Hit Netflix show Trust Me: The False Prophet laid bare the crimes of Samual Bateman and how he was able to exert control over his ‘followers’, including the parents of his child ‘brides’

Cult leader Samuel Bateman is serving 50 years in jail after taking 20 ‘wives’, some as young as nine years old, as a self-styled ‘prophet’. But he continues to exert his dark control from behind bars.

Indeed, some of his loyal followers have argued that imprisonment has only strengthened his power; he is considered a ‘martyr’ amongst his believers, an idea he reinforces through his daily calls with his ‘wives’.

Bateman’s rise to power within the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints has been documented in the hit Netflix series Trust Me: The False Prophet. The series is built around extraordinary material captured in real time by cult researcher Christine Marie and her husband, videographer Tolga Katas as Bateman assembled a polygamous splinter sect that promoted child sex abuse.

Their close proximity to Bateman’s inner circle provided federal investigators with direct evidence of his activities, including a recording in late 2021 in which Bateman described what he called an ‘Atonement’ ceremony, which he said involved “giving away” his “wives” – nine of whom were minors – to his followers and ordering them to have sex while he watched.

Another filmed interaction shows a sweaty Bateman – wearing an Elvis-style white leather jacket – reclining on a sofa, with his wives wearing 19th-century-style prairie dresses, fawn over him, stroking his chest, giggling and addressing him as ‘King’, ‘Master’ and ‘Father’.

Bateman’s ascension within the FLDS – a breakaway sect of the Mormon church – came after its former leader Warren Jeffs was convicted in 2011 of sexually assaulting two girls and sentenced to life in prison. With no leadership structure in place, Bateman proclaimed himself a prophet, and said that Jeffs was now speaking through him.

Followers were encouraged to demonstrate their loyalty through testimony, financial contributions, and, in some cases, by giving Bateman their daughters to be one of his “wives”.

“Through coercion and manipulation, Bateman regularly forced his victims to participate with him in individual and group sexual activities with adults and other children,” the Department of Justice said. “He gave one of the victims to an adult male follower to be sexually abused, and on another occasion transmitted a live video stream of child sexual abuse to his followers. Bateman and others transported the victims between states to facilitate the sexual abuse, which continued until Bateman’s arrest on federal charges in September 2022.”

Bateman was arrested when he was discovered hauling a trailer containing multiple women – and three young girls aged between 11 and 14. Someone alerted authorities after spotting small fingers reaching through the slats of the door. The Netflix series culminates with Bateman being taken into custody and his eventual sentencing. But it also ends with a chilling warning: many of his adult wives still believe he is their prophet.

It’s no surprise to psychotherapist Gillie Jenkinson, who has spent more than 30 years working with former cult members. Gillie was in a cult herself back in the 70s and went on to set up Hope Valley Counselling in 2006 to help others navigate life after leaving. Key for these warped ‘leaders’, she says, is ‘thought reform’ – a process identified by Robert Lifton which is used to break down an individual’s identity and reconstruct it under the cult’s ideology.

“Whether you’re born into it or whether you join it as an adult, they do a job on you with your identity, because you have to be the person they want you to be,” she told the Mirror.

“They’re having to obey, comply, they’re terrified, and they’re, you know, submissive. And if they rebel, and show elements of something other than what’s expected, they get into big trouble. It’s cutting you off from the outside and the idea that so nobody else has the truth. No one else knows in the way we know,” Gillie notes. “So we don’t need to listen to them. And it also includes cutting off communication with yourself.

“That internal conversation gets suppressed, and it’s a control of, so the leadership controls that internal communication. So you start monitoring yourself, this is doubt, doubt is a sin. So you can’t have an internal conversation with yourself.”

By setting up a system where people confess their sins, “followers start being way too open about what they’re thinking, which gives ammunition to the leadership. They only know because you’ve told them. But there’s also an internal confession where you reiterate how sinful and bad you are and so, you know, you do a job on yourself as well as internally and externally.”

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After Bateman’s arrest, the underage girls he had considered to be his ‘wives’ were removed from his custody and placed under state protection. But two months later, he conspired with some of his followers to kidnap the children from protective custody.

