Paul McCartney goes to hospital – Workers fight McPoverty – One of the last untouched places on earth is about to be really, really touched – And a lot more in your CareerSpot World News Briefs:

Sir Paul McCartney is reportedly hospitalized in Tokyo, battling a nasty virus that forced the ex-Beatle to cancel not only the rest of his Japanese tour dates, but to also scratch South Korea off his itinerary.  The 71-year old is expected to make a full recovery.  His “Out There” world tour is scheduled to resume next month in the United States.

Yasiin Bey, more commonly known as the actor and rapper Mos Def has cancelled his US tour, citing “immigration/legal” issues.  There are conflicting reports on whether a reentry visa is being refused.  He was born in New York City but currently resides in South Africa.  Bey has been a frequent critic of US foreign policy, and made a video of him being force-fed to prove that the controversial practice at Guantanamo Bay prison is torture.  He also was ordered to pay a former girlfriend US$10,000 a month to support the couple's two daughters.

Ecuador has issued a permit for oil drilling in the pristine Yasuni Reserve in the Amazon rainforest. President Rafael Correa initially tried to protect it by asking the world’s biggest economies to pay to the poor South American country not to drill.  Promises were made, but the big countries never paid up, and Correa has a nation to feed.  With the signing of the permit, camps and access roads can now be built and oil production could begin as early as 2016.

Russia and China used their veto power on the UN Security Council to stop a resolution that would have referred the Syria Civil War to the International Criminal Court (ICC).  More than 60 countries supported the draft calling for an investigation into alleged war crimes being committed by both sides – that includes atrocities by “non-state armed groups” as well as alleged chemical weapons use by the government of President bashar al-Assad. 

A bystander was shot and killed as Turkish police and protesters faced off in Istanbul.  34-year old Ugur Kurt was not affiliated with the protesters angry at last week's mining disaster that killed 300.  But he was expressing condolences to people within the protest who were mourning Berkin Elvan, the 15-year-old boy shot in the head during anti-government protests last summer.  Turkish police claim they don’t yet know where the shot came from and the killing will be investigated.

Nearly 30 towns in Texas are within six to twelve weeks of running out of water.  The state that takes pride on saying that “everything’s bigger” there is having one of the biggest droughts in 500 years.  Some towns might get rain this weekend, but it’s not clear if the precipitation will be enough to fill empty reservoirs and drained underground aquifers.  One town is planning to recycle used toilet water into its potable water supply.

As promised, protesters returned to McDonald’s worldwide corporate headquarters as shareholders met inside for their annual briefing.  American workers, who earn a lousy US$7.25 an hour are demanding US$15 an hour, a wage more in line with what workers are making in developed countries around the world.  Meanwhile, shareholders approved McDonald’s CEO Donald Thompson’s salary of $9.5 Million a year – that works out to more than $4500 per hour for a guy who doesn’t serve up burgers.  138 workers were arrested in the first day of the protests on Wednesday.  Despite studies showing the even Texans understand that global warming is taking place, they keep electing conservative politicians who deny climate change science (sound familiar?).