Hello Australia!! - Trump's odd attempt at a defense manages to deepen his Ukraine problem - Boris Johnson praises a dictator - Historic changes appear on track in NSW - And more in your CareerSpot Global News Briefs:

The White House a rough transcript of a conversation he had with Ukraine's new president, which he had hoped would have showed he did nothing improper or deserving of impeachment.  Instead, the memo clearly showed that Trump repeatedly prodded Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy to dig up non-existent damaging information on Trump's rival in the 2020 election, former Vice President Joe Biden, and provide it to Trump's personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani and Attorney General William Barr.  Trump's defenders claim there is no quid pro quo in that Trump doesn't specifically threaten to halt military aid to Ukraine if he doesn't get his wishes; others say Trump was about as subtle as a mobster walking into a restaurant with the cliched line, "Nice place you got here, it'd be a shame of something happened to it." 

The Washington Post reported that US Acting Director of National Intelligence Dan Maguire threatened to quit if the White House and Justice Department blocked him from testifying to Congress about the whistle-blower who overheard Trump's conversation with the leader of Ukraine, and was so disturbed that he filed a filed a complaint against Trump.  Both the White House and Mr. Maguire denied that any threat to resign had occurred - but he will testify to Congress on Thursday.  The full nature of the complaint has not yet been disclosed, but Democratic lawmakers who've been briefed are hinting that it's worse than the rough transcript provided by Trump earlier in the day.

A somber, sulking Donald Trump held his first news conference since the US House of Representatives announced it would push for a formal impeachment inquiry against him.  In it, he peddled in baseless personal attacks on his political rivals, spun conspiracy theories on a variety of subjects without a shred of evidence to back any of it up, and proved once again that he still doesn't understand what happens when he slaps tariffs on imported good (the source country doesn't pay the tariffs, US consumers do).  Reporters tried to get him to answer questions about his Ukraine scandal, and he didn't.

ANYWAY..

Boris Johnson returned to the UK Parliament a day after the Supreme Court found his attempt to suspect the body was unlawful.  Instead of being humble and chastened by a ruling that implied he lied to the Queen, the UK Prime Minister went on the attack and tried to goad the opposition into calling an election.  Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn wouldn't bite, and said that will not happen until Johnson complies with Parliament's bill requiring him to seek an extension to the Brexit, from 31 October to 31 January.  

Before bailing out of the UN General Assembly Leaders Week to go back to London, Boris Johnson raised eyebrows by lavishing praise on Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, hours before a Human Rights summit meeting condemning him for the clampdown on the media and repression of civil society.  The Egyptian Centre for Economic and Social Rights said more than a thousand people had been arrested including prominent academics.  Downing Street's transcript of the two leaders' meeting makes no mention of al-Sisi's crushing of protests, nor his orders to block the BBC from Egypt's internet.

Even though Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu didn't get the most votes in last week's election, President Reuven Rivlin gave him the first chance to cobble together 61 seats in the Knsesset to form a new government.  But it's not a guarantee that Netanyahu will remain in office, because reason for last week's election was that Netanyahu couldn't reach the magic number after the May election.  If he can't, Rivlin is expected to ask the winner of the election - Blue and White party leader Bennie Gantz - to take a crack at 61.  Israelis watching this debacle are wondering if there will be a third election this year.

Iran's President Hassan Rouhani says he will not enter into nuclear discussions with the United States until economic sanctions on his country are relieved, making clear he was not interested in a "memento photo" with Donald Trump.  

The bill to decriminalize abortion in New South Wales is heading back to the state's lower house, after it passed the NSW upper house 26 votes to 14 on Wednesday night.  Under the expansion of Women's Reproductive Rights, abortions will be available up to 22 weeks; after that, the approval of two doctors would be required.  The upper house also passed an amendment that recognized doctors performing abortions after 22 weeks can seek advice from a multi-disciplinary team, or hospital advisory committee.

The ACT last night became the first jurisdiction in Australia to legalize Cannabis.  Individuals over 18 years of age will be allowed to possess two plants and 50 grams of weed.