Eight of the girls later disappeared from foster care in Arizona, and were found hundreds of miles away in Washington state, in a vehicle driven by one of the adult ‘wives’. Bateman later admitted his involvement in the kidnapping plot.

Furthermore, he continued his pattern of sexual abuse and control even after his arrest. While being held at the Core Civic/Central Arizona Florence Correctional Complex, he was accused of trying to intimidate a government witness and using the jail phone to have “explicit sexual conversations” with children, federal court documents revealed.

During a conversation on November 26, Bateman called a 13-year-old girl identified only as Jane Doe 4 a “sexy darling” and asked if she remembered their “sacred times” together, according to the documents. He also had inappropriate conversations with a 16-year-old girl identified as Jane Doe 11, the filing states.

“Despite Bateman’s knowledge that his non-legal communications are monitored, he brazenly engaged in explicit sexual conversations with children, including with 13-year-old Jane Doe 4,” prosecutors wrote. At the time, Bateman was prohibited from communicating with Jane Doe 4.

Bateman was also alleged to have made calls to some of his ‘wives’, directing them to send “intimidating messages” to a government witness. His phone privileges at the facility were ultimately restricted and he was told he could only communicate with his attorneys. But court documents stated that he had tried to find ways around it by using the pin number of another inmate to make calls.

His adult wives, who were aware of the restrictions, also made new email addresses and got new phone numbers to attempt to contact Bateman, according to the documents.

In April 2024, Bateman pleaded guilty to conspiracy to transport a minor for criminal sexual activity and conspiracy to commit kidnapping, according to the U.S. Department of Justice . He was sentenced in December 2024 to 50 years in federal prison, followed by lifetime supervised release.

At the time of sentencing, Bateman was 48, making it effectively a life term. Federal prosecutors said he will spend the remainder of his days in custody.

Seven of Bateman’s adult ‘wives’ have since been convicted of crimes related to coercing children into sexual activity or impeding the investigation. Some acknowledged they also coerced girls to become Bateman’s spiritual ‘wives’, had witnessed Bateman sexually abusing girls, or joined in kidnapping them from foster care.

Following their imprisonment, former wives like Naomi “Nomz” Bistline and Moretta Johnson, left the FLDS sect, along with Bateman’s underage victims But others continue to communicate with Bateman and support him.

Christine, who along with her videographer husband Tolga helped bring Bateman down, says that his continued access to his followers through daily phone calls helps him maintain control. “That communication with him is like an IV of indoctrination,” she said. “It’s like they’re getting fed certainty right into their veins — their belief that he is talking to God.”

She told Netflix’s Tudum that she is convinced that freedom for these women begins with breaking contact. “Once they break from him and from the other people who believe in him, then they can say, ‘Wait, maybe I’m not so certain. Maybe he did make all this up so that he could get money, power, and sex — like every other cult leader,’” she said.

According to Gillie, while it could take years, many of Bateman’s remaining followers will likely also fall away. “They must take back control of their environment; previously everything was dictated, from what they could wear, what they ate, who they had sex with, how they spent their free time, and their social lives.

“It’s a vital part of understanding for survivors who come out, ex members, to understand this is the system you were part of,” Gillie says. “It’s very often people will be blaming themselves and thinking, “How was I so stupid?”

But both Gillie and Christine know that all the women who came under Bateman’s power deserve a life of freedom. “They deserve to find true love. They deserve to know what reality is. You can’t be free if you’re living in a world of fiction,” Christine says.

Her husband put his arm around her, sharing a caring word or glance, as she relived the worst day of her life. Friday, June 12, 2026 was a day of contradictions.

Although it was a day when she finally saw justice in court in her case, it was also a day to reflect on the untold harm and misery caused by that notorious night more than 20 years ago.

In court that day, while sat feet away from the man who had so brutally and viciously attacked her, the circumstances surrounding her ordeal were rehearsed again.

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This was a man who had not only horrendously violated his victim in what a judge described as ‘direct, physical evil’, but also committed ‘indirect evil’ against an innocent man who found himself in the wrong place at the wrong time.

