World News Roundup: Hong Kong police fire tear gas as protesters hurl petrol bombs; Iran official says U.S. showing 'some flexibility' on oil sales

Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

Trump Iran photo tweet raises worries about disclosure of U.S. surveillance secrets

U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday posted on Twitter a photo of what appeared to be the site of a failed Iranian satellite launch, raising questions about whether he had disclosed U.S. surveillance secrets. The black-and-white photo showed the fire-blasted launch site at a space center in northern Iran including a damaged gantry service tower and a downed mobile erector launcher.

Hong Kong police fire tear gas as protesters hurl petrol bombs

Hong Kong police fired tear gas and water cannon on Saturday as pro-democracy protesters threw petrol bombs in the latest in a series of clashes that have plunged the Chinese-ruled city into its worst political crisis in decades. Police fired round after round of tear gas as protesters took cover behind umbrellas between the local headquarters of China's People's Liberation Army and government HQ. Protesters also threw bricks dug up from pathways, at police.

Exclusive: Messaging app Telegram moves to protect identity of Hong Kong protesters

Telegram, a popular encrypted messaging app, will allow users to cloak their telephone numbers to safeguard Hong Kong protesters against monitoring by authorities, according to a person with direct knowledge of the effort. The update to Telegram, planned for release over the next few days, will allow protesters to prevent mainland Chinese and Hong Kong authorities from discovering their identities in the app's large group chats.

Iran official says U.S. showing 'some flexibility' on oil sales

A senior Iranian official said on Saturday the United States had shown flexibility on the licensing of Iranian oil sales and this was a sign that Washington's "maximum pressure" policy against Tehran had been defeated, state media reported. French President Emmanuel Macron paved the way at a G7 summit a week ago for a potential diplomatic solution to a confrontation between the United States and Iran brewing since President Donald Trump withdrew Washington last year from world powers' 2015 nuclear deal with Tehran.

Saudi Arabia splits industry and mining from energy ministry

Saudi Arabia created a new ministry for industry and mineral resources, separating it from the kingdom's colossal energy ministry, and replaced the powerful head of the royal court, in a series of royal orders issued late on Friday. Bandar Alkhorayef, an investor and industrialist plucked from the private sector, was named to head the new entity, which will become independent on Jan. 1. The move appears to diminish the sprawling authority of Khalid al-Falih, who retains control of the energy portfolio and chairmanship of state oil giant Saudi Aramco.

North Korea says Pompeo's remarks make talks with U.S. more difficult

A recent remark by U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo about "North Korea's rogue behavior" will make talks with the United States more difficult, the North's KCNA news agency on Saturday quoted its vice foreign minister, Choe Son Hui, as saying. "We recognized that North Korea's rogue behavior could not be ignored," Pompeo said on Tuesday while speaking at the American Legion National Convention in the state of Indiana.

After heavy air strikes, calm in Syria's Idlib as ceasefire declared

Syria's Idlib region saw a lull in air raids that have been pounding the insurgent territory, a monitor and rebel official said on Saturday, after the government said it was ceasing fire. It is the second such truce declared this month in Idlib, which is in Syria's northwest corner - the only major swathe of the country still in rebel hands after over eight years of war. A ceasefire in early August collapsed three days in, after which the Russian-backed army pressed its offensive and gained ground.

Thousands of Russians rally to demand free elections

Thousands of Russians took to the streets of central Moscow on Saturday to demand free elections to the capital's city legislature on Sept. 8, defying a ban which has been enforced with violent detentions during previous protests. Weeks of demonstrations over elections for the city legislature have turned into the biggest sustained protest movement in Russia since 2011-2013 when protesters took to the streets against perceived electoral fraud.

Taliban, Afghan forces clash in northern Afghan city amid peace talks with U.S.

Taliban forces attacked the northern Afghan city of Kunduz on Saturday, setting off hours of gun battles, even as U.S. negotiators move closer to finalizing a deal with the insurgents for the withdrawal of American troops from the country. Heavy fighting has gone on in Kunduz since the early hours of the morning after Taliban fighters attacked from several directions, forcing Afghan forces to rush in reinforcements to prevent the insurgents from gaining control of the city.

India leaves nearly two million people off citizens' list, fate uncertain

Nearly 2 million people have been left off a list of citizens released on Saturday in India's northeastern state of Assam, after a mammoth years-long exercise to check illegal immigration from neighboring Muslim-majority Bangladesh. Resentment against illegal immigrants has simmered for years in Assam, one of India's poorest states, with residents blaming outsiders, many said to come from neighboring Bangladesh, for stealing their jobs and land.