Gunmen attack a “freedom of speech” conference featuring a cartoonist who lampooned the Islamic prophet, one person is dead – Intense fighting precedes the planned beginning of the Ukraine truce – A rare stand in Bangkok against Thailand's military junta – And a lot more in your CareerSpot World News Briefs:

A 40-year old man was shot and killed when gunmen fired into a cafe hosting a free speech debate in Copenhagen, Denmark.  Police are hunting the suspects, who fired at least 40 shots with an automatic weapon (captured on audio) and reportedly yelled something in Arabic.  One of the panelists was Lars Vilks, a cartoonist who gained infamy in the radical Islamic world with his depictions of the prophet Mohammed as a dog.  The scheduled discussion was to ask if anyone would “dare” to be blasphemous following the Charlie Hebdo massacre in France last month.

At least seven Ukrainian soldiers have died in the 24 hours in the eastern Donbass region, leading to doubts whether this cease-fire has any chance of success.  Russian-backed rebels are subjecting the town of Debaltseve to intense shelling and rocket attacks, as well as other areas of Donetsk.  US Ambassador to Ukraine Geoffrey Pyatt tweeted satellite photos he says show actually Russian units involved in the fighting.

Dozens of brave anti-coup protesters in Bangkok, Thailand passed out roses and copies of George Orwell’s “1984”.  It’s a rare show of defiance in a country still under martial law.  Despite cops putting up barriers to try and block them, several got through and erected mock polling places and ballot boxes to symbolize the democracy denied by the reactionary military and oligarchic forces that pushed democratically-elected Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra out of office.  Several were arrested.

Thousands watched anti-corruption activist Arvind Kejriwal being sworn in as chief minister of Delhi, India.  His Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) or “Common Man’s Party” took 67 of 70 assembly seats in the recent election, soundly defeating the BJP of President Narendra Modi and the Congress Party of the Gandhi dynasty.  Said Mr, Kejriwal. “We want to end the VIP culture in this country.”

The US-led coalition in Iraq carried out nine airstrikes on Islamic State (IS) targets in Iraq and four in Syria, according to a statement from the Combined Joint Task Force.  The attacks took out IS-occupied buildings, a suicide bomb factory, and a rocket system.

Nigerian troops reportedly repelled a Boko Haram attack on Gombe in the strife-torn northeast.  Militants overran a checkpoint on the edge of the city, and Nigeria responded with a fighter jet strike.  Soldiers then pushed Boko Haram back into the hills. 

Pope Francis elevated 20 new Cardinals, advising them not to use the title as a fashion accessory (ahem, Cardinal Burke, ahem) or to be “puffed up with pride” (ahem, ahem).  The new Catholic leaders are from places like Tonga, Myanmar, and New Zealand. 

The son of Chilean President Michelle Bachelet has resigned from a government charity amid allegations of influence peddling.  The national banking regulator already cleared Sebastian Davalos of opposition accusations of pressuring a bank to get a loan for his wife.  Davalos apologized for embarrassment to his mother and the Chilean government.

A train collided with a bus in northern Mexico, killing at least 16 people and injuring more than 30 others.  It happened in the town of Anahuac in Tamaulipas state.  Investigators are determining whether the bus driver tried to beat the train to the crossing.

Canadian officials say the two suspects who allegedly planned to commit mass murder in Halifax, Nova Scotia were “murderous misfits” with no political or religious motivations.  23-year old American Lindsay Kantha Souvannarath from Geneva, Illinois and 20-year old Randall Steven Shepherd from Halifax have been charged.  They apparently chatted their way to jail on the Internet.

The flow of immigrants from Africa to Europe continues unabated.  The Italian coastguard rescued some 700 people from sub-Saharan Africa from rickety, crap vessel off the coast of Libya, and brought them to Lampedusa.