In 2003, the woman, then 33, had been making her way home through the streets of Little Hulton in the early hours. She had been at her boyfriend’s home, but decided to make her way home on foot. Suddenly, she was swept off her feet and pushed down a motorway embankment.

There, she was subjected to horrors which have remained with her for the rest of her life. She was knocked unconscious, raped, and brutally attacked. What would follow would become one of the worst miscarriages of justice in the English criminal justice system.

Andrew Malkinson, a wholly innocent man, was wrongly picked out as the attacker and ended up serving 17 years in prison before he was eventually cleared.

Paul Quinn, the true attacker, had watched on for almost two decades. His internet search history revealed he was aware of Mr Malkinson’s plight, and was actively researching it as he remained a free man.

‘I live in constant fear’

Judge Mr Justice Bright told Quinn, who remained emotionless throughout his sentencing hearing: “It is utterly clear that you knew, throughout, that another man had been arrested, charged, convicted and imprisoned.

“You knew that his conviction was wrongful. You also knew that it was extremely useful to you. It must have preyed on your conscience that another man was in prison, in effect serving your sentence; it certainly should have preyed on your conscience. But you were only too willing to sit back and take advantage of his misfortune.

“It is true that you never did anything positive to implicate Mr Malkinson. However, but for your offending, he would never even have been questioned.”

The woman said in her victim impact statement: “After 20 years, I now have justice but that does not change the fact that two lives have been impacted in such a way. I am aware that someone has had 17 years robbed as a result of this case and that stays with me.”

For the first time, the victim told in detail how her ordeal has affected her and remained with her every day for those two decades, as she was lauded as a ‘hero’ by the judge.

“Every day I look at my face and see the disfigurement, the scarring,” she said in a statement read on her behalf by prosecutors in court.

“It is a permanent reminder of that night and what I experienced. I have to live with that. I have always been a little reserved, take time to come out of my shell but following those events, everything changed.

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“I live in constant fear that someone is behind me, even in places that others wouldn’t consider a risk, like the supermarket. The permanent state of anxiety which has stopped me feeling able to socialise, always wanting to get home and shut the door as quickly as possible.

“With work, home and a couple of appointments with known individuals being the only places I can muster up enough courage to attend alone. For everything else, I have my family or husband who escort me and reassure me, try and make me feel safe.

“The impact has been massive but the ripple effect on my family has also been hard to watch, not being able to stay more than a couple of hours at family gatherings, wanting to head back to the room after tea on holiday instead of enjoying the scenery, not opening up about how I feel for fear of not being able to put everything back in its box.”

‘I will remember her for the rest of my days’

She was in court as Quinn was sentenced to 21 years in prison after being found guilty of two counts of rape and well as inflicting GBH and a charge of attempting to choke, suffocate or strangle with intent. He will serve two-thirds of the sentence, before he can be considered for release by the Parole Board.

She looked on ahead as Quinn, to her right, wearing a blue navy jumper, white t-shirt and glasses, listened intently. Before passing sentence, the judge paid tribute to the bravery of the victim in Quinn’s case as well as other rape survivors.

He said: “Much has been said in the last several years about how uncomfortable our processes are for people who have endured rape, having to tell their story over and over again, to the police, to the CPS and ultimately to the jury.

“I am well aware that, in fact, there are, nowadays, scores of carefully trained and sensitive professionals, in the police, in the CPS, in witness support, and in several other bodies, who go to great lengths to care for and help the people affected. I wish that the excellent work they do were better publicised.

“Nevertheless, it is an undeniably uncomfortable process. The people who put themselves through it are, in my view, heroic. For me, the only word for them is not complainant or victim; nor, even, survivor. It is hero.

“That is how I choose to think of the woman at the heart in this case. She, not you, Paul Quinn, is the person, from this case, whom I will remember for the rest of my days. She is, truly, a hero.”

‘Insulted’

Mr Malkinson issued a statement after the hearing, telling how he felt ‘insulted’ by the judge’s sentencing and believed Quinn had ‘gotten off lightly’.

