Zimbabwe Minister To Be Freed

The BBC reports:

A Zimbabwe court has ordered the release of a government minister who reportedly called President Robert Mugabe a liar.

Jameson Timba, an ally of Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai, was arrested on Friday.

Under Zimbabwean law it is a criminal offence to insult the president.

Mr Timba had been quoted by South Africa's Sunday Times newspaper, under the headline "Mugabe a liar", disputing Zanu-PF's account of a regional summit.

He reportedly contradicted Mr Mugabe's claim that regional leaders had withdrawn a damning report on the slow pace of reforms and renewed political violence in Zimbabwe.