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NASA's Hubble Space Telescope, launched into low Earth orbit in 1990, has been a vital instrument for exploring the universe for over three decades. Commonly referred to as HST or Hubble, the telescope is celebrated among space enthusiasts for its remarkable contributions to astronomy. However, many may not be aware that the telescope is named after Edwin Powell Hubble, a pioneering American astronomer. Edwin Hubble's groundbreaking work in the early 20th century laid the foundation for modern cosmology, including the discovery of the universe's expansion. His legacy lives on through this iconic instrument, which continues to provide a unique window to the universe.

According to NASA, like the Hubble Space Telescope, Edwin Hubble's discoveries transformed the frontier of scientific knowledge. His work took us beyond the Milky Way and placed us in an ever-expanding universe with a myriad of galaxies beyond our own.

Who was Edwin Powell Hubble?

As per NASA, born on November 20, 1889, in Marshfield, Missouri, Hubble spent his youth honing athletic skills in basketball, football, baseball, track, and boxing, while mentally feeding his curiosity through science fiction novels. Hubble's innate fascination with the world around him foretold a lifetime of exploration. He entered the University of Chicago in 1906 as an undergraduate, earning a bachelor's degree in mathematics and astronomy. He briefly deviated from his path of exploration, largely fuelled by his father's expectations, to study law at Oxford University as a Rhodes Scholar. But his deep longing to pursue a career in the sciences outweighed his father's visions, and Hubble switched gears and obtained a Ph.D. in astronomy from the University of Chicago in 1914, setting his focus on the heavens.

The famous British astrophysicist Stephen Hawking wrote in his book A Brief History of Time that Hubble's "discovery that the Universe is expanding was one of the great intellectual revolutions of the 20th century." 

Seeing the Cosmos Through a New Lens

Destined for the cosmos, Hubble's journey led him to Mount Wilson Observatory in California and the 100-inch Hooker Telescope, the world's largest at the time. Hubble used the 100-inch telescope to observe faint, fuzzy, cloud-like patches of light broadly labelled nebulae. His observations brought these fuzzy patches into focus and, in the process, transformed the field of cosmology.

Hubble used his uniquevantage point to compare galaxies with one another by studying their physical properties. Focusing on the visual appearances of galaxies, Hubble devised what is now the most influential system for classifying them: the Hubble Classification Scheme.

No Nobel Prize for an astronomer

According to esahubble.org, during his life, Hubble had tried to obtain the Nobel Prize, even hiring a publicity agent to promote his cause in the late 1940s, but all the effort was in vain as there was no category for astronomy. Hubble died in 1953 while preparing for several nights of observations, his last great ambition unfulfilled.

He would have been thrilled had he known that the Space Telescope is named after him, so that astronomers can continue to "hope to find something we had not expected", as he said in 1948 during a BBC broadcast in London.

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UK claimants on Wednesday announced legal action against US pharmaceutical and cosmetics giant Johnson & Johnson, alleging that women diagnosed with cancers were exposed to asbestos in the company's talcum powder.

J&J risks UK court action for the first time over the allegations, having faced a series of similar lawsuits in North America.

KP law, the firm representing about 2,000 claimants, said "women who have been diagnosed with life-changing and life-limiting cancers were exposed to asbestos contained within the company's talcum powder".

In response Erik Haas, J&J's worldwide vice president of litigation, said "Johnson & Johnson takes the issue of talc safety incredibly seriously and always has".

Haas added that J&J's own analysis found an absence of asbestos contamination in its products and said "independent science makes clear that talc is not associated with the risk of ovarian cancer nor mesothelioma".

J&J has until the end of the year to respond to a letter sent on behalf of KP Law's clients, following which documents will be filed in the UK's High Court.

The law firm is representing predominantly women regarding the case, and says it has been contacted by thousands more, adding that some have died of their cancers.

Lawyers claim that the US-based corporation knew "as early as the 1970s that asbestos in its talc products was dangerous but failed to warn consumers and carried on producing and selling the products in the UK until as recently as 2022".

J&J said that Kenvue, its former consumer-health division that it separated out in 2023, is responsible for "any alleged talc liability that arises outside the US or Canada".

Kenvue did not immediately respond to a request for comment from AFP .  