He said: “I am insulted that this violent, depraved individual – who was content to let me suffer two decades of vilification and more than 17 years wrongly imprisoned for his crime – has received a softer sentence than was imposed on me, an innocent man.

“I got sentenced to life imprisonment and served more than 17 years inside. Throughout that time I didn’t know if I would ever be released.

“Paul Quinn, who has a track record of violence and sexual offences, and who let me rot whilst he enjoyed his freedom, could now be out after just 14 years, and will certainly be out after 21 years. I hope that this man does not get parole and that he serves longer than me. Anything less is not justice.

“I am also appalled for the victim, who has suffered so gravely and whose real attacker has today gotten off lightly. My thoughts are with her and her loved ones – who I hope today nevertheless brings some peace.”

Just the beginning

Following the conclusion of Quinn’s criminal case, the focus turns to an inquiry set up to examine how such a grave miscarriage of justice took place. The inquiry, led by Old Bailey judge Sarah Munro KC, was paused while Quinn’s trial was ongoing.

An update on the inquiry’s website said: “Now that the Jury at Manchester Crown Court have returned their verdicts on 17 April 2026 in a trial presided over by Mr Justice Bright, the Inquiry can recommence and continue its work to discharge and address the Terms of Reference which will ultimately result in the publication of the Andrew Malkinson Inquiry Report. Further updates will be provided as soon as the Inquiry is able.”

An investigation by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) remains ongoing. The watchdog previously said four retired GMP officers were under investigation for potential gross misconduct in connection with the case. That number is now five. Another officer, who is still serving, is being investigated for possible misconduct.

One of the former officers is also under criminal investigation for potential offences of misconduct in public office and perverting the course of justice.

In an update released following the trial, IOPC director Amanda Rowe said: “A team of highly experienced investigators continues to carefully consider Mr Malkinson’s complaints, relating to the actions of GMP during the investigation and the trial in 2004.

“This is a hugely complex and time-consuming process, in part because of the passage of time and the large amount of evidence and lines of inquiry to consider, but our work is vital to get Mr Malkinson the answers he deserves and give the public confidence that, when things go wrong like this, there will be scrutiny and lessons will be learned.

“Now that the criminal matters have concluded, we will consider how any evidence heard during the trial may affect our investigation and resume paused lines of inquiry, including approaching witnesses we believe may be able to assist us.

“We understand the impact this investigation will have for those involved and we will do everything in our power to conclude matters as soon as possible, while ensuring all of Mr Malkinson’s complaints are thoroughly investigated.”

Appeal for other potential victims

GMP are also investigating whether Quinn may have committed similar offences between 2003 and his prosecution in this case. No evidence has currently been found, but it is a line of enquiry which detectives are pursuing.

After the hearing, Detective Chief Superintendent Rebecca McKendrick, senior investigating officer on the case, said: “When Paul Quinn attacked and raped a lone woman late that night in July 2003, he knew what he had done. He knew his crime was horrific and he knew how cowardly he was for watching another man go to prison.

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“Twenty years later, he denied it – telling us he would have been ashamed of committing such an offence. Well tonight I hope that shame runs deep to his core.

“We know this outcome has come two decades too late for those impacted by this case. However, we will not allow time to be a barrier to justice for anyone who has further information about Paul Quinn and any further potential sexual offending. To commit such a violent attack raises concerns that there may be other victims out there.

“If you believe you have been a victim or have information you have not yet shared with us, please know we want to hear from you. We promise you that we will support you and we will listen to you.”

With this most recent outbreak, US agriculture and health officials have outlined a plan to release hundreds of millions of genetically altered sterile flies to try to halt the population growth, along with using sniffer dogs to identify the parasite in cattle. Some experts questions whether these tactics will be enough to halt the spread, though.

The presenting duo revealed plans for the fresh project during an appearance at SXSW London, where Declan Donnelly hinted that the idea could include a real-time simulcast across television and social media.

Mr Donnelly said: “We’d like to launch something ourselves pretty soon.

“We’re working with ITV closely at the minute.

“We’ve got lots of thoughts and we feel like we may have another live format.

“We’d love to explore the possibility of TV and a social media platform simulcast in some kind of way.

