Hong Kong - Up to 80 Hong Kong schools could be given the choice of switching back to teaching in English, eleven years after a "mother-tongue" policy ordered them to teach in Chinese, government officials confirmed Friday.

The proposal, submitted to lawmakers on Thursday, is aimed at improving English-language standards which have fallen since Hong Kong ceased to be a British colony in 1997.

It would, if approved, give a number of schools where a large proportion of pupils are high-achievers the choice of teaching students in English.

Other secondary schools would have the option of using English for one quarter of lessons.

Hong Kong - Hong Kong stocks fell more than 3 per cent for the second day running on worries over more sell-offs of Chinese banking stocks and new profit-warnings.

The blue-chip Hang Seng Index fell by 571.5 points, or 3.8 per cent, to end the day at 14,415.91. Turnover was 55.5 billion Hong Kong dollars (7.13 billion US dollars.)

Analysts blamed the sell-off of stocks of China banks, more bad news from local companies and a poor performance on Wall Street overnight.

Hong Kong  - A Hong Kong park was preparing on Thursday to send two sick rare sturgeon back to China for treatment after the death of three other fish, all gifts from the Beijing government.

The two endangered fish will be moved from Ocean Park to the Yangtze River Fisheries Research Institute in Xiamen where experts will try to save them following a decision by mainland authorities to take them back.

An Ocean Park spokesman said it was unknown whether the fish would be returned if they recovered.

Hong Kong  - A serial paedophile who admitted abusing more than 100 boys over a period of two decades was beginning a three-year jail term in Hong Kong Thursday.

Kenny Chung Chi-man, 41, last year gave money to two boys aged nine and 11 after molesting them in his home, months after being released from a previous 11-month jail term for child abuse.

He told police he "couldn't help touching young boys once he saw them" and confessed to sexual contact with more than 100 boys since he was in his early 20s.

Chung admitted luring scores of boys to his home in the city's urban Sham Shui Po area after meeting them in internet cafes and other places, Hong Kong's District Court heard.

Hong Kong - Hong Kong stocks fell by more than 3 per cent Wednesday, dropping back below the 15,000-point mark for the first time this year.

The blue-chip Hang Seng Index fell by 522.05 points, or 3.37 per cent, to close at 14,987.46. Turnover was 90 billion Hong Kong dollars (11.6 billion US dollars).

The index fell heavily in afternoon trading after earlier selling off of stocks in China banks and profit-taking on Hong Kong-listed Chinese telecom stocks.

Hong Kong - Hong Kong welcomed a record 29.5 million visitors in 2008 but fell short of its target of 30 million for the year, officials announced Wednesday.

The figure represents a 4.7 per cent increase on the previous record set in 2007 but will disappoint tourism board leaders who in early 2008 predicted the city would welcome 30 million visitors.