SETTLED CLAIMS

However, in September, J&J increased its offer to settle talc claims relating to ovarian cancer in the US to around $8 billion to be paid over 25 years.

Earlier this year, the company agreed to pay $700 million to settle allegations it misled customers about the safety of its talcum-based power products in North America.

The company did not admit wrongdoing in its settlement but withdrew the product from the North American market in 2020.

The World Health Organization's cancer agency in July classified talc as "probably carcinogenic" for humans.

A summary of studies published in 2020 covering 250,000 women in the United States did not find a statistical link between the use of talc on the genitals and the risk of ovarian cancer.
 

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Iraq will begin its first full national census in more than three decades on Wednesday, a pivotal moment as it looks to gather demographic data for future planning and development.

The census, the first full one since Saddam Hussein was President in 1987, aims to provide a comprehensive count of Iraq's population, estimated to exceed 43 million people by the end of 2024, said Iraq's planning ministry spokesperson Abdul Zahra al-Hindawi.

Attempts at conducting a national census were delayed by years of conflict, instability and disagreement among political factions, but with the country now in a period of stability, authorities hope the process will be completed successfully.

A census carried out in 1997 excluded the Iraqi Kurdistan region, which had been governed by Kurdish authorities since the 1991 Gulf War.

It counted 19 million Iraqis and officials estimated there were another 3 million in the Kurdish north, according to official statistics.

The census was repeatedly postponed over worries it was being politicised. Ethnic groups in contested areas like the northern city of Kirkuk, home to Arabs, Kurds, Turkmen and a valuable part of Iraq's oil fields, opposed it because it might reveal demographics that would undermine political ambitions.

"We have fears (of the census) not only in Kirkuk but all other disputed areas which are subjected to strong disagreements between various powers," said Shwan Dawoodi, a Kurdish politician.

The data gathered will be used to guide decisions in areas such as infrastructure development, education, healthcare and social services, said Hindawi.

The census will feature only one question regarding religious affiliation — Muslim or Christian — and none about ethnic background or sectarian affiliation.

The Iraqi government has made extensive efforts to ensure the process, scheduled to take two days to complete, is as inclusive and accurate as possible, imposing a two-day curfew from midnight on Tuesday.

Preliminary results will be announced within 24 hours and final results released in two to three months.
 

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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Monday that Israel will continue to operate militarily against the Iran-backed Lebanese armed movement Hezbollah even if a ceasefire deal is reached in Lebanon.

"The most important thing is not (the deal that) will be laid on paper... We will be forced to ensure our security in the north (of Israel) and to systematically carry out operations against Hezbollah's attacks... even after a ceasefire", to keep the group from rebuilding its forces, Netanyahu told the Israeli parliament.

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India's competition watchdog directed WhatsApp to refrain from sharing user data for advertising purposes with other applications owned by Meta for a period of five years and fined the U.S. tech giant $25.4 million on Monday over antitrust violations related to the messaging application's 2021 privacy policy.

The Competition Commission of India (CCI) launched a probe in March 2021 into WhatsApp's privacy policy, which allowed data sharing with Facebook and its units, sparking global backlash.

"Sharing of user data collected on WhatsApp with other Meta companies... for purposes other than for providing WhatsApp service shall not be made a condition for users to access WhatsApp Service in India," the CCI said.

Meta did not immediately respond to Reuters' request for comment.

Tech giants, including Apple, Google and Meta face new regulatory challenges with India's proposed EU-like antitrust law.

The Indian government is currently examining a February report from a panel established by the corporate affairs ministry. The report proposed a new "Digital Competition Bill" to complement existing antitrust laws.

The U.S.-India Business Council, a key U.S. lobby group has already opposed the move, fearing its business impact.

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At COP29 in Baku, India expressed frustration with developed countries for not seriously discussing how to support climate action in developing nations, saying it is impossible to tackle climate change without financial and technological help.

Delivering a statement in the closing plenary of the subsidiary bodies' meeting on the Mitigation Work Programme (MWP) on Saturday, India said developed countries, which have historically contributed the most to greenhouse gas emissions and have more resources and the ability to act on climate change, have repeatedly delayed climate action and continuously shifted goalposts.

