Are the Victoria elections a shot across Tony Abbott’s bough? – Egypt’s Hosni Mubarak skates on 239 murder charges – Immigration vs the Environment – And more in your CareerSpot World News Briefs:

Labor has won a historic victory in Victoria, defeating a government after a single term for the first time in almost 60 years.  Daniel Andrews is the premiere-elect, he said the voters have rejected “tired negative politics” in favor of a positive plan and stable government.  The Greens have won their first ever Lower House seat in Victoria – Ellen Sandell claimed victory in the seat of Melbourne.  The results of VIC’s elections are a sign of the growing distrust Australians have for Tony Abbott and the Liberal coalition government in Canberra. 

A court in Egypt dropped charges against deposed former president Hosni Mubarak and seven other ex-officials in the killings of 239 protesters during the 2011 uprising.  Prosecutors can appeal the decision.  Police fired tear gas into a crowd of more than 2,000 who gathered at Tahrir Square to denounce the decision, but protests continued into  the night.  So just in case you’re keeping score:  Mubarak allegedly has 239 people killed, no trial;  Peter Greste reports a story, gets seven years in prison.  Doesn’t sound like we’re dealing with a reasonable situation, does it?

Speaking of flaming miscarriages of justice, the white cop who shot and killed the unarmed black teenager Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri – setting off months of strife, rioting, and protests – has resigned from the police force.  However, former officer Darren Wilson won’t want for much.  He raised around half-a-million dollars (US) for his defense via the Internet.  Assuming his lawyer won’t charge more than that for two months of work, he’ll walk away with a chunk of money and no charges for one of the most disgustingly cowardly and racist episodes in recent American history.  The Brown family still lost a son, there’s no conservative fundraiser for the owners of businesses burned out by out-of-town anarchist protesters, three other cops were fired for their excesses in earlier riots, and America’s reputation is damaged as the countries it criticized for human rights abuses now point out the US has no room to talk.  But Wilson slinks away.

The UN World Health Organization has upped the death toll in the West African Ebola Epidemic to 6,928.  That’s more than 1,000 deaths added since last Wednesday, including some that weren’t reported months ago.  Infection rates are decreasing in Liberia, but are high in Sierra Leone.

Police in western China say 15 people are dead in violence in Xinjiang Province, where Muslim Uighur separatists have staged several attacks.  A group attacked a busy shopping street, killing four people and injuring several more.  Police arrived and shot and killed eleven attackers.   Authorities say cops recovered explosives, broadswords and hatchets at the scene.

Colombia’s FARC rebels now say that the release of a general and two others they abducted will take place on Sunday.  The handover has been delayed several days, with the FARC blaming the government for the heavy military presence in the area where the hostages are being held.  A Red Cross team will receive the hostages and then transfer the three to government custody.

Taiwan’s ruling Kuomintang (KMT) party took a beating in local elections, signaling that voters might be uneasy with the KMT’s moves towards closer relations with Beijing.  People were also upset over several food safety scandals, low wages, and the widening wealth gap.  Prime Minister Jiang Yi-huah resigned, and the results signal that the KMT will have a tough time in the 2016 Presidential and Legislative elections.

Swiss voters will cast ballots today on a referendum to limit immigration.  The so-called “Eco-Pop” referendum would reduce immigration to Switzerland based on claims that a rising population overwhelms and destroys the environment.  The suggestion is causing anger amongst real green groups, who say the referendum is just the same-old, same-old xenophobia hiding behind the environment – and it seems to blame environmental troubles on everyone but the Swiss themselves.