Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday night paused a judicial overhaul that triggered a general strike, political division and mass protests in the country's most severe domestic crisis in years.

The proposed reforms would curtail the authority of the Supreme Court and give politicians greater powers over the selection of judges.

After nearly three months of increasing tensions, the legislation will now be considered further in the next session of parliament, which begins in the second half of April.

Wracked by a crippling economic meltdown and political deadlock, Lebanon on Sunday added a seemingly odd question to its growing list of woes: "What time is it?"

A last-minute decision to delay daylight savings by a month has left the small country divided between two time zones after the move was met with opposition from the influential Maronite Church.

Archaeologists in Egypt have discovered more than 2,000 ancient mummified sheep heads left as offerings in a temple to the pharaoh Ramses II, the tourism and antiquities ministry said Sunday.

Mummies of dogs, goats, cows, gazelles and mongooses were also exhumed by a team of US archaeologists from New York University at Abydos, a site in southern Egypt famous for its temples and tombs.

Sameh Iskandar, head of the American mission, said the ram heads were "offerings" indicating "a cult to Ramses II celebrated 1,000 years after his death".

A last-minute decision in Lebanon to delay daylight savings by a month has been met with opposition from the influential church, leaving the small country divided between two time zones.

Wracked by a crippling economic meltdown and political deadlock, a seemingly odd question was added on Sunday to the growing list of Lebanon's woes: "What time is it?"

As generations of Sudanese have done before her, Wissal Abdel Ghany crouched next to a fire to prepare a traditional drink, a thirst-quenching favourite enjoyed during the fasting month of Ramadan.

In Sudan, the arduously made "helo-murr", which means "bittersweet", is a drink synonymous with the Islamic holy month.

It can be found on almost every table across the northeast African country at the end of the day's fast.

"Without it, our table feels empty," said Abdel Ghany, wearing a bright orange headscarf.

A seemingly never-ending political crisis is plunging oil-rich Kuwait's economy into the mire, affecting basic services and causing mounting public concern.

Despite its large oil reserves, hospitals and educational services are in decay as squabbling paralyses the wealthy Gulf region's only fully elected parliament.

Ahmed al-Sarraf, a businessman and newspaper columnist, says his concerns are growing as the country falters.

"I feel great anxiety for my family, for the future of my grandchildren, for their education, and for my health," the former banker told AFP.

When life gave them lemons, two Jordanians launched a club to train people in the art of comedy in a country where years of economic woes have left little to laugh about.

Since being founded in 2019, the Amman Comedy Club (ACC) has been training aspiring comics, offering free, three- to four-month workshops in stand-up, improv, comedy sketches and satire writing.

Aided by foreign institutions such as the Konrad Adenauer Foundation, and with the help of Chicago-based comedy club The Second City, the club has already trained more than 140 people.

Eight years after launching its military campaign in Yemen, Saudi Arabia wants to extricate itself from the conflict, despite slim hopes of lasting peace, to focus on ambitious projects at home.

The oil-rich monarchy gave a signal this month by announcing plans to resume ties with Iran, which backs Yemen's Huthi rebels against the Saudi-supported government in a proxy war.

Tens of thousands of Israelis rallied in Tel Aviv Saturday against a controversial judicial overhaul, as Defence Minister Yoav Galant broke ranks to call for a pause to the government reforms.

The latest demonstration to hit Israel's commercial hub came days after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to press on with the changes despite mounting international alarm.

But his defence minister said Saturday that "we must stop the legislative process" for a month in view of the divisiveness of the reforms.

Rwandan government critic Paul Rusesabagina, whose efforts to save people during the 1994 genocide were portrayed in hit Hollywood film "Hotel Rwanda", has been freed from prison after more than 900 days behind bars.

Rusesabagina was released late Friday and will return to the United States after the Kigali government commuted his 25-year sentence on terrorism charges.

His detention sparked criticism in the West and among rights groups, and highlighted Rwanda's record of crushing political dissent and free speech under President Paul Kagame.