Hello, Australia! – Another questionable compo for Speaker Bronwyn? – North Korea is getting ready to make a big show – China slams the lid on human rights – Italy is pressed to get with the times – And more in your CareerSpot World News Briefs:

Speaker Bronwyn Bishop charged taxpayers $3,300 for rides to and from the opera.  Fairfax Media reports that Bishop’s travel entitlement claims come from trips to the opera and other arts events between 2010 and 2013, back when she was an opposition shadow minister.  Fairfax says it’s not clear if she had other official events on those Opera days, but her office defended the expenses.  “It’s quite proper” said a spokesman, “Members of both sides use entitlements for (such) events.”

North Korea has reportedly upgraded a launch tower at its missile base to accommodate a possible launch to mark an important national anniversary in October.  South Korea’s Yonhap news agency quotes an anonymous official in Seoul saying, “Our assessment is that the North will use the newly upgraded Tongchang-ri (missile) launch pad to launch a long-range missile larger than Unha-3.”  That missile was successful in putting an object into orbit in December 2012 – the new launch would supposedly have a greater range than that.

At least six human rights activists have gone missing in China as the Beijing government undertakes a wide-ranging crackdown.  The Hong Kong-based China Human Rights Lawyer Concern Group says at least 238 people have been detained or questioned since the clampdown began.  Authorities aren’t just targeting leaders, as trainee lawyers and legal assistants are among the missing.  Authorities claim the detentions are part of a “legitimate law enforcement action”; while observers say the sheer numbers of detainees and the focus on human rights lawyers is unprecedented.

Chinese police seized the ashes of a prominent Tibetan Buddhist monk who died in prison this month.  Tenzin Delek Rinpoche was only 65-years old when he died, leading to speculation of mistreatment in prison.  Four Tibetan were trying to transport his ashes to Sichuan province for a Buddhist burial when cops confronted the group at gunpoint and forced them to hand over the cremains.

A police officer and an opposition politician were shot to death in violence coming from Burundi’s presidential election.  Opponents say President Pierre Nkurunziza’s bid for a third term is a violation of the constitution, and urged a boycott to strip the vote of its legitimacy.  Turnout appears to be strong in Nkurunziza’s strongholds, weak in the capital Bujumbura.  Western donors urged the poll be delayed.

The trial of Chad’s former dictator Hissene Habre is being delayed until September because Habre refuses to speak and his defense attorneys didn’t show up at the court in Dakar, Senegal.  While Habre enjoyed the international backing of the US and France as a hedge against Libya during the 1980s, he ran the country with an iron fist and is accused of detaining, torturing, and killing opponents.

The European Court of Human Rights says Italy is violating the rights of same sex couples by withholding adequate legal protection and recognition.  It increases pressure on Prime Minister Matteo Renzi to push legislation to recognize civil partnerships.  Italy is the only European nation that doesn’t recognize civil partnerships or gay marriage.

A new poll says 60 percent of Japanese voters do not support changing the pacifist, post-war constitution.  And that has increased from the 55 percent in a similar poll taken 20 years ago.  Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s favorability ratings plummeted after his ruling coalition rammed through legislation to lift the ban on “collective self defense” (otherwise known as tagging along on US military adventures).  The same poll says 67 percent want Abe to issue an apology for Japan’s wartime atrocities at next month’s 70th anniversary of the end of World War II.

Toshiba is selling its A$1.28 Billion stake in Finland’s Kone electronics, an apparent bid to shore up its finances after the accounting scandal that claimed the Japanese giant’s CEO.  Bean counters overstated the company’s earnings by more than A$1.6 Billion over several years, dealing a severe blow to the company’s stead reputation.  CEO Hisao Tanaka and his two top deputies took a deep bow to show contrition and resigned to take responsibility for the scandal.

Venezuela arrested two former military officials on drug trafficking charges.  US officials claim former National Guard Captain Vassyly Villarroel Ramirez is a drug kingpin with ties to Mexican and Colombian cartel.  The task force also arrested former National Guard Lieutenant Robert Alexander Pinto Gil, accusing him of leading local drug trafficking gangs.