"We have seen no progress in matters critical for developing countries (during the last week). Our part of the world is facing some of the worst impacts of climate change with far lower capacity to recover from those impacts or to adapt to the changes to the climatic system for which we are not responsible," said India's deputy lead negotiator Neelesh Sah.

He said the MWP is meant to help, not punish, and must respect each country's right to set its own climate goals based on its unique needs and circumstances.

Neelesh Sah said that if there are no means of implementation -- financial support, technology, and capacity-building -- developing and low-income economies cannot cut greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to its effects.

"How can we discuss climate action when it is being made impossible for us to act even as our challenges in dealing with the impacts of climate change are increasing?" the Indian negotiator said.

India said developed countries with the highest capacity to take climate action had "continuously shifted goals, delayed climate action, and consumed a highly disproportionate share of the global carbon budget".

"We now have to meet our developmental needs in a situation where the carbon budget is depleting and the impacts of climate change are increasing. We are being asked to increase mitigation ambition by those who have shown no such ambition -- neither in their mitigation efforts nor in providing the means of implementation." "The bottom-up approach is being attempted to be made into a top-down approach, in turn attempting to turn the whole mandate of the MWP and the principles of the Paris Agreement upside down. For the past week, at the 'finance COP', we have been frustrated by the unwillingness of developed countries to engage on this issue," Sah said.

At COP29, countries are discussing how the MWP -- created two years ago at COP27 in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, to help support mitigation -- should work and what it should focus on.

Consultations on the MWP have remained tense, with developing countries saying that it was meant to help nations share ideas, experiences, and solutions for cutting emissions.

They argue that it was not supposed to create new targets or force any country to take specific actions.

On the other hand, developed countries want the MWP to push for stronger, more immediate action from all countries.

Overall, a new climate finance package to help developing nations reduce greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to climate change is the top priority of this year's UN climate talks.

In 2009, developed countries promised to provide USD 100 billion every year by 2020 to support climate action in developing countries, but this goal was only met in 2022.

Of the money provided, about 70 per cent came as loans, which increased the financial burden on low-income countries already struggling with the impacts of climate change.

With climate impacts worsening, developing countries need at least USD 1.3 trillion every year in financial support.

They argue this should come from developed countries' government funding, not from the private sector, which is driven by profit and not accountable to the UN climate process.

There has been little progress on this issue during the talks, with developed countries pushing for the climate finance package to be a "global investment goal", including money from all sectors -- public, private, domestic, and international.

"Climate finance cannot be changed into an investment goal when it is a unidirectional provision and mobilisation goal from the developed to the developing countries. The Paris Agreement is clear on who is to provide and mobilise the climate finance - it is the developed countries," India's lead negotiator Naresh Pal Gangwar said on Thursday during a high-level dialogue on climate finance.

Some developed countries led by the EU and the US argue the global economic landscape has shifted significantly since 1992. They suggest nations that have become wealthier since then, like China and some Gulf states, should also contribute to the new climate finance goal.

Developing countries view this as an attempt to shift responsibility from those who have historically benefited from industrialisation and contributed the most to greenhouse gas emissions.

They argue that expecting them to contribute, especially when many are still grappling with poverty and inadequate infrastructure amid worsening climate impacts, undermines the principle of equity.

The potential withdrawal of the US and Argentina from the Paris Agreement has significantly affected the morale of negotiators at COP29.

However, countries like China, the UK, and Brazil have taken a strong leadership role, offering hope for a much-needed deal to maintain confidence in the multilateral diplomatic system.

Negotiators are now looking for a strong signal from G20 heads of governments who will meet at Rio De Janeiro in Brazil on November 18-19.

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US President-elect Donald Trump nominated fracking magnate and climate change sceptic Chris Wright as energy secretary on Saturday, tasking him with "cutting red tape" which the new administration hopes will drive investment in fossil fuels.

"As Secretary of Energy, Chris will be a key leader, driving innovation, cutting red tape, and ushering in a new 'Golden Age of American Prosperity and Global Peace,'" Trump said in a statement.

Wright is a founder of Liberty Energy, which serves the energy companies that have massively increased US fossil fuel production in recent years by extracting oil and gas from shale fields in a process known as "fracking."