“We just want to reach everybody all at once.”

Ant and Dec in talks for brand new live show

While the details remain under wraps, the news comes as the duo recently announced their latest ITV series, Holey Moley – a family entertainment show centred around a wild and oversized crazy golf course.

Announced earlier this year, Ant McPartlin described the show as a perfect fit for their style of presenting.

He said: “This show is absolutely perfect for us.

“It’s all about pure fun and entertainment for the whole family from start to finish.

“Anyone who knows us knows we are adore golf, but you don’t need to be a golf fanatic to enjoy it, there’s something for everyone!”

The series will feature both amateur and professional players as they take on imaginative obstacles and outrageous physical challenges in a bid to win the Holey Moley golden putter, green plaid jacket and a “fantastic prize”.

Declan Donnelly said: “Holey Moley blends the game with huge entertaining moments that the whole family can sit down together, watch and enjoy.

“It’s epic, bold and full of laughs.

“We’re really excited to bring the show to the UK.”

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Katie Rawcliffe, director of entertainment, reality and daytime commissioning for ITV, said: “We couldn’t be more excited to announce a brand-new entertainment format presented by Ant and Dec.

“Holey Moley is brilliantly competitive and enormous fun, making it a compelling watch for all.”

Charlie Irwin, managing director for Talkback Thames, described the format as “big, funny and unapologetically entertaining.”

MPONDWE BORDER, Uganda (AP) — Leah Masika was on the verge of tears as she thought of her valuable consignment of plantain stuck in a long convoy of trucks on both sides of the Uganda-Congo border. Her cargo, destined for Uganda, was starting to leak water, and would go bad within hours if there was no movement.

The Ugandan trader was awaiting clearance from authorities for trucks to pass through the Mpondwe border post on Thursday after they were prevented from entering or leaving Uganda as part of escalating measures to prevent cross-border Ebola contagion.

“Our things are here rotting,” she said.

On May 28, about two weeks after Congo declared an outbreak of Ebola in the eastern Ituri province, Uganda closed its western border in a decision that reflected growing fears of cross-border contagion. Exceptions were made only in emergency cases, including for the outbreak response, humanitarian, cargo or security reasons.

But in recent days, as the spread of Ebola in eastern Congo appeared to outpace the response, authorities in the Ugandan frontier district of Kasese have tightened the measures.

Traders say they are frustrated by the slow movement of cargo trucks. Some at the Mpondwe border post told The Associated Press that while they knew the tough measures are provoked by fear of Ebola contagion, they felt that holding up the trucks was excessive.

Sylvia Asiimwe, a clearing agent, pointed to the queue of trucks stretching over a mile on the Ugandan side. At least seven were carrying fish imported from China and destined for the Congolese cities of Beni and Butembo.

Asiimwe was adamant those Congolese towns are in the province of North Kivu, not the Ebola epicenter of Ituri. “The fish is going to spoil,” she said. “So much money.”

‘Ebola has wasted our work’

The Uganda-Congo border is several hundred miles long and crossed by numerous footpaths beyond formal border posts. Trade is often booming along the route up to Mpondwe, and there is kinship between the Bakonzo people on the Ugandan side and the Banande on the other side.

Mpondwe is Uganda’s top border post for informal exports that were valued at an estimated $131 million in 2023, according to the Uganda Bureau of Statistics.

After the recent border closure, some shops were shuttered and young men, deprived of casual work, sat on stools dolefully.

“The situation is bad,” said Ismail Mumbere, who often works as a vendor of roadside snacks on the Ugandan side. “A lot of people earn from here, in many businesses. But now the government has told us there is Ebola. Ebola has wasted our work.”

The current outbreak in Congo is suspected to have infected over 1,000 people. The number of confirmed cases is much lower because many suspected victims succumb to their symptoms outside hospitals and without firm proof they had Ebola.

All available vaccines and treatments for Ebola don’t work for patients with the rare Bundibugyo type spreading in Congo, making the outbreak worrisome.

