Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faced criticism on Tuesday from ultra-Orthodox politicians for having eaten in a non-kosher restaurant serving rabbit, escargot and lobster during a recent trip to Italy.

An ultra-Orthodox news website quoted officials from the United Torah Judaism alliance, part of Netanyahu's coalition, as saying that eating in a non-kosher restaurant was unacceptable for a prime minister of the Jewish state.

Syria's embattled government, facing a four-year war that is encroaching on the capital, on Monday inaugurated a park in Damascus to honor North Korea's founding father Kim Il-Sung.

The 9,000-square-meter park (about 2.2 acres) lies in the southwestern Damascus district of Kafr Sousa, atop the ruins of recently bulldozed homes.

An Egyptian muezzin has been suspended by the authorities after being accused of intoning "Prayer is better than Facebook" in his early morning call for people to pray.

The action was taken against Mahmud al-Moghazi, who denies the charge, after devout Muslims complained that he had altered the traditional call to prayer, an official told AFP on Monday.

An elementary school teacher who was allowed to keep his job despite being late for work 111 times in two years said Friday that breakfast is to blame for his tardiness.

"I have a bad habit of eating breakfast in the morning, and I lost track of time," 15-year veteran teacher Arnold Anderson told The Associated Press.

China's air force has called monkeys and falcons into service to ensure safe skies for a huge military parade this week to mark Japan's defeat in World War II, reports said.

Almost 200 aircraft will take part Thursday in commemorations for the 70th anniversary of what Beijing calls the "Chinese People's War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War".

The Lebanese are never too far away from poking fun of their daily hardships and they were never less evident than during Saturday “You Stink” civil society protest.

References to popular songs, movies, and television shows were present among the myriad of banners and posters at the rally, which took place at Beirut's downtown area.

The cameraman who sent Usain Bolt flying at the world athletics championships presented him with a red bracelet on Friday to apologize, after footage of the incident went viral.

A red-faced Song Tao of China's CCTV placed the good-luck charm on Bolt's wrist by way of apology after he lost control of the electric scooter he was riding and clattered the Jamaican from behind.

It seems not even bombastic billionaire Donald Trump would go so far as to snatch something so close to the heart of Pope Francis.

The combative White House candidate denied on Friday a tabloid story that he was looking to buy the pope's favorite football club, San Lorenzo in Argentina.

A billboard in central Tel Aviv announcing the opening of an Iranian embassy that met with disbelief and curiosity turned out to be a hoax, organizers of the eye-catching stunt have said.

"Opening here soon - Embassy of Iran in Israel," proclaimed the five-storey tall hoarding emblazoned with the Iranian and Israeli flags this week. 

Usain Bolt's celebrations after completing a world championship sprint double came to a painful halt on Thursday after he was knocked over by a cameraman on an electric scooter.

The bizarre accident happened when the cameraman strayed too close to a barefoot Bolt as he posed for photos following his gold medal run in the 200 meters in Beijing.