Hong Kong  - Hong Kong people will give out less cash in traditional Chinese New Year "lucky money" packets this year because of the economic slump, according to a survey released Thursday.

Twenty-four per cent of people interviewed in an annual survey said they would be giving out less money in the "lai see" packets handed out by adults to children and employers to employees to mark the start of the Lunar New Year.

Hong Kong - Hong Kong shares fell by almost 3 per cent Wednesday as overnight losses on Wall Street and profit warnings from Chinese companies listed in the city deepened market gloom.

The blue-chip Hang Seng Index ended the day down 376.14 points, or 2.9 per cent, at 12,583.63. Turnover was a relatively low 47.6 billion Hong Kong dollars (6.1 billion US dollars).

Hong Kong - Six workers from Hong Kong hospital morgues were being investigated Wednesday for allegedly taking bribes from funeral directors in return for giving corpses special treatment.

They are accused of accepting monthly payments of up to 130 US dollars to speed up funeral arrangements and allow funeral directors to collect them outside normal hours.

The workers also allegedly dressed the corpses in shrouds and prepared them for funerals, a role usually performed in funeral parlours, investigators claim.

Hong Kong - Hong Kong shares dropped 2.85 per cent Tuesday as banking stocks dipped lower on worries over profit losses and capital.

The blue-chip Hang Seng Index lost 300.22 points to end the day below the 12,000 level at 12,959.77 points. Turnover was a relatively low 39.5 billion Hong Kong dollars
(5.07 billion US dollars.)

Global banking giant HSBC continued its decline, sinking 7.7 per cent to 57.5 Hong Kong dollars, bringing the share price down more than 20 per cent since the beginning of last week.

Hong Kong - Police in Hong Kong were Tuesday questioning 27 suspects after smashing a triad gang operation that recruited young members in school playgrounds.

The arrests came after dozens of cases in which youngsters were approached in playgrounds in Hong Kong schools and threatened with violence if they did not join triad gangs.

Youngsters acted as recruiters and teenagers signed up for gangs in school playgrounds and games arcades were made to pay 3.60 Hong Kong dollars (46 US cents) as a joining fee.