Hello, Australia! – The first of Beijing’s South China Seas outposts might be ready for.. colonization? – A man is attacked by a shark off NSW – An autoworker is killed by a robot – And more in your CareerSpot World News Briefs:

The latest satellite photos show that China is almost finished building a 3,000-meter long airstrip on an artificial island in the South China Sea.  That’s long enough to accommodate most Chinese military aircraft.  The installation on Fiery Cross Reef also includes two helipads, ten satellite antennas, and a probably radar tower.  China is building seven islands in all.  Beijing recently claimed exclusive rights to the South China Sea, even though it lies far beyond its internationally recognized sea boundaries. 

A shark mauled a bodyboarder at Lighthouse Beach near Ballina, NSW.  The 32-year old man was flown to Gold Coast Hospital and is said to be in a critical condition with significant leg injuries.  All beaches within Ballina Shire are closed for the next 24 hours. 

There’s been a seventh shark attack off America’s East Coast, this time at Ocracoke Island on North Carolina’s outer banks.  A 68-year old man was airlifted to hospital with injuries on his left side in his lower leg and hip and on both his hands.  There have been seven shark attacks off the Carolinas since the beginning of June.  Experts are urging officials to close the beaches until the threat subsides.  But this is the Fourth of July weekend coming up, and hoards of tourists and their wallets will flock to ocean shore for the holiday weekend (see: Mayor from Jaws).

A robot at a Volkswagen plant in Germany suddenly lurched and grabbed a worker, slamming him into a metal slab and crushing his chest.  The 22-year old worker died in hospital. He was part of a team installing the robot when he was hurt.  Officials at the plant blame human error, and not a malfunction with the robot.  One of the oddest aspects of the story is that one of the reporters who broke the news is named Sarah O’Connor, similar to the lead character in the Arnold Schwarzenegger movie “The Terminator”.  That led to endless trolls on her twitter account making jokes about Skynet, which she didn’t understand because she never saw the movie.

French police arrested the managers of a bungee jump attraction after a 28-year old woman died crashing to the earth.  The woman and her boyfriend were raised by a crane to more than 60 meters in the air, and they jumped – but there was a problem with their harness attached to the bungee rope.  The boyfriend is hospitalized in an unknown condition.  The bungee business is shut down while authorities determine if equipment or human error is to blame.

Thousands of dental patients in New South Wales might have been exposed to HIV and hepatitis because of poor cleaning and sterilization of equipment at four dental clinics.  NSW health officials are reportedly in the process of contacting patients who had invasive procedures at two practices at The Gentle Dentist at Campsie and Sussex Street in the CBD, which were run by Dr. Samson Chan.  Dr. Robert Starkenburg ran two more practices at Surry Hills and Bondi Junction.  Both men have been suspended during the investigation.

Police in Chad reportedly arrested one of the leaders of the Nigerian extremist group Boko Haram.  Chad has been a major military ally with Nigeria in the fight against Boko Haram, which has retaliated with cross border attacks and threats against the government.  Last weekend, police apprehended Bahna Fanaye – alias Mahamat Moustapha – and confiscated various weapons, communication materials, documents and more than 50 SIM cards from his home.  A major Boko Haram financier was also arrested.