signed an online petition supporting a decision to inter him in Leicester.