Hello, Australia! – Greece and its European creditors dig in their heels – Haiti cancels Carnival after the disaster that killed at least 16 – Chileans back the Prsident’s moves on easing restrictions on women’s reproductive rights – You won't believe the cops' reaction after a 92-year old driver causes havoc at the food store – And a lot more in your CareerSpot World News Briefs:

A war of words between Greece and Germany heated up on Tuesday, with Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras accused Europe of “psychological blackmail” to extend the bailout.  Tsipras is instead vowing to speed up the reversal of “austerity” labor reforms that have gutted the Greek economy.  Greece’s paymaster Germany is having none of it, and insisting that the offer rejected by Greece earlier this week is a take-it-or-leave-it deal.  “On 28 February, at midnight,” warned hardline German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble, “it’s over.”

Russian President Vladimir Putin is urging Ukrainian troops in the besieged town of Debaltseve to give up and surrender to the separatists.  He also urged the rebels to allow any captured Ukrainian troops to go home to their families.  The UN Security Council unanimously adopted a Russian resolution calling on both sides to respect the truce signed in Minsk last week.

Haiti cancelled the last night of Carnival before Ash Wednesday and declared three days of morning for at least 16 people killed in an electrical mishap on Monday night.  The parade float featuring the rap kreyol group Barikad Crew pass a power line, which generated a massive arc.  Some of those on the float were electrocuted and others died in the stampede of frightened onlookers.  Amazingly, it turns out that Barikad Crew frontman Fantom survived, despite taking a flaming bolt to the head.  His condition has been described varyingly as “serious” and “critical”.

Myanmar declared a 90-day state of emergency in the northeastern Kokang region, and gave the military wide latitude to put down clashes that have left dozens of soldiers dead and sent refugees scurrying over the border into China since 9 February.  Even a Red Cross convoy was hit in the attacks.  The Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA) says it is fighting the government for more autonomy for the Kokang region and its ethnic Han Chinese inhabitants.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is finally addressing a string of anti-Christian attacks in Delhi, vowing to protect all religious groups.  Police are providing extra security to more than 200 churches in the Indian capital.  Christians say Hindu nationalist groups have been emboldened since the election of Modi last year and are responsible for the five church attacks since early December.  The violence is an uncomfortable reminder of 2002, when Modi was governor of Gujarat.  Critics accused him of not doing enough to stop an anti-Muslim rampage that saw more than 1,000 deaths.

Chilean public opinion is with President Michelle Bachelet and her plan to decriminalize Abortion rights.  Conservatives and the Roman Catholic Church are fighting Bachelet’s plan to allow Abortions in specific circumstances like rape, risk to the mother’s life or deadly birth defects.  But a new poll finds 79 percent of Chileans approved the women's right to abort – 60 percent under specific circumstances, and 19 percent absolutely.  Moreover, 62 percent of the people surveyed disagree with the official policy of the Catholic University to refuse to carry out abortions in its health centers, even if they are legal.

The two suspects in an alleged mass murder plot were arraigned in a Halifax, Canada courtroom.  20-year old canuck Randy Shepherd and 23-year old American Lindsay Souvannarath are charged with several counts of conspiracy related to their alleged plan to gun down people at random at a Halifax mall on Valentine’s Day.  Neither asked for bail.  Both their social media accounts with littered with white supremacist garbage and references to past massacres such as the 1999 Columbine High School massacre in Colorado.  It’s all the more stupid when you consider that Lindsay Souvannarath is of Laotian descent and not an Aryan.  Have a nice time in jail, you little jerks.

And the worst driver on earth is 92-year old Russell Kerr of rural Mayville, Wisconsin in the north central USA.  Russell was pulling his big giant Chrysler out of a parking space at the supermarket, and managed to ram and damage nine other vehicles – two of which had people inside.  Somehow, no one was hurt.  And somehow the police didn’t charge the old guy with reckless driving for his own protection.  Cops say it was an accident, since Russell told them he got his foot caught on the gas pedal.