Hong Kong - The Hong Kong government Friday cancelled its travel warning for Bangkok after the Thai prime minister lifted the state of emergency imposed 12 days ago.

A Hong Kong government spokesman said the travel warning was cancelled with immediate effect but said people travelling to the Thai capital should continue to exercise caution.

"As the situation there is still not entirely clear, those who plan to visit the country, particularly Bangkok, should continue to closely monitor developments," the spokesman said.

Hong Kong - Hong Kong is to give visa-free access to Russian travellers in a bid to tap into new markets in the light of the current economic downturn, officials confirmed Friday. The 14-day visa-free access is expected to come into force later this year following an agreement between Russia and Hong Kong signed Thursday which also gives Hong Kong passport holders 14 days of visa-free access to Russia.

Hong Kong - Hong Kong shares climbed by more than 2 per cent Thursday, ending a two-d

Hong Kong - Hong Kong lawmakers Thursday approved a tax on every plastic bag handed out by supermarkets in the city as of July in a move to cut the mountain of waste created by the bags.

The tax of 50 Hong Kong cents (6 US cents) will be levied from July 1 in a total of 2,000 shops, including every major supermarket, in the high-rise city of 7 million.

Legislators voted 35 to 3 in favour of the levy which was opposed by industry groups representing Hong Kong companies making plastic bags at factories in neighbouring southern China.

Hong Kong  - Hong Kong people are now happier with China's leaders than at any time since the former British colony reverted to Chinese rule 12 years ago, according to a survey Thursday.

Fifty-eight per cent of people interviewed said they were satisfied with the Beijing government's performance, the highest level recorded in the regular polls since the 1997 handover.

Hong Kong - Wealthy pet lovers in Hong Kong are offered to leave 50,000 US dollars to their dogs and cats if they outlive their owners, a news report said Thursday.

Insurance company Sun Life Financial is advertising policies costing 1,300 US dollars a year to cover the cost of pet care if owners are struck down by illnesses such as cancer or heart attacks.

The policies are to pay for the pampered pet's care in a "pet hotel" or with nominated relatives and will pay out up to around 50,000 US dollars, according to the South China Morning Post.