American charged with spying home for Christmas

The American technician, Richard Bliss, who has been charged with spying in Russia, is on his way back to the United States.

His plans to return home were delayed for several hours by bad weather at the airport in the city of Rostov-on-Don, where he was arrested last month.

He is due to fly to the United States on Thursday after a brief stop in Moscow.

Mr Bliss has been charged with spying on restricted sites, which he denies.

He's been told he will have to return to Russia on January the tenth but the BBC Moscow correspondent says there is some doubt over whether he will do so.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service