Ukrainians usually celebrate Christmas on Jan. 7, as do the Russians. But not this year, or at least not all of them.

Some Orthodox Ukrainians have decided to observe Christmas on Dec. 25, like many Christians around the world. Yes, this has to do with the war, and yes, they have the blessing of their local church.

Turkey and Saudi Arabia became the latest Muslim-majority countries to condemn a decision by Taliban authorities to bar women from universities, while about two dozen women staged a protest in the streets of Kabul on Thursday.

In another sign of domestic opposition, several Afghan cricketers condemned the university ban. Cricket is a hugely popular sport in Afghanistan, and players have hundreds of thousands of followers on social media.

The French soccer federation wants to go after social media users who targeted some of the national team's players with racist comments following France's loss to Argentina in the World Cup final.

The federation said Tuesday that some players were hit by "unacceptable racist and hateful comments on social networks" and that it planned to file a complaint against those that posted abuse.

Afghans voiced outrage on social media Wednesday over the Taliban's ban on women attending university, using the hashtag #LetHerLearn -- one of the only ways people can still protest in the country.

Affected students poured their hearts out on Twitter and Facebook, lamenting how their dreams had been shattered by the announcement late Tuesday that tertiary education was now off-limits to women.

To prepare for the ritual ahead, Omer Kilic and his 14-year-old son dress in white robes, drape black cloaks over them and don cone-shaped hats called "sikke."

The tennure robes symbolize funeral shrouds, the cloaks a tomb and the hats a tombstone — outfits that are part of a centuries-old tradition performed by the whirling dervishes of Turkey.

The Taliban authorities on Tuesday ordered an indefinite ban on university education for Afghan girls, the ministry of higher education said in a letter issued to all government and private universities.

Iranian authorities arrested one of the country's most renowned actresses Saturday on charges of spreading falsehoods about nationwide protests that grip the country, state media said.

The report by IRNA said Taraneh Alidoosti, star of the Oscar-winning movie "The Salesman," was detained a week after she made a post on Instagram expressing solidarity with the first man recently executed for crimes allegedly committed during the protests.

Business is bouncing back in Bethlehem after two years in the doldrums during the coronavirus pandemic, lifting spirits in the traditional birthplace of Jesus ahead of the Christmas holiday.

Streets are bustling with tour groups. Hotels are fully booked, and months of deadly Israeli-Palestinian fighting appears to be having little effect on the vital tourism industry.

Pope Francis called Wednesday for a "humble" Christmas this year, with savings from reduced spending on gifts donated to help the "suffering people of Ukraine."

Francis called for "concrete gestures" of charity for Ukrainians this holiday season during his weekly general audience.

A celebratory crowd of thousands bundled up on a chilly Tuesday afternoon to watch President Joe Biden sign gay marriage legislation into law, a joyful ceremony that was tempered by the backdrop of an ongoing conservative backlash over gender issues.

"This law and the love it defends strike a blow against hate in all its forms," Biden said on the South Lawn of the White House. "And that's why this law matters to every single American."