Philippines 'sorry' for Vietnamese deaths

MANILA • The Philippines has apologised and promised compensation for two Vietnamese fishermen killed by its naval personnel during an anti-poaching operation at sea.

Philippine Defence Secretary Delfin Lorenzana made the apology yesterday in a meeting with Vietnamese Defence Minister Ngo Xuan Lich as the two South-east Asian neighbours discussed ways to improve cooperation, especially in naval matters.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

China releases HK democracy activist

BEIJING • A Chinese activist who was imprisoned after speaking out about women's rights and Hong Kong's democracy movement has been released after serving three years in jail, her lawyer said yesterday.

Ms Su Changlan, a 47-year-old primary school teacher, was first detained in southern Guangdong province on Oct 26, 2014, after making comments on social media in support of democracy protests in the semi-autonomous city of Hong Kong.

"Su Changlan has returned home after her release," lawyer Liu Xiaoyuan said in a statement on Twitter.

Mr Liu has previously claimed that his client was held illegally for years before she was formally convicted and sentenced in March for "inciting subversion of state power".

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE