Good news from the Houston Chronicle tonight, which reported the following:

An extensive physical on Yao’s repaired and restructured left foot, long considered an important milestone in his comeback, showed the rehabilitation progressing well, clearing Yao to move to more extensive running and on-court workouts.

“We reviewed his most recent bone scans, and they indicate the healing is continuing at the expected rate,” Rockets athletic trainer Keith Jones said. “He’s right where he should be with regard to his rehab.

“He’s been able to increase his rehab conditioning to the point he is running at his full body weight. He’s been doing some limited on-court work, and he’s been able to go through those workouts with no discomfort. We feel good about his progress at this point, and we’re going to keep gradually elevating the intensity of his workouts within the parameters that our doctors have established.”

Click here for the full story.

Yesterday The Shanghai Morning Post published an interview with Yao about him becoming a dad, and Raymond translated it. Yao provides some pretty interesting observations, like saying he won’t have much time for World of Warcraft now, and maybe having a second child, among other things.

Click here to read Raymond’s full translation.

Yao’s new baby girl was born in Houston early Friday morning, weighing in at 7 lbs, 9 ounces (3.6 kilograms). A little while ago, Yao posted the following on his Facebook page.

Happy to announce the arrival of our baby daughter. This is a very special moment in our lives and we thank everyone for their kindness and support.

More details will be coming as we get them.

I had the chance to record some of Yao’s workout at Toyota Center a few days ago (see below). Anyone who is curious to see how he’s doing must watch this.

The first part of the video he works out with the Rockets’ Director of Strength and Conditioning, Darryl Eto. Then he works out with his personal trainer Anthony Falsone.

One silver lining to Yao being out over the past year is that he has been able to work on improving the mobility of all parts of his body that most NBA players don’t have time to do during the busy season and post-season, mainly because they are nursing nagging injuries.

As you’ll see, there’s no boot on his foot, and he doesn’t need crutches any more. He’s even doing leg squats, putting more weight on the foot he had surgically repaired last year. And I love the part of the video where he starts out with 70 lb. dumbbells, and works his way up to 90 lbs…in each hand.

It’s clear Yao is on his way back to being the beast he is.

There was a big interview of Yao in the May issue of Harper’s Bazaar Men’s Style Magazine of China, along with lots of photos of Yao looking dapper in a business suit.

Click here for more photos and Raymond’s translation of the magazine’s interview of Yao.