Troubling new developments in the fragile Ukraine – Venezuelan protests do not appear to be ebbing for Carnival – India could be on the verge of massive political change – And a lot more in your CareerSpot World News Briefs:

Dozens of armed men in military uniforms with “Russian Navy” patches seized an airport in Simferopol, the capital of Ukraine's strategic Crimea region early Friday.  Pro-Russian men with guns had earlier seized the regional parliament, and raised the Russian flag.  It comes as pro-Russian protesters in Ukraine’s east signal they do not accept the revolution that toppled the president and would rather unite with Moscow.

Despite the beginning of the Carnival holiday period, demonstrators once against hit the streets of Caracas, and Venezuelan police used tear gas to break it up.  There were no reports of any other anti-government rallies.  But in another part of the capital, thousands of people attended a huge pro-government rally.  The opposition called for another day of demonstrations on Sunday.

North Korea has fired four short-range missiles into the East Sea (Sea of Japan), a move seen as a response to the joint US-South Korean military exercises going on down the peninsula.  Day ago a North Korean patrol boat repeatedly violated the South’s maritime border. 

Suspected Boko Haram militants have struck again, killing at least 37 people in a raid sweeping across towns and villages in Nigeria’s northeastern Adamawa state.  Six of the Islamists were killed in a counter offensive, but it seems like the Nigerian military can’t do anything about this (can’t fight when you’re running away don’t ya know).  We’re reporting on Boko Haram raids all the time here at CareerSpot news, and they just keep happening, although help might be on the way.  French President Francois Hollande attended a security conference in the Nigerian capital and pledged to support Nigeria in fighting the terrorists.

British footballer Nicolas Anelka has been fined nearly A$150,000 and suspended for five matches for his use of the “quenelle” on the pitch last year.  Sponsors dropped advertising on Anelka’s West Brownwich team because of the ugly incident.  The gesture is regarded as anti-Semitic and its inventor, French “comedian” Dieudonne M’bala M’bala has been banned from several performances for violating hate crime laws. 

Israel’s embassy in Japan donated more than 300 Anne Frank-related books to public libraries in Tokyo, after hundreds of copies of “The Diary of Anne Frank” were found vandalized.  Police haven’t caught the culprit or culprits, however officials are hoping to make it a “teachable moment”.  “Through this incident, I believe that people also learned about the horrid facts of history and of racism,” Suginami ward Mayor Ryo Tanaka said.

With India’s elections only weeks away, it’s looking increasingly likely that the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is going to trounce the ruling Congress Party.  A new poll from the Pew Research Center in the US says voters prefer the Hindu nationalist BJP 3-to-1, believing the BJP will do a better job fighting corruption, creating jobs, and fighting for the poor.  Consider that last one for a moment – the left wing Congress Party descends from The Mahatma himself, Mohandas K. Gandhi, and his ally Jawaharlal Nehru, and has held power for 49 of India’s 66-1/2 years based on the promise it would speak for and take care of India’s vast underclass.  That compact appears to be in trouble

And now, a website that shows cultural icons of the past and present.. covered in photoshopped tattoos.

Baby Lions!  Baby Lions!