Student unions from two Hong Kong universities said Friday that they have turned down invitations from city leader Carrie Lam for talks about recent unrest over her proposal to allow the extradition of suspects to mainland China.

The invitations followed a pledge by Lam to do a better job of listening to the voices of young people.

Student leaders said at a news conference that they do not think Lam is being sincere. Her office invited them to closed-door meetings, but the students said any meeting should be public and include a wider representation than just them.

``A closed-door meeting does not have any witnesses to prove what was discussed, the public does not know what the dialogue was about,'' said Jordan Pang from the University of Hong Kong Students' Union. ``The public has the right to know.''

Ng Yat Ming, the vice president of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology Students' Union, said they would be condemned as traitors if they negotiated with Lam on behalf of the public.

``We believe it is a PR stunt,'' he said.

Young people have taken the lead in protesting against the extradition legislation, which many see as a threat to the rights guaranteed to Hong Kong under the ``one country, two systems'' framework that governs the Chinese territory.

Lam, who was appointed as Hong Kong's leader by a committee dominated by pro-Beijing elites, suspended the legislation indefinitely after a huge march against it on June 9 and then a June 12 demonstration that blocked access to the legislature and nearby streets.

The protesters remain unsatisfied and have escalated their tactics. They are demanding the formal withdrawal of the extradition bill, Lam's resignation, the release of dozens arrested after the protests and an independent investigation into a police crackdown on the June 12 protest that included tear gas and rubber bullets.

One protester charged in connection with an hours-long siege by protesters of the police headquarters on June 21 appeared in court Friday, Hong Kong media reported. He was the first of those arrested to do so.

Pun Ho-chiu is charged with assaulting eight police officers, damaging walls and escalators at police headquarters and behaving in a disorderly manner, public broadcaster RTHK said on its website. He was denied bail.

Pun accused police of mistreating him while in custody, according to the media reports. The judge said the complaints are outside the court's mandate.

On Monday, one group smashed through thick windows to break into the legislature building on a national holiday celebrating the return of Hong Kong from Britain to China in 1997. They spray-painted slogans on the walls and damaged the fire prevention and electronic voting systems.

The legislature has decided to suspend meeting until October for repairs to the heavily damaged complex.

It’s tough to gain admission to Yale University, and it’s getting even tougher for international students as standout students from around the world set their sights on Yale.

The Yale Dale News, the campus newspaper, takes a look at the situation here.

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Ruth Chane, a computer science major from Ethiopia, writes about her experiences settling into student life at Whitman College in the U.S. state of Washington.

"The community at Whitman College made sure I felt welcomed even before I stepped foot on campus," she says.

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In The Student Life, the student newspaper for the Claremont Colleges, a consortium of five liberal art colleges and two graduate schools in Claremont, California, student Rochelle Lu writes about readjusting to her Shanghai home after spending a semester in the United States.

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Cedarville University in the U.S. state of Ohio says it’s got more than 140 international students representing 44 countries.

Here, the school interviews Jonathan Sutton, director of international student services. He talks about his job and the opportunities for international students on campus.

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Morehouse College, a private, historically Black liberal arts college in the U.S. state of Georgia, offers a guide for international students interested in attending the school.

Among the tips to apply and thrive at Morehouse:

• Take advantage of the school’s orientation program
• Turn to the school’s Center for Academic Success for tutoring, support and more
• Immerse yourself in campus life via clubs and societies

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