Israeli archaeologists on Wednesday displayed four Roman-era swords and a javelin discovered inside a cave in the Judean desert, where they had been preserved for nearly 1,900 years.

The archaeologists said the ancient weapons were believed to have been used during the Bar Kokhba revolt of Jews against the Romans in the second century.

"It's a very unique and important discovery, which is unprecedented in Israel," Eitan Klein, director of Israel Antiquities Authority, told journalists at an event showcasing the weapons.

Millions of Shiite Muslim pilgrims massed at the golden-domed mausoleums of the holy Iraqi city of Karbala on Wednesday, commemorating Arbaeen, one of the largest religious gatherings in the world.

The event, organised under strict security, brought together some 22 million pilgrims this year, according to official figures.

Iran hit a new participation record with four million visitors, a top security official told the Iranian news agency IRNA, up from three million last year.

Saudi Arabia's ambassador to Iran arrived Tuesday in the Islamic Republic, and his counterpart landed in Riyadh, cementing a restoration of ties between the Gulf rivals after a seven-year rupture in ties.

Shiite-dominated Iran and Sunni Muslim Saudi Arabia agreed to resume diplomatic relations and reopen their respective embassies following a China-brokered deal announced in March.

Riyadh and Tehran severed ties in 2016 after Saudi diplomatic missions in Iran were attacked during protests over Riyadh's execution of Shiite cleric Nimr al-Nimr.

Thousands of people carrying flags of Iraqi Kurdistan demonstrated on Tuesday in the autonomous region over unpaid civil service salaries which they blamed on Baghdad, an AFP correspondent reported.

The protest occurred in a region where activists usually accuse local Kurdistan authorities of repressing any sign of dissent.

US President Joe Biden on Tuesday nominated former treasury secretary Jack Lew to be ambassador to Israel, tapping a veteran political player with close ties to the Jewish state at a turbulent time between the allies.

Lew, an Orthodox Jew who observes the weekly sabbath, will play a key role in managing the relationship as Biden attempts to broker a potentially historic deal for Saudi Arabia to recognize Israel.

Saudi Arabia and Russia said on Tuesday they would extend voluntary oil cuts until the end of the year, sending the price of Brent crude to a 10-month high.

The Saudi production cut of one million barrels per day which first took effect in July will continue "for another three months until the end of December 2023", the kingdom's energy ministry said in a statement.

Russia's export cut of 300,000 bpd will continue for the same period, Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak said in a separate statement.

England midfielder Jordan Henderson has apologised for upsetting the LGBTQ community with his move to Saudi Arabia but said playing in the Gulf state is a "positive thing".

The former Liverpool captain, a vocal supporter of gay rights, was fiercely criticised over his switch to the Saudi Pro League in July.

Henderson, in an interview with The Athletic, said he could understand the frustration and anger directed towards him.

"There can be a lot of criticism, a lot of negativity around me as a person, and that was difficult to take" he said.

UN chief Antonio Guterres joined African leaders on Tuesday in demanding urgent reforms to the "outdated and unfair" global financial system, speaking at a landmark climate summit in Kenya aimed at showcasing the continent's green potential.

The Nairobi summit hopes to boost investment in renewables, with the UAE on Tuesday pledging $4.5 billion to accelerate Africa's clean energy transition as the continent's leaders look to reshape its economic narrative.

Israeli forces shot dead a Palestinian in a raid on a West Bank refugee camp, the Palestinian health ministry said Tuesday, as violence in the occupied territory shows no letup.

The ministry said 21-year-old Ayed Samih Khaled was "shot by live occupation (Israeli) bullets fired to the head" in the Nur Shams camp near the northern town of Tulkarem.

The Islamic Jihad militant group identified him as a member of its armed wing, the Al-Quds Brigade.

The Israeli military said "an exchange of fire with a number of suspects took place" during the raid.

Cyprus, Greece and Israel agreed at a summit in Nicosia on Monday to deepen their regional energy cooperation to focus on exports to Europe, especially natural gas and renewables.

"We agreed that the energy sector, and in particular, natural gas, electricity and renewable energy, is a solid foundation for cooperation in the region," said a joint statement after the meeting.

It was issued after Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis met for the countries' Ninth Trilateral Summit.