More that 50 people, including women and children, were killed in central Myanmar when the army launched an airstrike on an event attended by opponents to military rule, witnesses and media say.

Lawyers from Gambia have urged the United Nations’ top court to reject Myanmar’s legal attempt to end a case of genocide by the Southeast Asian country against Rohingya Muslims, after the Buddhist nation tried to get the case dismissed.

The United Nations Security Council condemns the massacre in Myanmar of more than 35 people, including four children and two humanitarian workers, blamed on junta troops.

The UN uses human rights “as a political tool to intervene in the internal affairs of Myanmar,” the junta said.

Myanmar's military rulers have agreed to an ASEAN call for a four-month ceasefire by all sides to ensure the smooth distribution of humanitarian aid.

The European Union (EU) and Britain tighten sanctions on Myanmar’s military, as the Southeast Asian country stands on the brink of a civil war four months after a coup d'état.

The first trial of Myanmar’s ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi is set to start on Monday.