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| US and Russia agree on 'spy swap' | US and Russia agree on 'spy swap' |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| The US is deporting 10 people who spied for Moscow in exchange for four people convicted of espionage in Russia. | The US is deporting 10 people who spied for Moscow in exchange for four people convicted of espionage in Russia. |
| A judge in New York ordered the immediate deportation of the 10 after they pleaded guilty to spying for a foreign country. | A judge in New York ordered the immediate deportation of the 10 after they pleaded guilty to spying for a foreign country. |
| More serious money laundering charges against them were dropped. | More serious money laundering charges against them were dropped. |
| Russian news reports say President Dmitry Medvedev has pardoned the four Russian prisoners. | Russian news reports say President Dmitry Medvedev has pardoned the four Russian prisoners. |
| State news agency Itar-Tass named them as: | State news agency Itar-Tass named them as: |
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| Mr Medvedev's spokeswoman, Natalia Timakova, was quoted that all four had submitted a plea for pardon admitting their guilt. | Mr Medvedev's spokeswoman, Natalia Timakova, was quoted that all four had submitted a plea for pardon admitting their guilt. |
| 'Conspiracy' | 'Conspiracy' |
| The 10 Russian agents are expected to arrive in Moscow on Friday morning on a flight from the US. | |
| The 10 agents appeared sombre in court. Two of the accused, married couples, comforted each other, holding hands and smiling. | The 10 agents appeared sombre in court. Two of the accused, married couples, comforted each other, holding hands and smiling. |
| There was a glimpse of the life that awaits the 10 when they are immediately returned to the country they tried to provide information to. | There was a glimpse of the life that awaits the 10 when they are immediately returned to the country they tried to provide information to. |
| The lawyer for one of the agents, Vicky Pelaez, said Russian officials had promised her a lifetime monthly payment of $2,000, free housing, and all-expenses-paid visits from her children. | The lawyer for one of the agents, Vicky Pelaez, said Russian officials had promised her a lifetime monthly payment of $2,000, free housing, and all-expenses-paid visits from her children. |
| It is unclear if the other nine were given a similar deal. | It is unclear if the other nine were given a similar deal. |
| href="/1/hi/world/us_and_canada/10565467.stm">Russian agents downbeat in court | |
| Their New York court appearance was the first time they had all appeared in public together since being arrested last month. | Their New York court appearance was the first time they had all appeared in public together since being arrested last month. |
| They pleaded guilty to "conspiracy to act as an unregistered agent of a foreign country". | They pleaded guilty to "conspiracy to act as an unregistered agent of a foreign country". |
| Prosecutors said the accused had posed as ordinary citizens, some living together as couples for years, and were ordered by Russia's External Intelligence Service (SVR) to infiltrate policy-making circles and collect information. | Prosecutors said the accused had posed as ordinary citizens, some living together as couples for years, and were ordered by Russia's External Intelligence Service (SVR) to infiltrate policy-making circles and collect information. |
| BBC Washington correspondent Kevin Connolly says there is broad agreement in the US that the agents are being deported swiftly because neither government wants this to damage attempts to reset their often prickly relationship. | |
| He also says it is the inessential details which will stick in the mind, such as the revelation that one of the pairs of agents who married seem to have argued with Moscow over whether they would be allowed to own the house they lived in as part of that cover story. | |
| Court documents revealed - apparently for the first time - the real names of five of the Russians involved: | Court documents revealed - apparently for the first time - the real names of five of the Russians involved: |
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| "Michael Zottoli" and "Patrica Mills" had admitted earlier they were Russian citizens named Mikhail Kutsik and Natalia Pereverzeva, Anna Chapman and Mikhail Semenko had apparently operated in the US under their own names, while Vicky Pelaez was born in Peru. | "Michael Zottoli" and "Patrica Mills" had admitted earlier they were Russian citizens named Mikhail Kutsik and Natalia Pereverzeva, Anna Chapman and Mikhail Semenko had apparently operated in the US under their own names, while Vicky Pelaez was born in Peru. |
| An 11th suspect known as "Christopher Metsos" went missing after being released on bail in Cyprus, where he had been arrested. | An 11th suspect known as "Christopher Metsos" went missing after being released on bail in Cyprus, where he had been arrested. |
| Moved to Moscow | Moved to Moscow |
| The US state department said after the hearing that there would be "no significant national security benefit" in sentencing the 10 to lengthy jail terms. | The US state department said after the hearing that there would be "no significant national security benefit" in sentencing the 10 to lengthy jail terms. |
| "The network of unlawful agents operating inside the United States has been dismantled," spokesman Mark Toner said. | "The network of unlawful agents operating inside the United States has been dismantled," spokesman Mark Toner said. |
| "The United States took advantage of the opportunity presented to secure the release of four individuals serving lengthy prison terms in Russia, several of whom were in poor health." | "The United States took advantage of the opportunity presented to secure the release of four individuals serving lengthy prison terms in Russia, several of whom were in poor health." |
| One of the Russian prisoners pardoned by Moscow, nuclear specialist Igor Sutyagin, was earlier transferred to Moscow from a prison near the Arctic Circle. | One of the Russian prisoners pardoned by Moscow, nuclear specialist Igor Sutyagin, was earlier transferred to Moscow from a prison near the Arctic Circle. |
| He reportedly told his family in Moscow that he would be flown to Vienna on Thursday and released as part of a deal between the US and Russian governments. | He reportedly told his family in Moscow that he would be flown to Vienna on Thursday and released as part of a deal between the US and Russian governments. |
| Earlier, Sutyagin's lawyer was quoted by Russian media as saying he had arrived in the Austrian capital, but his father Vyacheslav denied the reports. Austrian officials have neither confirmed nor denied the reports. | Earlier, Sutyagin's lawyer was quoted by Russian media as saying he had arrived in the Austrian capital, but his father Vyacheslav denied the reports. Austrian officials have neither confirmed nor denied the reports. |
| Sutyagin was jailed in Russia in 2004 for spying for the CIA. | Sutyagin was jailed in Russia in 2004 for spying for the CIA. |