The US senate has blocked a measure to extend spy agencies’ bulk collection of Americans’ telephone records. The vote of 54 to 45 failed to reach the 60 threshold which was needed.<br /><br /> The result came after the Senate narrowly blocked the “USA Freedom Act” a bill that would have ended the bulk data collection. <br /><br /> Senators are to meet again on May 31 – a day before the bill is due to expire.<br /><br /> The National Security Agency sweeps up vast amounts of Americans’ telephone records and business information under the collection programme. It was exposed two years ago by Edward Snowden a former NSA contractor. He is now a fugitive in Russia.<br /><br /> A US appeals court has already ruled the bulk collection illegal.<br /><br /> The NSA has collected data about numbers called and times but not the content of conversations. It also allegedly spied on European firms. German Chancellor was among individuals targeted.
