Hong Kong protests: Talks accepted amid protest stand-off

Protesters blockading key parts of Hong Kong have accepted talks with the government, hours after Chief Executive CY Leung rejected calls to step down. 

Mr Leung offered the talks late yesterday, in response to a deadline Protesters have been occupying parts of the city for several days. 

They are angry at China's plan to vet candidates for elections in 2017. 

Beijing has thrown its full support behind Mr Leung, calling the protests illegal and "doomed to fail". 

Hong Kong has temporarily closed government offices in the main protest-hit area, saying staff should work from home because access roads to central offices were blocked. 

Protest numbers have been swelling at night and falling during the day.

BBC