Britney, Kevin reach divorce 'deal'

After months of ups and downs, pop singer Britney Spears and ex-husband Kevin Federline have reached a divorce settlement.

The couple, who married in September 2004, agreed to the deal during a five-hour meeting in Los Angeles on Thursday.

Federline is rumoured to have received a $1 million payment, with the couple

sharing custody of their two sons, 18-month-old Sean Preston and six-month-old Jayden James.

"The parties signed a global agreement on all issues of their marriage and custody of their children," said a spokesman for Federline’s attorney, who mentioned that the couple had reached an agreement on financial matters.

A judge must approve the agreement before the divorce is finalised. The estranged couple had agreed to temporarily share custody of their sons in January, but Federline took over when Britney checked into Malibu's Promises rehab centre in February.

Earlier this month, it was reported that Britney had decided to give Federline $19 million.