Hello Australia!! - The Brexit passes a key hurdle - The US has a new Secretary of State - Canada forces Murdoch's Fox news to correct a vile tweet - And more in your CareerSpot Global News Briefs:

The UK House of Commons approved the government's European Union Bill, which would allow Parliament to consider triggering Article 50 of the European Union charter and negotiating the UK's way out.  PM Theresa May wants to get the Brexit ball rolling by 31 March.  The vote was 498-114, suggesting that many in Parliament have resigned themselves to a Brexit although they may not approve of it themselves.  The legislation may now by considered by Commons and Lords - Labour's Jeremy Corbyn is expected to push to amend it to give lawmakers may of a say over what goes on in the negotiations with the EU.

The US Senate confirmed former Exxon Mobil boss Rex Tillerson as Secretary of State.  Senators voted 56-43 largely along party lines with three Democrats and one independent breaking lines to join Republicans and approve Tillerson's nomination to be the nation's chief diplomat.  The move effectively merges big oil's interests with US foreign policy that critics fear will lead the country "on a march of folly".

Former CIA Director and retired US General David Petreaus testified before a US House panel on titled "The State of the World: National Security Threats and Challenges" - and he pretty much contradicted most of the orange clown's foreign policy.  Petreaus: told lawmakers that torturing enemy combatants is "wrong and if you don't buy that it's also generally not the best way to go about getting information from a detainee"; urged the administration to quickly wrap its review of immigration procedures because Trump's travel ban on Muslims is proving to be a propaganda coup for the so-called Islamic State; and explained that the current world order isn't going to sustain itself from Russian mischief and Chinese assertiveness, and needs American leadership to keep open lines of communications and trade. 

Under pressure from Canadian PM Justin Trudeau, Murdoch's Fox news has deleted a tweet that incorrectly identified the suspect in the Quebec City mosque massacre as a Morrocan Muslim.  In fact, a French-Canadian conservative internet troll and Trump-lover named Alexandre Bissonnette is charged with six counts of murder and five counts of manslaughter for the cowardly act of shooting people in the back as they knelt on the floor in prayer.  "These tweets by Fox News dishonour the memory of the six victims and their families by spreading misinformation, playing identity politics, and perpetuating fear and division within our communities," said Kate Purchase, director of communications for PM Trudeau.  "We regret the error," tweeted a Fox flak.

Russia charged three people with treason:  One is an executive with the cyber-security firm Kapersky Labs, two are former Kapersky employees who became federal agents.  The Kremlin is denying reports linking the three to hacking during the US presidential election. Which the Kremlin also denies.  In fact, whatever it is, the Kremlin denies it.

The ballots in next month's Dutch election will be counted by hand, to minimize the threat of hacking.  Intelligence agencies have warned the French, German, and Dutch elections could be vulnerable to manipulation by outside actors, including Russia (which the Kremlin denies), because software used at the local and federal levels is vulnerable to intrusion.