Hong Kong - Hong Kong's flagship airline Cathay Pacific Wednesday announced a record 1.1-billion-US-dollar operating loss for 2008, blaming high fuel prices and a sharp fall in passenger and cargo demand.

Earnings fell by more than 220 per cent from a profit of 7 billion Hong Kong dollars (900,000 US dollars) in 2007 to a loss of 8.55 billion Hong Kong dollars (1.1 billion US dollars) in 2008.

Hong Kong  - An off-duty police officer has been arrested after being caught naked in a park wearing only fishnet stockings, a news report said Wednesday.

A pair of high-heeled shoes was found next to the 49-year-old senior constable when police were called to the park by an alarmed passerby shortly after midnight Tuesday.

The married, 49-year-old senior constable, who hurriedly put on a jacket before his arrest, had driven to the park to seek thrills by dressing as a woman, according to the South China Morning Post.

Hong Kong - Banking giant HSBC Tuesday tried to reassure small investors in Hong Kong who have seen the value of their shares plunge 24 per cent then rebound
14 per cent within 24 hours.

HSBC's chief executive for the Asia-Pacific Sandy Flockhart said Monday's sudden plunge in share prices just before the market closed was caused by "technical trade" and not panic selling.

Hong Kong  - Hong Kong shares rebounded by more than 3 per cent Tuesday as HSBC Holdings partially recovered from massive 24 per cent losses sustained in a brutal Monday trading session.

The blue-chip Hang Seng Index climbed from a four-month low by 349.47 points, or 3.08 per cent, to end the day at 11,694.05 points. Turnover was 33.4 billion Hong Kong dollars (4.3 billion US dollars.)

Hong Kong - A group of pro-democracy Hong Kong legislators on Tuesday announced plans to try to enter Macau, where academics and politicians have been refused entry after a crackdown on so-called anti-China elements.

The six members of the League of Social Democrats plan to take a ferry Sunday to the gambling resort west of Hong Kong to test the ban after a series of deportations.

Hong Kong- Hong Kong shares plummeted by nearly 5 per cent Monday, sliding steeply in late trading as shares in HSBC bank fell by a massive 24 per cent.

The blue-chip Hang Seng Index fell by 576.94 points, or 4.84 per cent, to end the day at 11,344.58. Turnover was 35.7 billion Hong Kong dollars (4.6 billion US dollars.)

Monday's trading was dominated by a sell-off of HSBC shares which fell 24 per cent to close at 33 Hong Kong dollars, their lowest level since 1995.