■ India
Man freed after 54 years
An Indian court has freed a man who languished in jail or a mental home in the eastern state of Assam for 54 years without ever facing trial. Machang Lalung, 77, a tribal, was arrested in 1951 in his native village of Silsang for "voluntarily causing grievous hurt by dangerous weapons or means." But there were no records backing up the accusation. Lalung was shifted to a mental asylum. Though certified "fully recovered" by asylum authorities in 1967, prison officials only returned him to jail this year. In May the National Human Rights Commission took up Lalung's case and sought his release. After Lalung's release last week, police escorted him back to his village. "We handed him over to the village headman," said a police official. "He has almost forgotten about his past and doesn't remember anything about his village now."
■ Hong Kong
Reporter may be released
The wife of a Hong Kong reporter under house arrest in China on spying charges is hopeful he will soon be released. Ching Cheong (程翔), the head China correspondent for Singapore's Straits Times newspaper, was arrested in April. Chinese authorities said he had admitted to spying for "overseas organs" in return for money. Ching's wife Mary Lau said she is cautiously optimistic he will be freed next Saturday. Lau said the turning point came when Hong Kong's Chief Executive Donald Tsang (曾蔭權) said he had raised the case with a senior Chinese official during his trip to Beijing to be sworn in on June 24. Also, 500,000 journalists from more than 100 countries signed a petition calling on China to treat Ching, 55, fairly. Lau believes her husband's arrest was connected with his attempts to acquire the manuscript of a publication about the late Communist Party chief Zhao Ziyang (趙紫陽).
■ China
Mugabe arrives for a visit
Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe will meet top Chinese leaders during a six-day visit, the People's Daily said yesterday, amid efforts to secure alternative credit lines as western nations snub the southern African nation. Mugabe, whose government critics blame for a crippling economic crisis, would meet Chinese President Hu Jintao (胡錦濤), and Premier Wen Jiabao (溫家寶), the paper said. It did not say what would be discussed. The Zimbabwe president would also visit Changchun, the capital of northeastern Jilin province, it said. Mugabe, who arrived in Beijing on Saturday, is accompanied by his central bank head and senior government ministers, according to Zimbabwe state media.
■ Hong Kong
Bruce Lee statue to be made
Kung-fu movie legend Bruce Lee's 65th birthday will be marked in November with a 2m bronze statue. Wong Yiu-keung, chairman of the Hong Kong fan club, said it will be the first statue of Bruce Lee in a public place in the world. "He not only contributed to our movie industry, but also raised outsiders' awareness of Hong Kong in general," Wong said. The fan club has chosen three designs of Lee in his classic poses -- all featuring a bare-torsoed Lee, two including Lee's signature weapon the nunchaku -- and fans are invited to vote for their favorite design on the Internet. The winning design, to be sculpted by Chinese sculptor Cao Chong-en, will be erected at the city's Avenue of Stars, a new harborfront tourist attraction that honors Hong Kong film stars including Jackie Chan and Chow Yun-fat.
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