Hong Kong  - Hong Kong leader Donald Tsang warned Monday of the danger of the swine flu virus spreading to the densely-populated city of 7 million as the outbreak hit share prices.

Chief executive Donald Tsang told reporters: "Hong Kong is a cosmopolitan city. We do not easily close our borders, and it is quite possible people carrying this virus during the hibernation period may come into Hong Kong."

Hong Kong - Hong Kong leader Donald Tsang Monday issued a bullish assessment of the city's prospects for recovering from the global economic downturn in the Year of the Ox.

In his Chinese New Year address to the city of 6.9 million, Beijing-appointed Tsang said: "Hong Kongers are no strangers to adversity. We are used to thriving on challenges.

"I believe that if we pull together as a community, no challenge will be too big for Hong Kong."

Hong Kong - Hong Kong leader Donald Tsang had bananas hurled at him as he delivered a policy speech Wednesday in a protest over the government's treatment of poor elderly people.

Three legislators with the pro-democracy League of Social Democrats were ejected from the city's Legislative Council as they shouted abuse and threw bananas during Tsang's annual policy address.

None of the bananas hit the chief executive, who looked stunned at the protest over the government's alleged lack of support for elderly people struggling to cope with rising food prices.

Hong Kong - Hong Kong leader Donald Tsang on Wednesday bowed to public pressure to introduce a minimum wage for workers in the wealthy city of 6.9 million.

The rich-poor divide has widened sharply in recent years, and hundreds of people took part in a march this month demanding a minimum wage of 33 Hong Kong dollars (4.25 US dollars) per hour.

In his annual policy address Wednesday, Chief Executive Tsang admitted that a voluntary minimum wage for cleaners and security guards introduced two years ago had been a failure.

Hong Kong - The popularity of Hong Kong leader Donald Tsang has plunged to an all-time low after a series of government blunders this summer, according to an opinion poll Wednesday.

Thirty-four per cent of people interviewed in the six-monthly poll said they were dissatisfied with the performance of Beijing-appointed Tsang compared to just 13 per cent in February.

The number of people who said they were happy with Tsang's performance, meanwhile, was just 29 per cent compared to 47 per cent six months ago, University of Hong Kong researchers found.

Hong Kong  - Hong Kong leader Donald Tsang is to lead a de