"My dedication to bettering human lives remains steadfast, with a focus on making American energy more affordable, reliable, and secure," Wright said on X after Trump's announcement.

Here are the live updates: 
 

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Super Typhoon Man-yi battered the Philippines on Saturday, with the national weather forecaster warning of a "potentially catastrophic and life-threatening" impact as huge waves pounded the archipelago's coastline.

More than 650,000 people fled their homes ahead of Man-yi, which is the sixth major storm to hit the disaster-weary country in the past month.

Man-yi brought maximum wind speeds of 195 kilometres (121 miles) per hour as it made landfall on the sparsely populated island province of Catanduanes as a super typhoon, the weather service said, adding gusts were reaching 325 kilometres an hour.

"Potentially catastrophic and life-threatening situation looms for northeastern Bicol region as Super Typhoon 'Pepito' further intensifies," the forecaster said hours before it made landfall, using the local name for the storm and referring to the southern part of the main island of Luzon.

Waves up to 14 metres (46 feet) high pummelled the shore of Catanduanes, while Manila and other vulnerable coastal regions were at risk from storm surges reaching up to more than three metres over the next 48 hours, the forecaster said.

The weather forecaster said winds walloping Catanduanes and northeastern Camarines Sur province -- both in the typhoon-prone Bicol region -- posed an "extreme threat to life and property".

Power was shut down on Catanduanes ahead of the storm, with shelters and the command centre using generators for electricity.

"We're hearing sounds of things falling and things breaking while here at the evacuation centre," Catanduanes provincial disaster operations chief Roberto Monterola told AFP after Man-yi made landfall.

"We are unable to check what they are as the winds are too strong. They could be tree branches breaking off and falling on rooftops," Monterola said, adding there had been no reports of casualties.

At least 163 people died in the five storms that pounded the Philippines in recent weeks, leaving thousands homeless and wiping out crops and livestock.

Climate change is increasing the intensity of storms, leading to heavier rains, flash floods and stronger gusts.

About 20 big storms and typhoons hit the Southeast Asian nation or its surrounding waters each year, killing scores of people, but it is rare for multiple such weather events to take place in a small window.

Evacuations

Man-yi could hit Luzon -- the country's most populous island and economic engine -- as a super typhoon or typhoon on Sunday afternoon, crossing north of Manila and sweeping over the South China Sea on Monday.

The government urged people on Saturday to heed warnings to flee to safety.

"If preemptive evacuation is required, let us do so and not wait for the hour of peril before evacuating or seeking help, because if we did that we will be putting in danger not only our lives but also those of our rescuers," Interior Undersecretary Marlo Iringan said.

In Albay province, Legazpi City grocer Myrna Perea sheltered with her husband and their three children in a school classroom alongside nine other families after they were ordered to leave their shanty.

Conditions were hot and cramped -- the family spent Friday night sleeping together on a mat under the classroom's single ceiling fan -- but Perea said it was better to be safe.

"I think our house will be wrecked when we get back because it's made of light materials -- just two gusts are required to knock it down," Perea, 44, told AFP.

"Even if the house is destroyed, the important thing is we do not lose a family member."

Back to 'square one' 

In Northern Samar province, disaster officer Rei Josiah Echano lamented that damage caused by typhoons was the root cause of poverty in the region.

"Whenever there's a typhoon like this, it brings us back to the medieval era, we go (back) to square one," Echano told AFP, as the province prepared for the onslaught of Man-yi.

The mayor of Naga city in Camarines Sur province imposed a curfew from midday on Saturday in a bid to force residents indoors.

All vessels -- from fishing boats to oil tankers -- were ordered to stay in port or return to shore.

The volcanology agency also warned heavy rain dumped by Man-yi could trigger flows of volcanic sediment, or lahars, from three volcanos, including Taal, south of Manila.

Man-yi hit the Philippines late in the typhoon season -- most cyclones develop between July and October.

Earlier this month, four storms were clustered simultaneously in the Pacific basin, which the Japan Meteorological Agency told AFP on Saturday was the first time such an occurrence had been observed in November since its records began in 1951.

