Hello Australia! - Europe will revamp its entire approach to border security - Why are staple products suddenly reappearing on Venezuelan store shelves? - A US town is afraid that solar energy panels will drain the sun, and I really wish I were making that up - And more in your CareerSpot World News Briefs:

The European Commission will unveil plans for a common EU border force and Coast Guard to absorb and replace the largely ineffective Frontex patrols, which have been completely overwhelmed by this year's unrelenting waves of migrants and refugees from the Middle East, Africa, and South Asia.  The new force will have a vastly expanded staff and budget, and the ability to deploy to members states in emergency situations.  There are many details to be worked out, not least of which would be deciding which face of European government would control the new force.  And there will be members states who will not be happy with the idea of turning their border security over to the EU. 

Some Venezuelans are getting the distinct impression that a dirty trick has been pulled on them.  The week after the conservative opposition won a majority of legislative seats in a hotly contested election - partially boosted by voters who were getting sick of staple product shortages - the very things magically began reappearing on store shelves.  Venezuelans took to social media to point out that the products had "sell by" dates that fell within the days that they supposedly were not available.  President Nicolas Maduro repeatedly accused conservatives and their US backers of product hoarding  to cause economic chaos and harm the government's chances in the election.

The UK briefly detained a retired Israeli Defense Force (IDF) officer over war crimes charges related to the 2014 Gaza War, which Israel called "Operation Protective Edge".  This happened a few weeks ago, but only came to light over the weekend in an article in an Israeli newspaper.  Authorities questioned the man for several hours until the Israeli foreign ministry intervened and he was released with an apology.  The unnamed officer is one of many Israeli soldiers and officers who have had complaints lodged against them by pro-Palestinian groups at numerous police stations across Europe for their part in the attack on Gaza, in which more than 2,200 Palestinians and 73 Israeli were killed.

The US military will put Sergeant Bowe Bergdahl on trial on desertion charges.  He's the soldier who was held by the Afghanistan Taliban for five years before being freed in a controversial prisoner swap that was criticized by opponents of US President Barack Obama who approved the swap.  It later came to light that Bergdahl willingly walked off his post before he was captured.  He faces life in prison if convicted.

In dangerously stupid America, at least 374 children under the age of twelve have been killed in homicides committed with guns in the three years since the Sandy Hook School Massacre.  During those three years, efforts to pass federal gun control legislation have gone nowhere because of obstruction from conservative republicans in the US Congress.  The figures do not include teens, children shot accidentally by other children, or shot accidently by pets.  Yes, people actually get shot by pets in gun crazy America. 

In monumentally stupid America, the town of Woodland, North Carolina has rejected a proposed solar energy farm - in part, because of claims that solar farms would suck up all the energy from the sun.  Yep, someone actually said that and this did not come from The Onion.  Even stupider, a retired "science" teacher named Jane Mann told the town council that she worried the solar panels would prevent photosynthesis from happening and subsequently kill the local plant life, and there was no proof that solar cells didn't cause cancer.  SMDH..

Man in Oklahoma has a thoroughly unreasonable reaction to having his credit card declined at a motel restaurant..

Trees blooming in December is no big deal in Australia, but it's not supposed to happen in Japan.  And yet in Kagawa Prefecture's Kuribayashi Park, plum trees have already started to blossom because of the mild winter.  The Japan Meteorological Agency said temperatures averaging 16.4 degrees C - four degrees warmer than they should be - might have "fooled the trees into thinking that spring has come".  It was only a few days ago that people were enjoying the Momiji maple leaves turning red.