TOP STORIES 
 
OIL RALLIES AS YEMEN CRISIS ESCALATES 

Oil prices jumped after Saudi Arabia and its allies launched a military campaign in neighboring Yemen. U.S. oil pushed above $50 a barrel for the first time since March 9, rising to $52.48 a barrel on Nymex.

 
HOUTHI MILITANTS PROTEST AFTER SAUDI AIRSTRIKES IN YEMEN 
 

Yemen's ruling Houthi militants organized demonstrations and lashed out at neighboring Saudi Arabia after it launched airstrikes against them.

 
U.S. STOCKS FALL FOR FOURTH SESSION 
 

U.S. stocks declined, with major benchmarks falling for a fourth straight session, after a midday push higher stalled. The Dow industrials fell 40 points to 17678.

 
U.S. JOBLESS CLAIMS FALL TO 282,000 
 

The number of Americans seeking first-time unemployment benefits fell last week. Initial jobless claims decreased by 9,000 to a seasonally adjusted 282,000 in the week ended March 21. Economists had expected 290,000 new claims.

 
CO-PILOT APPEARS TO HAVE DELIBERATELY CRASHED PLANE 
 

The co-pilot of Germanwings Flight 9525 appears to have deliberately crashed the plane--killing himself and 149 other people--after locking himself alone inside the cockpit, according to French prosecutors.

 
GOOGLE DETAILS PAY FOR INCOMING FINANCIAL CHIEF 
 

Google said that it would pay its incoming chief financial officer, Ruth Porat, a base salary of $650,000 as well as a $5 million one-time sign-on bonus, a $25 million new hire grant and a $40 million biennial grant that begins in 2016.

 
H-P NEARS DEAL TO SELL CONTROL OF CHINESE UNIT 
 

Hewlett-Packard is nearing a deal to sell control of its data-networking business in China to Tsinghua Unigroup according to people familiar with the matter.

 
GREECE HURRIES TO HAMMER OUT POLICIES TO SATISFY CREDITORS 
 

Greece is hurrying to compile a list of economic overhauls that satisfies its creditors and secures desperately need bailout aid, as it runs increasingly low on cash and debt payments loom.

 
EU TO OPEN EXTENSIVE E-COMMERCE PROBE 
 

The European Union is set to open a sweeping investigation into whether Internet commerce firms like Amazon.com are violating the bloc's antitrust laws by restricting cross-border trade.

 
FEDEX USES 'COMMON CARRIER' DEFENSE 
 

FedEx filed to dismiss Justice Department charges of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances for its role in allegedly transporting illegal prescription drugs, arguing that it is legally protected as a company that carries goods for the public.

 
DOVER TO SELL SARGENT AEROSPACE UNIT FOR $500M 
 

Dover said it would sell its Sargent Aerospace & Defense unit to RBC Bearings for $500 million, a deal that comes two months after the industrial equipment maker outlined plans to divest the operations.

 
 
 
 
  ======= DOW JONES NEWSWIRES ANALYSIS AND COMMENTARIES ======= 
 
 
The Wall Street Journal 
GERMANWINGS CRASH THROWS SPOTLIGHT ON COCKPIT SECURITY 
 

The crash of Germanwings flight 9295 has reignited the debate over how best to protect an aircraft's cockpit and the role of reinforced doors, the centerpiece of efforts to bolster aviation security after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.

 
Ahead of the Tape 
CARNIVAL HAS REASON TO CELEBRATE 
 

Like the old cliché about turning around a supertanker, changing course at a cruise line can be time consuming, too--particularly at Carnival, writes Spencer Jakab.