US Navy Special Warfare Operator Chief Brett D. Shadle

US Navy Special Warfare Operator Chief Brett D. Shadle, thirty-one of Elizabethville, Pennsylvania, died on March 28.

He and another SEAL collided in mid air, while undergoing parachute training at Pinal Airpark in Marana, Arizona.

Chief Shadle was taken to the University of Arizona Medical Center in Tucson, where he was pronounced dead.

The other SEAL, who has not been identified, is in stable condition.

Shadle joined the Navy in 2000 and became a SEAL in 2001, eventually he became a member of SEAL Team 6.

Since then he had served in Afghanistan, Iraq, and other locations.

His awards include multiple Bronze Stars with Valor and various service ribbons.

224 Rescued From Runaway Ice Floes

Two ice floes in the Gulf of Riga came loose, on Friday morning.

Two hundred and twenty-four people became stranded on the ice.

One hundred and eighty-one were rescued by boat, from the larger floe.

A helicopter rescued forty-two from the other, while one man refused to be rescued by the helicopter.

Eventually a boat was able to rescue him, as well.

For Latvians going to the beach, even in the winter, is not an oddity.

Some were ice fishers, others out for a walk on the sunny day.

5 Shi'ite Mosques Targeted With Car Bombs

At least twenty-three people have been killed in a series of car bombings, in Iraq.

Five car bombs struck Shi'ite mosques in Baghdad and Kirkuk.

Over one hundred and thirty people were injured by the blasts, which struck just after Friday prayers.

Al Qaeda is being blamed for the attacks, due to their focus on Shi'ites.

12 Story Building Collapses in Tanzania

A twelve story building in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania came crashing down, on Friday.

The building, which was under construction, fell down onto itself, into neighboring streets, and onto a nearby soccer game.

At least two people were killed and seventeen injured.

Hundreds of rescuers rushed to the scene and spent hours digging through the rubble for survivors.

Tanzania has been experiencing a construction boom, as construction time speed up, there has been a growing concern over their safety.

UN Announces Combat Force For Democratic Republic of Congo

For the first time the UN is authorizing an offensive stance for it's troops in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Currently, twenty thousand UN troops are in the country, though they are seen as having been of little use during their presence, which has lasted over a decade.

Twenty-five hundred of them will now be put in a special brigade which will have the specific goal of seeking out and neutralizing the rebel threat.

UN soldiers from Malawi, Mozambique, South Africa, and Tanzania are expected to form the new brigade.

Expectations are for the brigade to begin it's work in July, leaving three months for the rebels to prepare for them.

Cyprus Opens Banks

Banks on Cyprus opened on Thursday, for the first time in nearly two weeks.

The government announced that bank activity would be kept limited for at least a month.

They hope that limiting it will keep people from trying to withdraw all of their money.

On Thursday, no rush on the institutions was see, however, international accounts were hit at a greater rate.

Mortar Hits Damascus University Killing 15

Fifteen people were killed when a mortar struck the campus of Damascus University, on Thursday.

The mortar hit a cafeteria area at the College of Architecture.

It is unclear whether the mortar was fired by the army or rebel forces, either way it was an accident.

Fighting, in the capital, has become more intense over the last couple of days.

North Korea on Full Standby After US Flies B2s Over South

B2

North Korea has announced that all units are on standby, as of Friday morning.

This includes their rockets, which are aimed at various Japanese, South Korean, and US military and civilian areas.

According to the North, this also includes rockets capable of hitting North America.

The standby status came after the US flew two B2 stealth bombers, over South Korea, as a show of force.

US Army Sergeant Michael C. Cable

US Army Sergeant Michael C. Cable, twenty-six of Philpot, Kentucky, died on March 27.

His unit came under attack from enemy forces in Shinwar District, Nangarhar Province, Afghanistan.

Cable was assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 327th Infantry, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division out of Fort Campbell, Kentucky.

His awards include the Army Good Conduct Medal, a posthumous Bronze Star, and a posthumous Purple Heart.

Taiwan Hit By Deadly Quake

One person was killed and another twenty injured when a quake struck central Taiwan.

Wednesday's 6.1 quake hit a mostly rural area.

Pictures from the island show cracked walls, buildings, and roads.

A few fires were caused by gas leaks and the high speed rail service was suspended while the tracks were checked.