Iran's daily new Covid-19 infections reached a four-month high on Monday, said the health ministry, as the capital Tehran was put on the highest "red" virus risk level.

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani has drawn up a new proposal for peace with the Taliban ahead of an international conference aimed at jump-starting faltering talks between the two warring sides, official sources said.

Former Malaysian leader Najib Razak began an appeal Monday against his corruption conviction and 12-year jail term over the multibillion-dollar 1MDB scandal, which contributed to his government's downfall in 2018.

The EU's top two officials head to Turkey on Tuesday to lay out to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan the bloc's conditions for improved ties after a dip in tensions.

Turkey on Monday detained 10 retired admirals after a letter signed by more than 100 of them warned against a possible threat to a treaty governing the use of Turkey's key waterways.

Anti-coup demonstrators in Myanmar decorated boiled eggs on Sunday, as Pope Francis in his Easter message expressed solidarity with the country's youth.

Millions of Christians around the world celebrated a second Easter under coronavirus restrictions on Sunday with Pope Francis calling for vaccines to be shared among the poorest nations as Covid-19 surges.

Despite vaccine rollouts gathering pace in many richer countries, dramatic spikes in cases have seen deeply unpopular restrictions enforced from Canada to Europe and South America.

Top Turkish officials on Sunday lashed out at an open letter signed by more than 100 retired admirals warning about a possible threat to a treaty governing the use of Turkey's key waterways.

Turkey's approval last month of plans to develop a shipping canal in Istanbul comparable to the Panama or Suez canals has opened up debate about the 1936 Montreux Convention. 

Sri Lanka's Christians on Sunday honored the 279 people killed in the 2019 Easter bombings as the island's top Catholic leader warned of street protests unless those responsible were prosecuted.

Tunisia and Greece launched joint military exercises this week in the Mediterranean to boost their coordination against illegal maritime activity including smuggling and irregular migration, the Tunisian defence ministry said Saturday.