First with an update on the fate of the prominent Chinese human rights lawyer ,Gao Zhisheng, who was abducted by Chinese officials in February 2009. Despite fears the he has been killed in custody, a recent source came forward saying that he is still alive.

Despite being in custody for almost a year, Gao has still has not been charged with any crime.

Supporters say he had been a target of the Chinese Communist Party after he represented a Falun Gong practitioner in 2004, and later advocated for the persecuted spiritual group.

In 2007 police detained and tortured Gao, who then published an account of the 10 days of torture he experienced, drawing international attention to his case.

Speculation that he had been killed comes after a policeman told Gao’s brother that Gao had “gone missing” while in custody in September last year.

According to a report in the Sydney Morning Herald this week, a source in the Chinese regime’s security apparatus said that (quote), “Gao is still alive at present…he's not missing.'' The source did not indicate Gao’s condition or his prospects.