Rumours of Russian spy swap deal gather pace

A COURT hearing for three suspects in the Russia spy case was postponed yesterday amid growing speculation the US and Russia are arranging a prisoner swap.

Defence lawyer Daniel Lopez said the hearing in Alexandria, Virginia, for Michael Zottoli, Patricia Mills and Mikhail Semenko was put off.

In Washington, Under-secretary of State for Political Affairs William Burns, a former American ambassador to Moscow, was due to meet Russian Ambassador to the United States Sergey Kislyak.