World awaits release of Aung Saan Suu Kyi

Detained Nobel peace prize laureate Aung Saan Suu Kyi was due to be freed from house arrest on Saturday, though the ruling military junta remains silent on it. Though the rumours are doing rounds that the junta leader Senior General Than Shwe had approved an order to free her as her 18-month detention sentence was set to end on Saturday, but neither leaders of her party nor government officials could confirm her release. A crowd of about 600 people, among them many journalists, waited anxiously near her house, ocassionally chanting "Release Aung Saan Suu Kyi" and "Long live Aung Saan Suu Kyi".