Hello, Australia! – George Brandis is censured – A nurse who caught Ebola is suing the hospital she says failed to protect her – Why is Star Trek’s Captain Kirk forced to defend himself from critics? – And a lot more in your CareerSpot World News Briefs:

The Senate has censured George Brandis, passing a motion declaring him “unfit to hold the office Attorney-General”.  This is in reaction to the government’s attacks on the president of the Australian Human Rights Commission, Professor Gillian Triggs, and the commission’s damning report on Australia’s shabby treatment of children in immigrant detention.  “This attorney has directly attacked the independence of a senior statutory office holder within his own portfolio,” Labor’s Penny Wong told the Senate, “Never before has an attorney-general failed to defend an institution but actively joined in the attack.”

North Korea threw a hissy fit this morning, firing two short-range ballistic missiles into the sea and warning of “merciless strikes” against its enemies, blah blah blah.  Pyongyang usually “test fires” missiles into the sea around the time the US and South Korea stage military exercises, which in this year’s case will run through the end of April.

Some scary moments in the heart of Tokyo as fire ravaged the 20th storey of an upscale high-rise apartment building.  This happened close to Suidobashi Station, just south of the Tokyo Dome (or, due west of Ochanomizu guitar town if you’re that familiar with the megalopolis).  Amazingly, only three people were hurt.  Witnesses heard an explosion before the fire, and people on the floors above described dashing through the thick smoke to the fire stairwell with only the clothes on their backs.

The nurse who contracted Ebola at the Dallas, Texas hospital where she worked is suing the facility.  Nina Pham says she hopes to be a “voice for other nurses”.  Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital came under intense scruntiny last year for its botched handling of the case of Liberian native Thomas Eric Duncan, who was turned away from the emergency room once despite having symptoms of Ebola.  He was admitted on a second try but not properly isolated, and the medical staff was not provided with proper protective gear.  Pham and another nurse got sick but recovered – Duncan died.

Uruguay’s new President Tabare Vazquez was sworn into office in an open-air ceremony in Montevideo.  He promises not to deviate too far from the course set by the ultimate populist, Jose “Pepe” Mujica.  The beloved Leftist Mujica leaves office with high approval ratings, a healthy economy, a stable democracy, and legal weed for all.

The UN World Health Organization (WHO) is warning that more than a billion young people around the world are at risk of hearing damage because of loud music – be it at live venues or played back through personal devices.  WHO’s study says loud music should be limited to no more than 15 minutes a day.  BTW, it’s not just the WHO saying this, The Who concurs.  Legendary guitarist Pete Townshend helped start the organization H.E.A.R., which is dedicated to preventing hearing loss, mainly from loud rock music.  Townshend, Neil Young, Noel Gallagher, and even your CareerSpot World News guy all live with severe tinnitus from playing loud music.

Star Trek’s William Shatner is defending himself on social media after finishing a fundraiser in Florida rather than attending his friend Leonard Nimoy’s funeral on the other side of the United States in California.  Nimoy, who played Spock, passed away last week of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease at age 83.  Shatner is just about the same age.  No one seems to note that the fact that he’s flying around the country at that age raising money for charity is pretty cool.  The earliest flight didn’t get him back to Los Angeles until 11:30 AM, and the funeral was at 9:00 AM.  So if you read of anyone bashing Captain Kirk, they’re probably not well informed.

Everyone loves doggies!