GLOBAL SNAPSHOT

Scaramucci tunes in

LOS ANGELES: Dumped White House communications director Anthony Scaramucci will be a guest on Stephen Colbert’s latenight show next week, CBS said. The network said Mr Scaramucci would appear on Colbert’s The Late Show on Monday.

Sanctions to bite

CARACAS: The United States imposed new sanctions on crisis-hit Venezuela yesterday, targeting members of a controversial loyalist assembly installed last week. The measures were aimed at six members of the so-called Constituent Assembly – among them the brother of late president Hugo Chavez – as well as a military officer in charge of security for the body, and a board member of the national electoral authority.

Flea bite costly

LONDON: A British policeman received a £12,000 ($A19,770) compensation payout after being bitten by a flea while at work. The unnamed officer was given £12,127 in damages after he successfully sued West Midlands Police, which also had to fork out £4185 in legal fees.

Quake help at hand

JIUZHAIGOU: China yesterday ramped up its response to an earthquake that killed 19 people and injured hundreds, sending supplies and personnel into the mountainous zone as rescuers fanned out to search for more victims of the midweek 6.5 magnitude quake.

Freedom for pastor

PYONGYANG: North Korea has freed a Canadian pastor serving a life sentence on humanitarian grounds, the official KCNA news agency said. Hyeon Soo Lim, a South Korean-born Canadian citizen in his 60s, was sentenced to hard labour for life in late 2015 after North Korea accused him of attempting to overthrow the regime.