Ocean debris misleads searchers looking for missing Malaysian plane

A search plane looking for the missing Malaysian plane found various objects floating off the coast of Australia on March 24, which they believed could lead to finding the plane. However the objects were only fishing equipment and dead jellyfish. The pilot of the search crew, Lt. Russell Adams, said the sighting was the most promising lead in the search. This led to searchers hitting another dead end, and the Malaysian airplane, Flight 370 with 239 people on board, remained missing.

North and South Korea exchanges fire

On March 31 North Korea announced that it would hold live fire drills across seven different parts of the border area between North Korea and South Korea. South Korea warned that there would be immediate retaliation if any shells crossed its boarders, and a few North Korean shells were reported landed in South Korean waters. South Korea then fired back at North Korea. In total thousands of shells were exchanged on either side. Residents of five front-line South Korean islands were evacuated to shelters.

Vladimir Putin says Russian troops may withdrawal from Ukrainian border

Russian President Vladimir Putin told German Chancellor Angela Merkel on March 31 that he has ordered a partial withdrawal of Russian troops from the Ukrainian border. Putin made this comment to Merkel on a phone call. Russian media also reported that a Russian infantry battalion was being moved from the border area to a base deeper in Russian territory.

Washington landslide death toll increased to 30

As of April 3 the death toll of a landslide in Washington increased to 30. Out of the bodies that had been found, 27 of them have been identified. There are still 15 people reported missing. The Snohomish County Medical Examiner’s Officer released the names of 17 victims and said that they are currently working to identify the other victims. Washington Governor Jay Inslee requested that President Barack Obama issue a major disaster declaration for the area, as well as help with housing, funeral expenses and other personal expenses related to the disaster and unemployment insurance for those who lost their jobs as a result of the disaster.