Hello, Australia! – One of the pilots was locked out of the cockpit prior to Germanwings crash – The Saudis commence military operations in Yemen, WTH is going on in the world? – Thailand’s dictator threatens to execute reports – And a lot more in your CareerSpot World News Briefs:

A startling report from the New York Times says one of the pilots from Germanwings Flight 9525 was locked out of the cockpit before the plane crashed into the side of one of the French Alps.  An investigator familiar with the audio recovered from the cockpit voice recorder says one pilot left the cockpit before the deadly descent.  “The guy outside is knocking lightly on the door and there is no answer,” the investigator said, “And then he hits the door stronger and no answer.  There is never an answer.”  The investigator added, “You can hear he is trying to smash the door down.”  It’s not clear why one of the pilots left the cockpit, but it’s also not uncommon.  Two Australians from Melbourne were among the 150 passengers and crew killed in Tuesday’s tragedy, the worst air disaster in France in 15 years.

Saudi Arabia began air attacks against Houthi militias in Yemen, in coordination with a 10-country coalition attempting to restore the government that collapsed twice in the face of rebel advances.  Saudi Arabia’s US Ambassador Adel al-Jubeir said the point is “to protect and defend the legitimate government" of Yemen President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi”.  However, Hadi’s whereabouts are a mystery – because he reportedly fled the country by boat as the Houthi attacked Aden, where his government fled after the Houthi captured the capital.  BTW, this is only the west of Yemen; the rest of the country is overrun by Islamic State and al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula.

The Houthis are Shiite Muslims and are backed by Iran.  Saudi Arabia and its allies are largely Sunni Muslims.  IS and al Qaeda are Sunni.  The US said it is providing logistical help to the Saudi coalition against the Shiite Houthi.

But to the north, the US began air strikes on Islamic State as Iraq prepares to retake the city of Tikrit.  But here’s how convoluted and messed-up this is:  The Iraqi operation is largely planned and led by Iranian generals, from no less than the elite Quds Force of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards.  The US sat on the sidelines until Quds Force General Qassem Suleimani was reported to have left the Tikrit area – apparently so as not to be seen supporting what is essential an Iranian military operation in Iraq.

Thailand’s junta leader General Prayuth Chan-Ocha said he would “probably just execute” those journalists who did “not report the truth”, meaning those who do not report positively on Prayuth’s version of national reconciliation.  And he said that without a trace of a smile.  Prayuth was apparently irked by reporters questions over an Associated Press investigation that details Thailand’s use of slave labor in its lucrative seafood industry.  The junta has launched several crackdowns on dissent after seizing power from the democratically-elected government of ousted Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra. 

Nigeria has detained two al Jazeera journalists covering the upcoming Nigerian presidential elections in Maiduguri, in restive Borno state.  Ahmed Idris and Ali Mustafa are confined to their hotel rooms.  The Nigerian military confiscated their equipment, claiming that the journalists were operating without “protection, accreditation or due clearance”.  Al Jazeera denies that and demands the two men be released unconditionally.  President Goodluck Jonathan faces a challenge from former general Muhammadu Buhari in Saturday’s balloting.

Day-old Baby Hippo likes swimming in the pool with Mum at the San Diego Zoo.

London police conducted covert spying operations on Labour Party activists even after the targets were elected to Parliament.  Former Metro undercover cop Peter Francis blew the whistle, saying he personally collected information on three MPs.  Other targets included Labour’s current deputy leader, Harriet Harman, the former cabinet minister Peter Hain, the former home secretary Jack Straw, and even the late legendary Tony Benn.  Haim is demanding a judicial inquiry.  “That these files were still active for at least 10 years while I was an MP,” Hain says, “raises fundamental questions about parliamentary sovereignty.”

Authorities in Chile arrested a 25-year old woman suspected of using the drug Misotrol to induce an abortion.  Her own doctor turned her in when she sought treatment at hospital for severe abdominal pain and vaginal bleeding, even though the government of President Michelle Bachelet recommends medical professionals to respect patient privacy and prioritise patient-doctor confidentiality over the requirement to notify law enforcement in cases of suspected abortion.  Bachelet has introduced legislation to do away with Chile’s total ban on abortion – only one of six countries in the world that do so – and throw out the draconian law that was instituted by the fascist dictator Augusto Pinochet.