Global News

An Israeli air strike on yet another United Nations School being used as a refugee shelter in Gaza has killed ten people and injured at least 30.  The attack brought an unusually strong rebuke from Israel’s main ally, the United States, as well as from the United Nations.

China says the death toll from a strong earthquake in the southwest of the country in Yunnan province has risen to 367.  The magnitude 6.1 temblor toppled thousands of homes and left more than 1,800 people injured in the densely populated mountainous area around Zhaotung.

After running into stiff resistance on the drive towards Baghdad from the Iraqi army and Shiite militias organized by Iran, Sunni fighters with the group Islamic State have turned north to take on an easier target.  They’ve captured three more towns from Kurdish fighters and sent civilians fleeing.

Israel now says a missing soldier is dead, after accusing Hamas of kidnapping the young man – An infected Ebola doctor arrives on US soil – Dozens are killed in a factory blast, five are arrested – And a lot more in your CareerSpot World News Briefs:

Ebola is moving faster than it can be contained – Australians say they’ve located more remains at the MH17 crash site – Israel and Hamas point fingers over who broke the ceasefire first – Uganda’s shame is overturned – And a lot more in your CareerSpot World News Briefs:

China’s recent practice of making claims on things that other countries already had their flags on is creating new military agreements, if not full alliances.  Japan is providing Vietnam with six naval vessels to deal with the threat posed by Beijing.

Don’t go to West Africa – Farmers who admitted shooting migrant workers are acquitted – Argentina blames the US – Giraffe and low bridges, not a good mix – And a lot more in your CareerSpot World News Briefs:

Australian and Dutch have finally been able to access the wheat field in eastern Ukraine where Malaysian Airlines Flight MH17 came crashing to the ground killing all 298 people on board, after being targeted by an anti-aircraft missile launched by Russian-backed rebels. 

The United Nations World Health Organization (WHO) will launch a US$100 Million response plan to combat the “unprecedented” Ebola outbreak in West Africa.  This comes as the Ebola death toll is updated to 729 out of 1,323 patients killed since the outbreak began in February.

An explosion and series of fires from beneath the streets of the southern Taiwan city of Kaohsiung have killed 22 people and injured around 270 people.  26 firefighters were among the casualties, including four fatalities.  Residents say they noticed smoke with a “gas-like smell” coming out of drains in the streets, forming a white mist on the surface, which then ignited.

The United Nations and United States have announced that Israel and Hamas have agreed to a 72-hour ceasefire to begin on Friday.  Representatives from both sides were reportedly on their way to Cairo to spend that time on negotiations on extending the truce.

For the second time in 13 years, Argentina has defaulted on its international debt, as a group of so-called “vulture fund” investors demanded a full pay-out of US$1.3 Billion on bonds they hold.  Standard & Poor's has already lowered Argentina’s credit rating to “selective default”.

Prime Minister Tony Abbott is calling for a ceasefire in Gaza “immediately, by both sides”.  This comes after the US and United Nations condemned Israel’s shelling of a UN-run school in northern Gaza that housed Palestinians seeking refuge, killing at least 15 people and wounding more than 100.

Concerns that Russia is sabotaging the MH17 investigation – Nigeria fights a wave of female suicide bombers – Cops cook the books by conveniently forgetting crimes – And a lot more in your CareerSpot World News Briefs:

The United States Peace Corp and some NGOs are pulling volunteers and their families out of three West African countries where the Ebola outbreak has killed hundreds of people.  It comes with the growing realization that the outbreak is not something that can be handled by volunteers and will require the mobilization of the international community.

Russia retaliated against the US and European Union’s latest economic sanctions by announcing a ban on most fruit and vegetable imports from Poland.  Moscow said it could extend it to cover produce imports from the entire European Union.

Washington is barring a small group of Venezuelan officials from entering the United States, accusing them of abuses in the South American nation's response on protests against President Nicolas Maduro this spring.  The group includes government ministers and advisers to President Nicolas Maduro.

Another school is hit by a fierce bombardment in Gaza – Ebola claims a leading doctor – President Obama is urged to help Africa change – And a lot more in your CareerSpot World News Briefs:

Prime Minister Tony Abbott says he will not follow US President Barack Obama and the European Union in leveling heavier economic and political sanctions on Russia for the Kremlin’s support of the rebels in eastern Ukraine – rebels who are widely assumed to have shot down Malaysian Airlines Flight MH17 with 298 people on board including 38 Australians.

In a sign of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s consolidation of power, the Communist Party announced it is investigating feared ex-security chief Zhou Yongkang.  It’s the highest-level investigation since Beijing went after the widow of Mao Zedong and three others for treason in the “Gang of Four” trial in the 1980s.