Netanyahu says Israeli troops will occupy a buffer zone inside Syria

JERUSALEM (AP) — Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says Israeli forces will stay in a buffer zone on the Syrian border, and specifically on the summit of Mount Hermon, “until another arrangement is found that will ensure Israel’s security.” Netanyahu made the comments from the mountain’s summit, the highest peak in the area, which is located on the Syrian side of the border. He added that he had been on the summit of Mount Hermon 53 years ago as a soldier, but the summit’s importance to Israel’s security has only increased, especially given recent events. Critics accusing Israel of violating a 1974 ceasefire that established the buffer zone, and possibly exploiting the chaos in Syria for a land grab.

A top Russian general killed in a Moscow bombing claimed by Ukraine

(AP) — A senior Russian general was killed by a bomb hidden in a scooter outside his apartment building in Moscow. A Ukrainian official said its service carried out Tuesday’s attack that killed Lt. Gen. Igor Kirillov, as well as his assistant. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to release the information. The bombing came a day after Ukraine’s security service leveled criminal charges against Kirillov, who was the chief of the Russian military’s nuclear, biological and chemical protection forces. Kirillov was under sanctions from several countries, including the U.K. and Canada, for his actions in Moscow’s war in Ukraine.

Battle erupts over South Korean court that will determine the fate of impeached Yoon

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korea’s acting leader has vowed to convey to the world that things are back to normal following parliament’s impeachment of conservative President Yoon Suk Yeol. But rival parties are squabbling over the appointments of justices who will determine whether to unseat or reinstate Yoon. During a Cabinet Council meeting on Tuesday, acting leader and Prime Minister Han Duck-soo says he will “do my utmost to inform the international society that Republic of Korea is fast regaining stability.” Political parties bickered over whether to fill three vacant justices’ seats at the Constitutional Court. To formally end Yoon’s presidency, the nine-member court panel needs support from at least six justices.

At least 25 are killed and dozens are missing after an overcrowded boat capsizes in Congo

KINSHASA, Congo (AP) — Local officials and residents say an overcrowded boat capsized on a river in central Congo, killing at least 25 people, including children, and leaving dozens missing. The vessel was believed to have more than 100 passengers on board on Tuesday and it capsized shortly into the journey along the Fimi River after leaving the town of Inongo. It was the latest such tragedy to strike Congo. Concerns mounted that the death toll could be far higher. Tuesday’s wreck was the fourth this year in the Maï-Ndombe province, a region surrounded by rivers and where many rely on river transportation.