Hello, Australia! – Israel stops an activist aid ship to Gaza – Markets drop because of uncertainty over Greece – A notorious Australian terrorist might still be alive – And more in your CareerSpot World News Briefs:

Israel’s Navy has peacefully intercepted an aid ship attempting to ignore its blockade of Gaza, and escorted it to the Israeli port of Ashdod.  The Marianne is the lead vessel of a four-ship flotilla of aid – in this case, medicine and solar panels – for the civilians of Gaza, which is run by Hamas.  Five years ago, Israel used a heavier hand against an earlier flotilla trying to help the people of Gaza, raiding their ships in international waters and killing nine activists.

The Solar Impulse 2 took off from Nagoya, Japan early this morning en route for Hawaii.  It’s the most treacherous leg of the fragile aircraft’s round-the-world journey that began on 9 March in Abu Dhabi, and the weather pretty much has to be perfect to pull it off.  Although hardly practical, the purpose is to demonstrate that solar technology has come a long way and is capable of powering a long voyage.

The stock markets in Australia, New Zealand, Tokyo, and Shanghai all dropped around two percent or more on Monday, because of uncertainty over Greece.

More than a billion Euros have been withdrawn from the Greek banking system since Friday night.  But that’s not going to continue on Monday, because the government ordered the banks closed for the remainder of the week to prevent a run.  Greece is looking increasingly unlikely to pay the IMF 1.6 Billion Euros on Tuesday; A snap referendum on whether Greece should even continue dealing with its European creditors is slated for Friday.  Defaulting on its debt and exiting the Euro could be the next step. 

A similar scenario is playing out in America.  The US Territory of Puerto Rico cannot pay “roughly US$72 billion in debts” and could default, according to the New York Times.  Governor Alejandro Garcia Padilla is trying to get concessions from the Caribbean island’s creditors.  But by a trick of US law, Puerto Rico can’t declare bankruptcy, leaving it in legal limbo.  That pain could send shockwaves across the states, because much of Puerto Rico’s debt is held by US citizens – unknowingly – in mutual funds or other investment accounts.

The government and ASIO are trying to confirm reports that Australian terrorist Khaled Sharrouf may still be alive.  He was earlier believed dead in an US drone strike near Mosul that killed his associate Mohammed Elomar.  Sharrouf distinguished himself in an army of sociopaths and sadists by having his seven-year old son pose with the severed head of a Syrian soldier.

Tunisian authorities say the Islamic State terrorist who killed 38 people at a beach resort in Sousse had accomplices who helped him procure the Kalashnikov assault rifle and get to the scene.  Gunman Seifeddine Rezgui was killed at the scene.  The UK now says the 30 of the 38 victims were British.