Hong Kong students to boycott new term as protests continue

HONG KONG: Hong Kong student leaders on Thursday announced a two-week boycott of lectures from the upcoming start of term, as they seek to keep protesters on the streets and pressure on the government. The financial hub has been rocked by three months of unrest, with students making up a large number of the pro-democracy protesters taking to the streets almost daily. Student leaders representing most of the city´s major universities said students will miss lectures between September 2 — the planned start of the new term — and September 13. They threatened further action if the government does not adequately respond to the protesters´ five demands, which include spiking a controversial extradition bill, universal suffrage and an independent inquiry into alleged police abuses during the protests.