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New Zealand's youngest MP, Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke, on Thursday tore up a copy of the contentious Treaty Principles Bill and performed a traditional Maori haka during a House session. This bold move comes almost a year after she went viral for performing a haka during her maiden speech in parliament. The 22-year-old Te Pati Maori MP interrupted the session, ripping apart the bill before breaking into the powerful dance. She was soon joined by others in the public gallery, prompting Speaker Gerry Brownlee to briefly suspend the House.

The Maori Haka

The Maori haka is a traditional performance that holds deep cultural significance for New Zealanders. It is known for its powerful energy, fierce facial expressions (pukana), and physical movements like stamping, hand gestures, and chanting. The haka varies by region, with many telling stories of significant events in a tribe's history. 

Origins and significance

The haka's origins lie in Maori mythology, created by Tane-more, the son of the sun god and the summer maid. It symbolises vitality and energy, representing the spirit of the Maori people. Traditionally, the haka was performed for war, to celebrate achievements, or to welcome guests. Today, it is performed at important occasions like sporting events, weddings, and funerals.

Types of Haka

There are various forms of haka, each with its unique purpose:

• Peruperu: A war haka performed with weapons to show strength.
• Ngarahu: A semi-war dance performed to test warriors' readiness.
• Haka Tui Waewae: A non-combative haka expressing emotions like joy or anger.
• Ka Mate: Created by Ngati Toa Chief Te Rauparaha, Ka Mate tells the story of his escape from capture and his subsequent rise as a great Maori leader.

The haka gained worldwide fame through New Zealand's All Blacks rugby team, who perform Ka Mate before each game. The performance is meant to assert dominance, energise the team, and honour Maori culture. This ritual has captivated audiences globally.

To experience haka firsthand, you can attend rugby matches or visit places like Rotorua where you can watch live performances or participate in traditional Maori experiences.

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Comedian Conan O'Brien, a former late-night television host, will be the emcee for the Oscars for the first time, taking over from fellow funnyman Jimmy Kimmel, organizers said Friday.

O'Brien, 61, will preside over Hollywood's biggest night next March, hoping to maintain -- and even perhaps improve -- on an uptick in ratings seen earlier this year.

America demanded it and now it's happening: Taco Bell's new Cheesy Chalupa Supreme. In other news, I'm hosting the Oscars. https://t.co/OFIlxI3wh4

— Conan O'Brien (@ConanOBrien) November 15, 2024

"America demanded it and now it's happening: Taco Bell's new Cheesy Chalupa Supreme. In other news, I'm hosting the Oscars," O'Brien quipped in a statement from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

Academy CEO Bill Kramer and President Janet Yang called O'Brien "the perfect person to help lead our global celebration of film with his brilliant humor, his love of movies and his live TV expertise."

"His remarkable ability to connect with audiences will bring viewers together to do what the Oscars do best -- honor the spectacular films and filmmakers of this year," they said in the statement.

Executive producers Raj Kapoor and Katy Mullan hailed O'Brien as "incredibly witty, charismatic and funny."

O'Brien, a five-time Emmy winner, hosted several late-night talk shows, including "The Tonight Show," and currently hosts the podcast "Conan O'Brien Needs a Friend." He previously served as a writer for "Saturday Night Live."

Kimmel first hosted the Oscars in 2017 and 2018. He was then brought back in 2023 after the previous year's ceremony featured actor Will Smith's infamous on-stage slap of Chris Rock. Kimmel also hosted the gala this past March.

Almost 20 million tuned in for the last Oscars -- a welcome upward trend for organizers of live awards shows, which have been shedding viewers as they compete for viewers with streamers and social media highlight clips.

The 97th Academy Awards will be held on March 2, 2025 at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood.

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A 1,700-piece private collection of Chinese ceramics with an estimated value of £1 billion ($1.27 billion) has been donated to the British Museum -- a record for any UK institution.

The central London museum announced late on Wednesday that the Trustees of The Sir Percival David Foundation had gifted the collection permanently to go on public display.

David, who died in 1964, was a British businessman and Sinophile who collected ceramics from Europe, Japan, Hong Kong and China.

His collection had been on loan to the museum since 2009.

Museum chair George Osborne said he was "thrilled by this blockbuster decision" to make the loan permanent, calling it "the largest bequest to the British Museum in our long history".