Ugandan authorities are cautious after 15 confirmed cases

Uganda has confirmed 15 Ebola cases, all linked to the outbreak in the neighboring country after some Congolese nationals sought treatment in the Ugandan capital of Kampala before it was known there was an outbreak.

The disease was believed to have been spreading for days or weeks before the outbreak was declared May 15.

Uganda has had multiple Ebola outbreaks of its own since 2000, when the disease killed more than 200 people.

Ebola, named for a tributary of the Congo River, was first discovered in 1976 in simultaneous outbreaks in Congo and present-day South Sudan. Outbreaks are believed to start with the virus spilling over into humans from an infected animal such as a fruit bat. These cross-species infections often happen when people handle and eat wild meat, according to experts.

Once Ebola has infected one person, the virus then spreads through close contact with sick or deceased patients’ bodily fluids, such as sweat, blood, feces or vomit.

Tracing and isolating contacts is seen as key to stopping the spread of Ebola, in addition to getting medical workers proper protective equipment.

Bwambale, the surveillance officer, said the nearest referral hospital in Kasese has an isolation center and is equipped with a lab that can return results on a sample within six hours. In recent days, samples taken from 41 people in the Kasese area tested negative for Ebola, which manifests as hemorrhagic fever.

Still, authorities appeared to be planning more restrictions.

A meeting of the local Ebola task force was likely to come up with “a more restricted way on how both the cargo or the trucks get into the country in a systematic way,” Bwambale said.

That alarms traders for whom the Mpondwe border post is the primary route of business.

Masika, the plantain dealer, said she would not order more goods from Congo until the current outbreak was over. But she would be in trouble if the cargo already in transit didn’t reach various locations in and around Kampala, where the fruits, deep fried or boiled, are a staple of breakfast menus in restaurants.

Masika said she couldn’t countenance a loss of 50 bags, each worth roughly $44.

“We are begging them to help us and open (the border),” she said. “We will not go back to Congo.”

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For more on Africa and development: https://apnews.com/hub/africa-pulse

The Associated Press receives financial support for global health and development coverage in Africa from the Gates Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.

Hundreds of supporters of the Cockroach Janata Party, an online joke that drew millions across India, gathered for the first time in the national capital on Saturday, taking the social media movement off screens and into its biggest real-world test yet.

The protest at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi, marks the movement’s first foray into street politics after weeks of dominating social media feeds and news headlines, attracting millions of online followers and widespread support among young Indians.

Hundreds of mostly young Indians gathered in the heart of New Delhi’s protest zone near Parliament, some with placards and cockroach masks. How many ultimately would join remained unclear, making the event an early test of whether the movement can channel its online popularity into a broader grassroots support around growing frustration among young Indians over education, jobs and economic prospects.

Abhijeet Dipke, founder of the online movement, arrived in the capital from the US on Saturday to participate in the protest. Police laid steel barricades at arrivals at New Delhi’s international airport.

Dipke said in a social media post that police granted permission to the Cockroach Janta Party, or CJP, to hold the protest, saying: “Cockroaches gather at Jantar Mantar.”

CJP organisers used social media to rally supporters for Saturday’s march, demanding the resignation of education minister Dharmendra Pradhan. The demand grew out of an exam irregularity controversy in May that quickly became a broader outlet for frustration over India’s education system and limited job opportunities.

Supporters chanted slogans including, “Cockroaches are coming, Dharmendra Pradhan is going!”

Participants were encouraged to bring India’s national flag and a book, which organisers said symbolised the right to education and equal opportunity for all. Organisers also urged demonstrators to remain peaceful and avoid any confrontations with police.

“Time to turn this tiny joke into a revolution,” the official CJP account on X posted on Friday.

The CJP emerged only three weeks ago to become an unlikely outlet for discontent among supporters who proudly call themselves “cockroaches.”

India’s Chief Justice Surya Kant likened critics and some unemployed youth to cockroaches during a May hearing, sparking backlash among frustrated young Indians. Dipke, a political communications strategist and Boston University student, used the insult as inspiration for a parody political party. Within a week of launching a website and social media accounts, CJP’s Instagram page had amassed more than 15 million followers.

