Hong Kong face-off reaches boiling pointA bloody battle on the campus of Hong Kong Polytechnic University is nearing its 48th hour. All of the routes out of the besieged campus are blocked by a cordon of heavily armed riot police officers using a hailstorm of tear gas and rubber bullets. The police have ordered protesters to “drop their weapons,” but students fear that doing so will result in their arrests. Near the university, streets were engulfed by tear gas and fires, conjuring the feel of a battlefield. Explainer: We took a look at how universities, once sanctuaries for protesters, are now among the most turbulent parts of the city.

Source: New York Times November 18, 2019 19:45 UTC