Edward Snowden has left Moscow’s Sheremetyevo airport after being granted asylum by Russian authorities. The NSA whistleblower had been staying in the transit area of the the airport for over a month while Russia deliberated over whether to accept his application for temporary asylum.

Snowden left the airport in a taxi, accompanied by WikiLeaks advisor Sarah Harrison, the organisation said in a statement. He has travelled to a "secure, confidential place", WikiLeaks said. Snowden, who has reportedly been learning Russian, has been granted asylum for one year.

Russia's decision has sparked a diplomatic row, with the White House "extremely disappointed" by the move. Jay Carney, Obama's press secretary, said the administration had been lobbying "publicly and privately" for Snowden to be returned to the US.

"In the end, the law is winning," Snowden said in comments released by WikiLeaks. He said the Obama administration had shown "no respect for international or domestic law". In a statement Snowden thanked Russia for its decision in his favour. He will be free to travel around Russia during his year-long stay.

That's it for now. You can read the Guardian's main news stories on today's developments here.