The party has turned the cockroach into a wry badge of endurance and political articulation. Videos and memes lampooning unemployment, corruption and political dysfunction have drawn millions of views online. Parody CJP accounts also have adopted the cockroach as a political symbol and use memes, mock campaign slogans and satirical commentary.

The movement’s tongue-in-cheek messaging blends self-deprecating humour with political criticism. Supporters jokingly describe themselves as unemployed, perpetually online and shut out of meaningful influence. Beneath the humour lies a broader criticism of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government, as CJP supporters argue that ordinary Indians, particularly young people, have been left with fewer opportunities.

Young people in India make up more than a quarter of the population but face limited job opportunities, rising unemployment and growing disillusionment with traditional politics. Many young voters also are critical of Modi’s ruling Hindu nationalist ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, citing concerns over rising religious polarisation, widening inequality and mounting economic pressures.

The movement’s skeptics, particularly supporters of Modi’s party, dismiss the phenomenon as little more than a social-media gimmick. They argue the movement’s online popularity may not translate into street mobilisation and that its rapid rise is likely fleeting.

The group’s rise echoes a similar trend across South Asia of youth movements born out of social media playing a central role in anti-government protests, including uprisings in Sri Lanka and Bangladesh and unrest in Nepal.

The movement still faces significant hurdles. Over the past decade, Indian authorities under Modi have sought to stamp out protests against his government, including demonstrations against a controversial citizenship legislation and yearlong farmers’ protests.

Some protest movements also have faced legal action against organisers and activist arrests, which is part of what critics describe as a broader effort by authorities under Modi to suppress dissent.

A popular business is opening its first restaurant in a Cambridgeshire city

A pair who lost their business after being told their burger van must close for “safety concerns” are opening their first restaurant in a Cambridgeshire city. Higgsy’s opened in a layby on the A15 near Peterborough in 2022, but closed this year after Huntingdonshire District Council refused to renew its licence.

The local authority said it had “serious health and safety concerns” about the number of vehicles using the facility on the layby. Owners Adam Miller and Amber Higgs are preparing to open their permanent restaurant on Cowgate in Peterborough city centre.

The menu is due to remain similar to before with a range of burgers to choose from. Higgsy’s plans to open for two split shifts a day during the lunch and evening hours. A confirmed opening date and hours are expected to be announced soon.

Following the setbacks, Adam said: “It feels quite validating because there have been lots of times when Amber and I have thought that we don’t know what the solution is.”

“To be in the position we are in now, it feels absolutely fantastic and absolutely stronger,” Adam added. The business has faced other challenges, including being affected by three suspected arson attacks in 2025.

Describing the environment the owners would like to create at Higgsy’s, Adam said: “We want somewhere that feels relaxed and natural and not like a chain.

“So, people will be able to come in with a menu that they know. Music will be playing and beers. We just want it to be really great quality food, no stress and a nice environment.”

He also feels like their restaurant will fill a gap in the market by offering a dedicated burger establishment for customers. The business has earned a strong reputation with an average of 4.9 stars out of five on Google reviews.

One person said that they were “mind blown” by the burger while another customer said it was the “best burger in Cambridgeshire”.

Another wrote: “Wow burgers! We’ve heard a lot about Higgsy’s and it does not disappoint. Extremely friendly service with a smile and good chat.”

Harry Kane’s final task of the finest season of a magnificent career is to attend to unfinished business as England’s World Cup captain.

Kane is England’s ‘Mr Irreplaceable’ – as proved when Thomas Tuchel’s side were ominously toothless when drawing with Uruguay then losing to Japan in March friendlies at Wembley.

The 32-year-old’s fitness will be Tuchel’s biggest concern as they prepare to start their World Cup campaign against Croatia in Dallas on 17 June, not simply because of his status as England’s all-time record scorer with 78 goals in 112 games, but also because they have no-one remotely in Kane’s class.

If Kane stays fit, and in the remarkable form that brought him 64 goals in 56 games for Bayern Munich this season, England’s hopes will soar.

If not, the reverse applies.

As former England striker Chris Sutton told BBC Sport: “Harry Kane is so important that if he announced his international retirement this afternoon, everyone would instantly view England’s World Cup chances in a different, more pessimistic light.”

