Vietnam village frees hostages of land dispute

HANOI: More than a dozen police and officials held hostage by Vietnamese villagers over a land dispute were released on Saturday, state media reported, ending a week-long standoff that had gripped the country.

The rare act of defiance in My Duc, a suburban district of capital Hanoi, was sparked last week by clashes between authorities and villagers who said their farmland was being illegally seized for a military-owned telecoms firm.