Following is a summary of current world news briefs. U.S. imposes new Iran sanctions over human rights violations

The United States on Thursday blacklisted several Iranian officials and entities over alleged gross violations of human rights, including slapping sanctions on a judge it said was involved in the case of an Iranian wrestler sentenced to death. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in a statement said the United States imposed sanctions on Judge Seyyed Mahmoud Sadati, Judge Mohammad Soltani, Branch 1 of the Revolutionary Court of Shiraz, and Adel Abad, Orumiyeh, and Vakilabad Prisons. Canada government proposes boost to unemployment benefit in move likely to avert election

Canada’s government on Thursday proposed boosting a weekly payout for the jobless that would replace emergency COVID-19 income support that ends this weekend, a move that looks set to help the ruling Liberals win a parliamentary confidence vote. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is seeking the support of at least one opposition party on a sweeping agenda to battle COVID-19, help those hurt by it, and foster economic growth. Down but not out, Haftar still looms over Libya peace process

His assault on Libya’s capital has collapsed. Foreign powers have tried to sideline him. But military commander Khalifa Haftar still sits astride oil terminals, with enough fire power and political sway to thwart any plans for peace. Having failed in his bid for national rule, Haftar, 76, is now severely diminished. His troops have been driven out of western Libya, while in his eastern stronghold foreign powers that backed him are making overtures to rivals. Exclusive: U.S., UK, Canada plan sanctions on Belarusians, perhaps Friday

The United States, Britain and Canada plan to impose sanctions on Belarusian individuals following what they view as a rigged election and violence against peaceful protesters since, six sources familiar with the matter said on Thursday. Four of the sources, all speaking on condition of anonymity, said the U.S., British and Canadian sanctions could come as early as Friday. French PM: No COVID-19 app as I don’t take the metro

The French government may be pushing for people to download its COVID-19 contact-tracing app, but when asked on Thursday whether he had done so, Prime Minister Jean Castex said he had not because he did not take the metro. The app was launched at the start of June to much fanfare from the government, but three months later only 2.4 million people out of a 67 million population have downloaded it. Kremlin critic Navalny’s bank accounts frozen, apartment seized: spokeswoman

Russian opposition politician Alexei Navalny’s bank accounts were frozen and his Moscow apartment seized as part of a lawsuit while he was recovering from a suspected poisoning in a Berlin hospital, his spokeswoman said on Thursday. His assets were seized on Aug. 27 in connection with a lawsuit filed by the Moscow Schoolchild catering company, spokeswoman Kira Yarmysh said in a video posted on Twitter. The politician and his allies have been involved in a long-running dispute with the company. Germany replaces military intelligence boss after far-right scandals

Germany’s defence minister will replace the head of the military intelligence agency (MAD), her ministry said on Thursday, a move indicating she wants to do more to root out right-wing radicals from the armed forces. MAD chief Christof Gramm had begun reforms to combat right-wing extremism in the military and achieved noticeable improvements, the ministry said in a statement, adding, however, that further progress was needed and this required more effort. U.S. climate scientist Katharine Hayhoe: people need hope

While the enormity of tackling climate change can be so overwhelming that some people shut down, presenting people with examples of how they can take action offers hope, says climate scientist Katharine Hayhoe. In a live interview with Reuters on Thursday Hayhoe explained how climate change was causing weather events such as heat waves, wildfires and hurricanes to become more severe and more frequent. https://www.pscp.tv/w/1gqxvagqNBjJB U.S. to provide $720 million Syria aid and funds for Sahel, South Sudan

The United States said on Thursday it would provide more than $720 million in humanitarian assistance in response to the crisis in Syria, plus nearly $152 million for Africa’s Sahel region and almost $108 million for South Sudan. Deputy Secretary of State Stephen Biegun made the announcement on Syria at an event on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly in New York. He said the money would go “both for Syrians inside the country and for those in desperate need across the region.” Hong Kong democracy activist Joshua Wong arrested for 2019 illegal assembly

Hong Kong police arrested prominent democracy activist Joshua Wong on Thursday for participating in an unauthorised assembly in October 2019 and violating the city’s anti-mask law, according to a post on his official Twitter account. Wong’s latest arrest adds to several unlawful assembly charges or suspected offences he and other activists are facing related to last year’s pro-democracy protests, which prompted Beijing to impose a sweeping national security law on June 30.