HK unemployment hits record high

In Hong Kong, the government has released new figures showing unemployment at a record high of 7.4%.

The figure - for the three months ending in May - is a rise of 0.3% on the previous three month period to April.

A government spokesman blamed the economic slowdown.

Earlier on Monday Chief Executive Tung Chee-hwa suggested Hong Kong's economy should start recovering in the second half of the year, but he admitted there could be several years of high unemployment before the economy was restructured.

He told business leaders Hong Kong must concentrate on science, technology, brand names and original designs, after losing most of its manufacturing base to mainland China.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service