Get all your news in one place.

100's of premium titles.
One app.

Get all your news in one place.

100's of premium titles. One news app.

Evening Standard

World

Robert Dex

South London cult leader Comrade Bala who sexually assaulted his followers dies in prison

Comrade Bala who has died in prison
(Picture: John Stillwell/PA)

A hard-left cult leader who kept his own daughter captive for decades and sexually assaulted his followers has died in prison.

Aravindan Balakrishnan, 81, called himself Comrade Bala and dominated a small Maoist sect in Brixton who he convinced into thinking he had godlike powers.

Sign up to read this article

Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.

Already a member? Sign in here

Top stories on inkl right now

Father of two who drove a Culver City bus for over 12 years shot after refusing to make a stop in traffic

Father of two who drove a Culver City bus for over 12 years shot after refusing to make a stop in traffic

Prosecutors say one passenger wouldn't take no for an answer.

We Got This Covered

DOJ: Three Men Charged in $74 Million IRS Refund Scheme Involving 16,000 Checks

DOJ: Three Men Charged in $74 Million IRS Refund Scheme Involving 16,000 Checks

Three men are facing federal charges in connection with an alleged $74 million IRS tax refund fraud scheme that prosecutors say involved thousands of fabricated tax returns and more than 16,000 government-issued refund checks.

US justice department sues California over alleged noncitizen voting

US justice department sues California over alleged noncitizen voting

DoJ had demanded that LA county confirm citizenship of people on list in thumb drive, but officials refused

The Guardian - US

California parents allegedly waited 8 hours to get help for their asthmatic daughter. What investigators found at home raised more questions

California parents allegedly waited 8 hours to get help for their asthmatic daughter. What investigators found at home raised more questions

The daughter's six surviving siblings have since been placed in protective custody.

We Got This Covered

One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites

Already a member? Sign in here

NHS England bars trans women from female-only hospital wards under new guidance

NHS England bars trans women from female-only hospital wards under new guidance

NHS England has issued new rules requiring hospitals to allocate single-sex wards and facilities according to biological sex rather than gender identity, changing the previous approach to accommodation for transgender patients and staff.

The Times of India

Texas sued after glitch delays almost 600,000 voter registrations

Texas sued after glitch delays almost 600,000 voter registrations

Voting registration organizations accuse Texas officials of failing to ensure eligible voters can register properly

The Guardian - US

Related Stories

Top stories on inkl right now

Father of two who drove a Culver City bus for over 12 years shot after refusing to make a stop in traffic

Father of two who drove a Culver City bus for over 12 years shot after refusing to make a stop in traffic

Prosecutors say one passenger wouldn't take no for an answer.

We Got This Covered

DOJ: Three Men Charged in $74 Million IRS Refund Scheme Involving 16,000 Checks

DOJ: Three Men Charged in $74 Million IRS Refund Scheme Involving 16,000 Checks

Three men are facing federal charges in connection with an alleged $74 million IRS tax refund fraud scheme that prosecutors say involved thousands of fabricated tax returns and more than 16,000 government-issued refund checks.

US justice department sues California over alleged noncitizen voting

US justice department sues California over alleged noncitizen voting

DoJ had demanded that LA county confirm citizenship of people on list in thumb drive, but officials refused

The Guardian - US

California parents allegedly waited 8 hours to get help for their asthmatic daughter. What investigators found at home raised more questions

California parents allegedly waited 8 hours to get help for their asthmatic daughter. What investigators found at home raised more questions

The daughter's six surviving siblings have since been placed in protective custody.

We Got This Covered

One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites

Already a member? Sign in here

NHS England bars trans women from female-only hospital wards under new guidance

NHS England bars trans women from female-only hospital wards under new guidance

NHS England has issued new rules requiring hospitals to allocate single-sex wards and facilities according to biological sex rather than gender identity, changing the previous approach to accommodation for transgender patients and staff.

The Times of India

Texas sued after glitch delays almost 600,000 voter registrations

Texas sued after glitch delays almost 600,000 voter registrations

Voting registration organizations accuse Texas officials of failing to ensure eligible voters can register properly

The Guardian - US

Our Picks

Why Does Your Skin Look Flawless in One Light but Dull in Another?

From bathroom mirrors and dressing rooms to selfies and makeup counters, lighting can dramatically influence how your complexion appears. The reason lies in how different light sources interact with your skin, colour perception and the shadows created by your facial features. So, why does your skin look different under yellow…

Canada woman buys Snickers and Twix for Halloween. Then she holds a bar up to her hand and notices the size: ‘This is a package of air’

Another case of shrinkflation

We Got This Covered

17% of Young Adults Have Gone Into Debt to Date — How Much Is Romance Costing Now?

Finding love has never been free, but dating costs are becoming a serious financial concern for younger Americans. A September 2026 survey found that 17% of Gen Z and millennials have taken on debt to maintain a lifestyle with someone they were dating. Between restaurant bills, transportation, entertainment, and appearance-related…

Budget and the Bees

California cement worker turned discarded bottles into 200 desert art trees along Route 66

California cement worker Elmer Long transformed discarded glass bottles and scrap metal into an unusual art forest along Route 66. His two-acre Bottle Tree Ranch, featuring around 200 trees and over 1,000 bottles, became a popular tourist attraction. As Route 66 celebrates its 100th anniversary in 2026, Long's family continues…

The Times of India

Apollo 16 Astronaut Says UFOs Are Literally Demons and Claims God Proved It Over a Morning Breakfast

Apollo 16 astronaut Charlie Duke says a breakfast conversation confirmed his belief that UFOs are demonic, while NASA evidence does not support either extraterrestrial or supernatural explanations.

International Business Times UK

Plastic Additive Marketed as Safer Phthalate Swap Linked to Slightly Smaller Newborns in 6,617 U.S. Pregnancies

Higher levels of DINCH, a plastic additive used to replace phthalates, were linked to smaller newborns in 6,617 U.S. pregnancies. Here is what the study shows.

Fourteen days free

Download the app

One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.

Download on the AppStore

Get it on Google Play