The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) was forced to scramble its air forces more than 300 times in response to Russian military aircraft over the course of 2023, the international organization said Friday.”NATO has standing air-policing missions that calls for Allied jets to scramble when there are signs of Russian…

The People’s Republic of China announced the appointment of a new defense minister on Friday, filling the gap left by his predecessor’s termination. Former naval commander Dong Jun was selected for the position, which is generally a ceremonial role. Unlike in most countries, the defense minister of China is not in command…

A January plane crash in Nepal that killed 72 people – including two Americans and two lawful U.S. permanent residents – was likely caused by its pilots mistakenly cutting the power, according to a report by government-appointed investigators released on Thursday.The deadly decision resulted in an aerodynamic stall and then…

Two skiers are dead following an avalanche on Mont Blanc, France’s highest mountain, and another hiker was killed on another slope in the French Alps, according to local authorities.The Haute-Savoie region administration said an avalanche Thursday swept through an off-piste area of the Saint-Gervais-les-Bains ski resort at an altitude of…

Artyom Kamardin, a Russian poet, has been sentenced to 7 years in prison for reciting verses against Russia’s war in Ukraine.The Tverskoi District Court in Moscow convicted Kamardin on charges of undermining national security and inciting hatred for reading anti-war poems.Yegor Shtovba, who participated in the event, was also sentenced…

A chain-reaction crash involving seven vehicles occurred on the Northern Marmara Highway in northwest Turkey on Thursday.The accident resulted in at least 10 fatalities and left 57 others injured.Gov. Yasar Karadeniz of Sakarya said the crash likely occurred when a vehicle hit a truck in poor visibility, triggering other collisions.A…

A 15-year-old boy was killed by a shark attack in the waters off Australia’s south coast, police have confirmed. South Australia police said the body was pulled from the water after the attack, near Ethel Beach in the Innes National Park on the Yorke Peninsula. The area is a popular spot for…

A stowaway was found barely alive in the undercarriage bay of an airplane after it landed in Paris Thursday morning, according to reports. Security sources told Reuters that the Air Algeria airplane had come from the Western Algerian town of Oran, embarking on the two-and-a-half hour flight to Paris Orly airport. …

The Tour d’Argent, a Paris restaurant, is offering a front-row view of the renaissance of Notre Dame Cathedral and the 2024 Summer Olympics.The restaurant, a city landmark and inspiration for the movie “Ratatouille” has recently reopened after a renovation.The restaurant offers fixed-price menus, with lunch starting at $167 and dinner…

A rabbinical seminary in southern Israel is open for business once again.Prior to the Hamas attacks of Oct. 7, the Max and Ruth Schwartz Hesder Yeshiva in Sderot was a home to roughly 300 college-age men, and a smaller female class, who were pursuing religious instruction. While there are many such…