Afghanistan's Taliban rulers have issued a ban on women's voices and bare faces in public under new laws approved by the supreme leader in efforts to combat vice and promote virtue.

The laws were issued Wednesday after they were approved by supreme leader Hibatullah Akhundzada, a government spokesman said. The Taliban had set up a ministry for the "propagation of virtue and the prevention of vice" after seizing power in 2021.

Afghanistan's Taliban authorities have announced the codification of laws detailing rules of behavior and lifestyle based on their strict interpretation of Islamic law.

The 35-article law published in the official gazette on July 31 establishes prohibitions already generally known in the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan -- the Taliban government's formal name for the country -- but its enactment could allow for increased control of the population.

Nestled in the vibrant heart of Beirut, Beit Toureef is a charming guesthouse that embodies the spirit of an authentic Lebanese village house. With its rustic architecture and welcoming hospitality, Beit Toureef offers a unique retreat for those seeking a genuine taste of Lebanon.

The rooms exude coziness and comfort across two floors, "Reef Aroma and Reef Melody".

Ukraine's parliament has banned the activities of religious groups tied to the Russian Orthodox Church or any other faith group supporting Russia's invasion — a measure widely seen as targeting a Ukrainian religious body, despite its claim to independence from Moscow.

The bill creates the legal tools for the government to ban the activities of any religious group deemed to be too closely connected to Russia or to support its invasion of Ukraine..

Two groups of men stood on opposite rooftops perched on a hillside overlooking Rio de Janeiro's Ipanema beach, taunting one another. It was a macho showdown between opponents wielding unlikely weapons — kites.

On this July morning in the impoverished neighborhood, they were using taut, sharp-edged kite lines — known as "cerol" in Portuguese — to slash their opponents' lines, ripping their kites from the sky.

Iranian authorities has closed down the last language institute certified by the German Embassy, local media said, in retaliation for the shuttering of Islamic centers in the European country.

A report by Nournews.ir, believed to be close to Iran's security bodies, published a photo of police forces taking down the sign showcasing the establishment's name. The Institute For Teaching German Language was established in the capital in 1995, according to the embassy.

A far-right Israeli minister has drawn international condemnation by praying with thousands of Jews at the Al-Aqsa mosque compound in annexed east Jerusalem, defying a ban on Jewish prayer at the flashpoint site.

National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, who has often ignored the Israeli government's longstanding ban, vowed to "defeat Hamas" in Gaza in a video he filmed during his visit Tuesday.

When a mass uprising forced Bangladesh's longtime prime minister to step down and flee the country last week, a 65-year-old retired auditor who had worked for her political party feared for his life.

Arobinda Mohalder, who is part of Bangladesh's Hindu minority, had just learned that a Hindu official working for the Awami League party in the country's Khulna district escaped after an angry mob set his home on fire.

A trove of artifacts from Egypt's last dynasty has been discovered in 63 tombs in the Nile Delta area and experts are working to restore and classify the finds, an official with the country's antiquities authority said Monday.

The artifacts include gold pieces and jewelry dating to Egypt's Late and Ptolemaic periods, and some items could be displayed at one of the country's museums, said Neveine el-Arif, spokeswoman for the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities.

The British Embassy Beirut announced Tuesday that applications for the UK Government’s flagship Chevening Scholarships program are now open. Applicants should apply online via www.chevening.org/apply by 5 November 2023.