Hong Kong: Cathay Pacific said Wednesday two pilots had been sacked, as the Hong Kong carrier comes under huge pressure from Beijing to clamp down on staff supportive of anti-government rallies. "One is currently involved in legal proceedings. The other misused company information on Flight CX216/12 August," the airline said in a statement.

Hong Kong has been gripped by ten weeks of protests that have seen millions take to the streets, sparked by opposition to a planned law that would have allowed extraditions to mainland China. The demonstrations have evolved into a much broader campaign for democratic freedoms. Cathay Pacific chief executive Rupert Hogg warned staff on Monday that they could be fired for supporting "illegal protests".