Colin Sheaf, chair of The Sir Percival David Foundation of Chinese Art, said the donation coincided with the centenary of the businessman's first trip to China, which inspired his love of its art and culture.

He said he hoped it would continue to inspire and educate future generations.

Highlights from the collection include vases from 1351 and a cup used to serve wine for the Chenghua emperor in the 15th century, as well as ceramics made for the Northern Song dynasty court in the 11th century.

Some pieces from the collection will be loaned to the Shanghai Museum in China and the Metropolitan Museum in New York.

The British Museum was founded in 1753 and is one of the most famous in the world, with a collection of about eight million objects.

But like many Western museums, it has come under pressure in recent years to address calls to return items acquired during the British Empire, not least the Parthenon, or Elgin, Marbles.

Last year the museum -- home to the Rosetta Stone -- was rocked by revelations that thousands of artefacts from its collection were found to be "missing, stolen or damaged". Hundreds have since been recovered.

It dismissed a staff member suspected of involvement in what it called "an inside job", and alerted police who have interviewed a person but made no arrests.

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The Iranian state is planning to open a treatment clinic for women who flout the mandatory hijab laws that require them to cover their heads in public. Announcing the opening of a "hijab removal treatment clinic", Mehri Talebi Darestani, the head of the Women and Family Department of the Tehran Headquarters for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice said the establishment will offer "scientific and psychological treatment for hijab removal".

"The establishment of this center will be for the scientific and psychological treatment of removing the hijab, specifically for the teenage generation, young adults, and women seeking social and Islamic identity and visiting this center is optional," a report by Iran International quoted Talebi as saying.

Notably, the Women and Family Department of the Tehran Headquarters for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice falls under the direct authority of Iran's supreme leader Ali Khamenei. The body is reportedly responsible for defining and enforcing strict religious standards in Iran, particularly those related to women's dress.

Move Sparks Outrage

The announcement came weeks after a university student, who stripped down to her underwear on a Tehran campus in an apparent protest at harsh treatment by dress code enforcers, was detained and sent to a psychiatric hospital for mental health treatment.

The news of the new clinic has spread among the "Woman, Life, Freedom" protest groups and women, sparking fear and outrage.

Speaking with The Guardian on the condition of anonymity, a young woman from Iran said, "It won't be a clinic, it will be a prison."

"We are struggling to make ends meet and have power outages, but a piece of cloth is what this state is worried about. If there was a time for all of us to come back to the streets, it's now or they'll lock us all up," she said. 

According to Iranian human rights lawyer, Hossein Raeesi, the idea of a clinic to treat women who did not comply with hijab laws is "neither Islamic nor aligned with Iranian law". 

Use Of Psychiatric Facilities To Curb Dissent

Iranian authorities have been widely accused of using mental health institutions to curb the dissent against the strict hijab law. The method has been condemned by human rights advocates as psychologically abusive and manipulative.

Speaking to The Guardian, Sima Sabet, a UK-based Iranian journalist who was a target of an Iranian assassination attempt last year, said the move is “shameful”.

“The idea of establishing clinics to ‘cure' unveiled women is chilling, where people are separated from society simply for not conforming to the ruling ideology," she said.

Since the "Woman, Life, Freedom" movement began, hardliners have increased efforts to enforce strict dress codes for women. Artists, including actresses Afsaneh Bayegan, Azadeh Samadi, and Leila Bolukat, who posted images of themselves without a hijab, reportedly received court-ordered mandates for weekly visits to psychological centers for mental health certificates in response to their conduct.

The "Woman, Life, Freedom" movement began in Iran after the death of young woman Mahsa Amini in police custody over hijab violations in September 2022.

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South Korean police have arrested 215 people on suspicion of stealing 320 billion won ($228.4 million) in the biggest cryptocurrency investment scam in the country.

Gyeonggi Nambu Provincial Police said on Wednesday the arrests included the alleged mastermind of the organised crime group accused of selling 28 types of virtual tokens to about 15,000 people by promising high returns.

Police said the group had issued six of the 28 tokens on overseas crypto exchanges and were managing a team of market makers to push up prices. Police described the tokens as "worthless".

The group had set up investment consulting companies and sales teams to sell the virtual assets to people who had subscribed to a YouTube channel, the police statement said.

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