World News Roundup: Uighur Muslims in China; highway targets heart of Brazil's Amazon and more

Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

Pompeo blasts China over Uighur Muslims during Vatican visit

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Wednesday blasted China over its treatment of Uighur Muslims, during a Vatican conference taking place in the shadow of a political crisis back home. Pompeo reserved his toughest criticism for China in a keynote speech at a Vatican conference on religious freedom. The others were Cuba, Iran, Pakistan and Myanmar.

UK's Prince Harry says he wants to pass on 'embrace' of Africa to son Archie

Britain's Prince Harry paid an emotional tribute on Wednesday to Africa and its people on the last day of his 10-day tour, calling the continent his "second home" and pledging to do all he could to help what he called the changemakers. In a speech to young entrepreneurs in Johannesburg, his wife Meghan by his side, Harry said he drew inspiration from Africans' generosity and resilience.

Bolsonaro-backed highway targets heart of Brazil's Amazon

Deforestation in Brazil is the story of highways. For more than 50 years, the destruction has almost always begun with a road hewn through the dense Amazon rainforest. With pavement, comes logging, then ranching and eventually commercial farming and towns.

North Korea fires ballistic missile, possibly from submarine, days before talks

North Korea fired what may have been a submarine-launched ballistic missile from off its east coast on Wednesday, a day after it announced the resumption of talks with the United States on ending its nuclear program. If confirmed, it would be the most provocative test by North Korea since it started the talks with the United States in 2018. Analysts said it was likely a reminder by Pyongyang of the weapons capability it had been aggressively developing as it gears up for the new round of talks.

Hong Kong office workers, schoolmates denounce police shooting of teen

Hong Kong office workers and high-school students turned out in their hundreds under a sweltering midday sun on Wednesday to denounce a policeman for shooting and wounding a teenager during the most violent clashes in nearly four months of unrest. The office workers marched to Chater Garden in the Central business district as the students, some in the same class as the wounded 18-year-old, demonstrated outside his New Territories school.

Russia watching closely after Turkish move on Syria safety zone: Kremlin

The Kremlin said on Wednesday that Moscow was watching closely after Turkey said it would act alone on its plans to form a "safe zone" in the northeast of Syria, which is a close ally of Russia. Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said on Tuesday that Turkey had no choice but to act alone as too little progress had been made with the United States on forming a "safe zone", his most direct indication of a cross-border offensive.

Final proposal: UK PM Johnson to unveil Brexit offer to EU

Prime Minister Boris Johnson will on Wednesday unveil his final Brexit offer to the European Union and make clear that if Brussels does not engage with the proposal, Britain will not negotiate further and will leave on Oct. 31. In his closing speech to his governing Conservatives' annual conference, Johnson will stick to his hard line on Brexit, offering the party faithful the first details of what he will describe as his "fair and reasonable compromise".

Amazon synod deepens faultlines between pope and conservatives

An assembly of bishops to discuss the future of the Roman Catholic Church in the Amazon, including the possibility of introducing married priests, has deepened faultlines between Pope Francis and conservatives who say it is heretical. The three-week synod opens on Sunday at a time when the region - made up of eight countries and the French territory of Guiana - is in the world spotlight because of recent devastating fires in Brazil.

Putin brushes off allegations of Russian election meddling

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday that it was ridiculous to suggest Moscow would try to interfere in next year's U.S. presidential election, and that no proof had been presented of past election meddling by Moscow. U.S. intelligence agencies have said Russia interfered in the 2016 presidential election campaign in order to tilt the vote in Donald Trump's favor. Moscow has denied any interference.

An Islamist dilemma after rise of populists in Tunisia

The annoyance among voters in the hilltop town of al-Alia shows the dilemma facing Tunisia's moderate Islamist Ennahda party as it seeks to win Sunday's parliamentary election after years of sharing power with the secular political elite. Ennahda's fate will not only resonate in Tunisia. Its effort to chart a moderate path is being watched across an Arab world that has for decades failed to peacefully accommodate its Islamist and nationalist movements.

(With inputs from agencies.)