Silverware has come late in Kane’s career after barren years at Tottenham Hotspur, when even his stunning goalscoring numbers could not bring glory.

He is now making up for lost time by winning a second successive Bundesliga with Bayern Munich, then scoring a hat-trick as they beat Stuttgart 3-0 in the German Cup final.

And Kane now has his sights set on delivering the biggest prize of all as he leads England on their latest quest to end the search for men’s success stretching back to the 1966 World Cup win.

England’s countdown to their opening World Cup game continues when they play New Zealand in a friendly at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida, on Saturday (21:00 BST).

Kane has suffered the disappointment of losing successive European Championship finals with England to Italy and Spain, as well as a World Cup semi-final defeat by Croatia in 2018 and a quarter-final loss to France in Qatar.

Now Kane’s stellar form and fitness suggest the time might be right for England and their talisman to overcome the barrier that has brought 60 years of pain.

The Blackpool-based sibling duo have appeared on the Channel 4 show since 2017 and have since become fan favourites.

While both Sophie and Pete are often praised by viewers for their hilarious views and antics, a recent discover about the duos family has stunned fans.

As the pair are related to British comedy and children’s TV icons that also happen to be siblings.

This day 2018 with my great niece and nephew @PeteandSophie #Gogglebox pic.twitter.com/oFlNkV1ulf

— Paul Chuckle (@PaulChuckle2) March 3, 2019

Gogglebox’s Sophie and Pete Sandiford related to Chuckle Brothers stars

Sophie and Pete’s uncle is none other than comedy legend Paul Elliott and the late brother of Paul, Barry Elliott.

The connection was hinted at over the years, but never confirmed, but now Paul shared an old picture of the happy family on X, captioning the post: “This day 2018 with my great niece and nephew @PeteandSophie #Gogglebox.”

The Chuckle Brothers star also shared a picture with his niece and nephew in 2019 sharing: “Look who we had a very nice lunch with @pinklarkholme #ProudUncle @Petesandiford @PeteandSophie @llucyjohnson X.”

More recently, in November 2025, Paul shared a snap of the family on Facebook, writing, “Here’s a well-known fact that a lot of people still don’t know. Pete and Sophie from Gogglebox are my niece and nephew.”

In 2018, Gogglebox star Sophie took to X to share a touching tribute to the late Barry Elliott, who died from bone cancer in August of that year.

Sharing a tribute, she wrote: “A truly lovely and funny man to be around. You filled millions of childhoods with laughter and entertainment, including mine and Peter’s.”

Adding: “You will be sadly missed by many. Rest in peace, Uncle Barry. Lots of love from me to you.”

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Sophie and Pete are not the only Gogglebox stars to share a famous relative, as the former star of the Channel 4 show Marcus Luther had a famous son.

Marcus appeared on the show alongside his partner Mica Ven, but it was revealed that he had previously filmed for Gogglebox with his son from a previous relationship, boxer Shiloh Defreitas.

Shiloh is the older brother of Marcus and Mica’s son, Yash, while Mica has two daughters, Sachelle and Shuggy.

The career trajectories of French Open finalists Mirra Andreeva and Maja Chwalinska could not be more contrasting.

Russian eighth seed Andreeva is a teenage sensation who earned her first WTA Tour win as a 15-year-old in 2023, reaching the Wimbledon fourth round just two months later.

Becoming a Grand Slam champion has felt like a question of when, and not if, ever since.

“I’m getting closer – I’m getting a little bit more mature with every match I play,” said 19-year-old Andreeva.

Qualifier Chwalinska’s path to Saturday’s showpiece at Roland Garros has been less predictable.

The 24-year-old from Poland has never received direct entry into the main draw of a major and had only come through Grand Slam qualifying in two of her previous 14 attempts.

With little pedigree, 114th-ranked Chwalinska’s breakthrough is a lesson in what can be achieved through dedication and perseverance.

“I feel like I’m in the bubble. I don’t know what’s going on. I’m just very happy to be here,” said Chwalinska, who was a 500-1 outsider at the start of the tournament.