Hong Kong  - Two top executives from the Citic Pacific Group resigned Wednesday as an investigation into unauthorized currency bets within the company deepened in Hong Kong.

Shanghai-born Larry Yung, who has strong political ties to China, resigned as chairman in a letter to the board of directors.

Managing director Henry Fan also resigned, saying in view of Mr Yung's resignation, it was appropriate he should also leave.

Hong Kong  - Hong Kong dropped more than 3 per cent Wednesday on more worries over the economy and first-quarter earnings.

The blue-chip Hang Seng Index fell by 454.11 points or 3.04 per cent to end the day at 14,474.86. Turnover was 60.8 billion Hong Kong dollars (7.8 billion US dollars.)

Losses were across the board, with market heavyweight HSBC losing 5.57 per cent to close at 48.35 Hong Kong dollars.

Hong Kong  - The family of a homeless Nepalese man shot dead by a Hong Kong police officer has demanded an independent inquiry into the death, claiming police misled the public, media reports said Wednesday.

Hong Kong-born Dil Bahadur Limbu was shot once in the head by a lone officer responding to a complaint call on March 17.

Police say Limbu, 31, was armed with a wooden chair and refused to stop attacking the officer despite repeated warnings.

Hong Kong - A 77-year-old Hong Kong man was savaged by a wild boar that pinned him to the ground and bit his groin, police said Wednesday.

The 70-kilogram animal went on a rampage, knocking the man down and sinking its teeth into him, after it strayed into a village in Hong Kong's New Territories.

Witnesses said the boar attacked Tuesday after it jumped a fence and charged at the man who was playing cards with friends outside.

The animal then ran off. The man was taken to hospital bleeding and was in stable condition Wednesday.

Hong Kong  - A half share in Hong Kong's historic tram network has been sold to a French multi-national company in a surprise deal, operators announced Tuesday.

The tram system's operators Wharf Holdings said it had sold a 50 per cent stake in the 105-year-old network crisscrossing Hong Kong island to the French company Veolia.

The two companies will jointly operate the service although there was speculation Tuesday that the move will lead to a complete takeover of the Hong Kong tram system by the French company.

Hong Kong  - A senior HSBC banker has been convicted of indecent assault after drunkenly groping a woman in a Hong Kong karaoke bar, a news report said Tuesday.

Michael Chan Chi-wang followed the 26-year-old woman into the washrooms at the karaoke bar and grabbed her from behind, groping her breasts, the Hong Kong Standard reported.