Philippines to fly home pardoned workers

DAVAO CITY • President Rodrigo Duterte has vowed to fly home overseas Filipino workers who are pardoned in Middle Eastern nations.

He said an agreement aimed at providing more protection to Filipino workers was being considered during his visits to Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Qatar.

PHILIPPINE DAILY INQUIRER/ASIA NEWS NETWORK

HK party weakened after core member quits

HONG KONG • A core member of the pro-establishment New People's Party has quit amid a rift with chairman Regina Ip, a move that weakens its clout in the Hong Kong legislature, the South China Morning Post reported. Lawmaker Michael Tien Puk Sun's departure on Monday came about after Ms Ip's unsuccessful run for Hong Kong's top job.

Dog abuse: US gearmaker drops Singaporean's firm

KUALA LUMPUR • American adventure-equipment maker Osprey Packs has dropped a company run by Singaporean Terry Yee as its Malaysia distributor, after the 30-year-old was caught on video abusing a dog, the Malay Mail Online news reported yesterday.

An Osprey official said his company had severed ties with Mr Yee's Tearproof over his "reprehensible" behaviour.