Good Morning Australia!! - Nations are wondering if their elections are safe from Russian meddling - Hate Crimes spread before the Trump presidency - Pressure is building on Malaysia's Najib to step down - And more in your CareerSpot Global News Briefs:

Faced with the election debacle in the United States, Germany is concerned over the threat of Russian interference with its national election next year.  Officials say the placement of fake news stories into the mainstream to inflame political passions as already happened, city the case of a Russian woman who falsely claimed to have been abducted and sexually assaulted by refugees last year.  It didn't happen, but that didn't stop everyone's crazy Uncle Jurgens from spreading it around.  "This could happen again next year and we are alarmed," said Hans-Georg Maassen, head of Germany's domestic BfV intelligence agency.  Russia has denied the allegations.

Russia is pulling out of the International Criminal Court (ICC) at the Hague.  The move is in retaliation for an ICC ruling that Russia's activity in Crimea amounted to an "ongoing occupation".  Australia is a member, as is New Zealand.  The US signed the Rome Statute creating the ICC in 2000, but never passed the treaty and withdrew during the Bush administration - and things are probably going to get worse during a Trump presidency.

The United States has now logged more than 400 hate crimes and hate incidents since the orange clown became president-elect.  That's worse than the days after the 9/11 attacks.  Of course, Hillary's popular vote majority continues to grow...

Meanwhile, the Trump transition team appears to be in complete disarray after a purge of Republicans deemed to be not sufficiently loyal to their Cheeto Fuhrer.  Trump denies it, but who gives a flying futz.

The right-winger charged with murdering UK parliamentarian Jo Cox over her opposition to the Brexit said "It's me," and, "I'm a political activist," as he was arrested.  At the trial in the Old Bailey in London, prosecutors say 53-year-old Thomas Mair had read up on nazis, white supremacy, and assassinations prior to the 16 June attack in which Ms. Cox was repeatedly shot and stabbed in broad daylight before a constituents meeting.  Witnesses heard him screaming "Britain First!"  The well-liked 41-year old Jo Cox was regarded as a rising star in the UK Labour party, and a mother of young children. 

At least 21 people have been killed in Aleppo after bombs fell on a children's hospital, blood bank, and ambulances in the rebel-held part of the Syrian city.  The bombs started falling again after Russia's temporary ceasefire ran out.

Former Malaysian PM Mahathir Mohamad is urging citizens to protest and demand the resignation of current PM Najib Razak, who is nose-deep in a multi-billion dollar financial scandal.  Saying that Malaysia is "facing a state of panic", Mr. Mahathir donned the yellow shirt of the election reform group Bersih and stated, "I hope all Malaysians will join this demonstration by Bersih which is aimed at finding a way to fix this country."  Dr. Mahathir was Malaysia's longest-serving PM.

Bob Dylan says he will not go to Sweden to receive this year's Nobel Prize for Literature, citing "pre-existing commitments".