International news brief: Biden improves 'significantly'; Dozens dead in Kenya bus crash

Washington, July 25: President Joe Biden continues to "improve significantly" despite a lingering sore throat from his coronavirus infection. While a bus plunged into Kenya's Nithi River killing at least 24 people, local media reported Sunday.

Russia says it hit military targets in Odesa strike

Russia confirmed firing missiles at Odesa, but insisted the targets were only military facilities.

"Kalibr missiles destroyed Odesa port's military infrastructure" including a "Ukrainian military boat," said Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova on Sunday.

The defense ministry said the attack also destroyed a warehouse where US-supplied Harpoon anti-ship missiles were kept. According to the statement carried by the Interfax news agency, the strike also crippled a ship repair facility.

Sri Lanka: Rights group seeks ex-President's arrest

A South Africa-based rights group said Sunday that it is seeking the arrest of ex-Sri Lankan president Gotabaya Rajapaksa for crimes committed during the country's 2009 civil war. The group said it filed a criminal complaint with Singapore's Attorney General.

"This complaint recognizes that it's not just about corruption and economic mismanagement but also accountability for mass atrocity crimes,'' said Yasmin Sooka, the executive director of the International Truth and Justice Project (ITJP), the evidence-gathering organization that filed the complaint.

Biden improves 'significantly', throat still sore from COVID

President Joe Biden continues to "improve significantly" despite a lingering sore throat from his coronavirus infection, according to an update Sunday from his doctor. "The president is responding to therapy as expected," wrote Dr. Kevin O'Connor in his latest note. Biden has been taking Paxlovid, an antiviral drug that helps reduce the chance of severe illness. O'Connor wrote that Biden still has a sore throat, though other symptoms, including a cough, runny nose and body aches, "have diminished considerably." Biden tested positive for the coronavirus on Thursday morning.

Myanmar junta executes 4 democracy activists

Myanmar's military authorities have executed four democracy activists, state media reported on Monday.

The activists were accused of leading "brutal and inhumane terror acts," the Global New Light of Myanmar newspaper said. These are Myanmar's first in decades.

The executed men included including democracy activist Kyaw Min Yu and former lawmaker and hip-hop artist Phyo Zeya Thaw, the paper reported.

Dozens dead in Kenya bus crash

A bus plunged into Kenya's Nithi River killing at least 24 people, local media reported Sunday.

The vehicle was traveling from the central town of Meru along the highway to the coastal city of Mombasa when it careered off a bridge and into the water, some 40 meters (130 feet) below.

The accident occurred at around 6:30 p.m. local time (1530 GMT) on Sunday.

Nation newspaper described how bodies were strewn across the river and on the bank.

with agency inputs