Hong Kong - A pop star at the centre of a celebrity sex photo scandal was Friday narrowly beaten to the title Person of 2008 in a Hong Kong government radio station poll.

Edison Chen, 27, who fled Hong Kong after pictures of him romping with a string of young women starlets appeared on the internet, was runner-up to US president-elect Barack Obama in the poll.

Chen collected just under 30 per cent of votes in the Person of the Year survey by government-run RTHK radio compared to Obama's 35.67 per cent.

Hong Kong - Ten sailors had to be rescued from a sinking Chinese cargo ship in rough seas close to Hong Kong, rescue officials said Thursday.

The crew sent out a distress call Thursday morning after their ship began taking on water about 120 kilometres south-west of Hong Kong.

The Government Flying Services (GFS) sent out two aircraft which picked up the men from the sinking ship and carried them safely back to shore.

Hong Kong - Hong Kong residents have emerged as some of the most pessimistic in the world concerning their expectations for the coming year, according to an online survey published Wednesday.

Around seven out of ten citizens - or 67 per cent - of the former British colony expect 2009 to be worse than this year - almost twice the global figure of 35 per cent.

The survey, carried out by market information group TNS and Gallup International, found Hong Kong people were only equalled in their gloomy outlook by the residents of hard hit Iceland who came joint top in the pessimism table.

Hong Kong - More than 500,000 revellers are expected to brave chilly weather Wednesday to count down the New Year alongside Hong Kong's harbour.

Hong Kong  - Maria Sharapova will miss a high-powered Hong Kong tune-up event for only the second time since 2004 after the reigning Australian Open champion was forced to withdraw due to lack of preparation.

The Russian revealed that she underwent arthroscopic surgery in October on her problem shoulder and was only able to return to the practise court in Los Angeles a few weeks ago.

Hong Kong  - The boyfriend of a Canadian woman missing in Hong Kong was Wednesday expected back home after a five-day visit to the former British colony to help the search for her.

Wenddell Walsh told reporters before flying back to Toronto he believed it was "just a matter of time" before 30-year-old Canadian Indian Ani Ashekian was found.

Ashekian, also from Toronto, arrived in Hong Kong on November 9 and stayed in the city's Tsim Sha Tsui district, withdrawing money and sending her sister in Canada a text message the following day.

She planned to travel to India before returning to Toronto on December 15 but has not been heard from since November 10 and has not left Hong Kong, according to immigration records.