NPR 2010-07-10

The Justice Department is confirming the biggest spy swap 1 since the Cold War in a case that the Associated Press reports the White House started deliberating nearly a month ago. Ten confessed Russian agents deported 2 from the US arrived in Moscow today, and four men convicted in Russia of spying for the West have also been deported. We have the latest from NPR's David Greene.

The four men flown out of Russia were pardoned by Russian President Dmitry Medvedev. One's a former arms control researcher, Igor Sutyagin. He was arrested in 1999 for passing information to a British company that, Russian officials said, was a CIA front. The other men all once served (for) the KGB, a Russian intelligence. Alexander Zaporozhsky was arrested in 2001 for spying for the US. Russian media suggested he helped the US uncover American Robert Hanssen, who was convicted of being a Russian spy. As for the Kremlin's decision to swap three former intelligence operatives, Russian political commentator 3 Yulia Latynina called it a safe choice.

"Er, you know, I think they provided all the information they could back before they were arrested."

The Kremlin, she said, may have been worried about what ten foreign agents in the US would divulge 4 during prolonged legal trials. David Greene, NPR News, Moscow.

The city of Oakland, California is cleaning up after a night of rioting. Protesters are outraged 5 that a white ex-police officer was convicted of involuntary manslaughter rather than second-degree murder in the death of an unarmed black man in 2009. The Justice Department says it will review whether the case warrants federal prosecution 6.

Police have recovered a second body from the Delaware River, a site of this week's collision between a tour boat and a barge 7. Two people went missing in Philadelphia when the boat capsized. Authorities have identified one of the remains 8 is that of a teenage girl. They believe the second body may be that of a 20-year-old man.

BP could dramatically improve its ability to collect oil from the blown-out well in the Gulf 9 of Mexico if the company gets the go-ahead to upgrade its equipment this weekend. More from NPR's Richard Harris.

BP is currently installing a new oil collection system that could double the amount of oil it collects over the next few days. At the same time, the company is waiting for federal approval to switch up the leaky cap on the top of the well with one that's designed to form a tight seal. If the company gets the thumbs-up, it could start that work this weekend. In the short run, more oil could spew into the Gulf when they remove the leaky cap. The procedure is a bit risky 10, and it's not clear how many days it will take. But if it succeeds, it could essentially 11 stop the flow of oil into the Gulf. The new cap could also help BP control the well when it comes time to plug it with cement, and that's on track for later this month. Richard Harris, NPR News.

We're seeing steady gains on Wall Street, Dow Jones Industrial Average up 58 points at last check at 10,197, NASDAQ Composite Index up more than 20 at 2,196.

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In Italy, journalists have been on strike over a proposed wiretap law. Supporters say it will protect people's privacy, but critics say it will protect graft 12. The bill, which comes to vote in parliament at the end of July, allows magistrates 13 to order a wiretap and to ban newspapers from using transcripts 14 until preliminary investigations 15 are completed. Critics say that process can take years. The divisive issue continues to cut into Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi's approval rating, which reportedly has been steadily 16 dropping for the last six weeks.

Officials in northeastern Mexico have evacuated 17 tens of thousands of people and issued a red alert as flood waters rise south of the Rio Grande. NPR's Jason Beaubien has more from Mexico City.

Heavy rains along the Texas-Mexico border have pushed rivers and streams far above flood stage. Several border crossings have been shut, and several bridges further south in Mexico have been completely destroyed. Authorities in Coahuila say 750,000 people, a roughly 30% of the state's population, remain without electricity or phone service. This area was hit hard last week by Hurricane Alex. The current rain is falling on ground that's already saturated 18, and it's flowing into waterways already at or beyond their limits. In Tamaulipas, the Mexican military installed a temporary bridge over the San Antonio River, where 2,000 people have been trapped by the flood waters. An additional eight inches of rain is forecast to fall in some parts of northeastern Mexico. Jason Beaubien, NPR News, Mexico City.

Twin suicide bombings in Peshawar, Pakistan are blamed in the deaths of at least 62 people including children. The attack took place along the Afghan border