Global News

Venezuelan opposition leader Henrique Capriles has at the last moment backed out of a meeting with the country’s president, despite weeks of unrest in which nine people were killed.  And it’s not clear that the most prominent opposition leader will attend Wednesday’s national peace conference.

Saying that Scott Morrison has “blood on his hands”, the Federal Opposition is putting pressure on the Immigration Minister over his handling of the Manus Island riot and the conflicting statements he made about the death of an asylum seeker.  At least one senator wants Morrison to resign.

Israeli Special Forces stormed a prison and killed a convicted murderer who got hold of a jailer’s weapon, and shot three guards before barricading himself inside the prison compound.  How the prisoner came to be jailed in Israel is an unusual tale of quirks in Israel’s international relations.

Japanese whalers late Sunday acting under the cover of darkness attacked and attempted to disable the anti-whaling ship MY Bob Barker in the Southern Ocean – That’s the allegation from the anti-whaling activist group Sea Shepherd.

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro later today is to meet with opposition leader Henrique Capriles to help ease nearly two weeks or protests that have left nine people dead.  The two will be at a gathering of governors and mayors which could serve as a forum to present the opposition’s grievances.

Ukraine’s parliament appointed a new president who instantly set the country on course to closer integration with the European Union, while at the same time says he is “ready for dialogue” with Moscow, which back the president who was toppled over the weekend.

Thailand’s Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra is condemning an explosives attack that killed two people and injured more than 20 more near an anti-government rally in Bangkok.  It came a few hours after another deadly attack on an anti-government rally that killed a five-year-old girl.

Violence at anti-government marches in Caracas – Italy gets a new government – The Sound of Music falls silent – And Ukraine-a-palooza in your CareerSpot World News Briefs.

Details on the deal to end Ukraine’s political crisis and the reaction – Venezuela is expelling CNN journalists – Nepal is dealing with sharp elbows at the top of the world – Has-been is forced to eat crow – And a lot more in your CareerSpot World News Briefs.

Obama says, “Hello, Dalai!” and China probably won’t like it – Fukushima springs another radioactive leak – Germany finds three more alleged war criminals from World War II – And a lot more in your CareerSpot World News Briefs

An Egyptian court denied bail to Australian journalist Peter Greste and two other employees of the Al Jazeera News network, leaving the men in jail until the start of their trial on 5 March.  Cameras were not allowed inside to cover the proceeding, and no translator was provided for Greste. 

Venezuelan opposition leader Leopoldo Lopez will remain in custody pending further hearings, according to his lawyer.  Murder and terrorism charges have been dropped, but convictions on arson and conspiracy could put Lopez in prison for ten years.

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is urging the international community to contribute another 3,000 troops to the Central African Republic to prevent the spread of religious revenge-killings that have forced almost one million people to flee their homes.  The growing unrest is dividing the country into Muslim and Christian areas.

The European Union will impose sanctions on some Ukrainian officials deemed responsible for the bloody violence that resulted in 21 more deaths on Thursday, raising the death toll to at least 75 lives lost in Kiev and beyond.

Ukraine’s cease-fire collapsed and the country spiraled deeper into violence and chaos on Thursday, as both police and protesters introduced the deadly reality of firearms into the conflict that until now had mostly involved non-lethal weapons.  It is believed at least 75 people have been killed

A group of 82 South Koreans, some in wheelchairs and many of them older than 90-years old, are crossing the border with the North to attend the first family reunion in more than three years for families divided by the Korean war. 

A witness confirms the riot at Manus Island, but with unexpected participants – You won’t believe the video of what Russian Cossacks did in Sochi – A survivor tells what it’s like to be lost at sea without a boat – And more in your CareerSpot World News Briefs.

Venezuelan opposition leader Leopoldo Lopez will be arraigned at a military base outside of Caracas, instead of in a court in the capital.  Authorities claim this is to protect him, because of death threats.  And this is amid word that a fifth person has died in violence.

US President Barack Obama took a moment out of his summit with the leaders of Mexico and Canada to address the worsening situation in Ukraine:  Obama warned the Ukrainian military to stay out of it, and said the United States would hold the government responsible for further violence.

Ukrainian opposition leaders and President Viktor Yanukovich have announced a truce, after two days of battling in the streets of Kiev and beyond that have left at least 26 people dead.  It came after a crisis meeting of the government and opposition leaders as fires and fighting raged outside.