quit

In just under three months, 30-year-old Abhijeet Dipke – the founder and face of India’s Gen Z “cockroach” protests – has acquired the kind of celebrity status normally reserved for a breakout actor or cricketer.

In politics or activism, unless you come from an influential family, such recognition can take years – if it comes at all.

“It’s been a rollercoaster ride. Two-three months ago, nobody knew me. I was just in my room in Boston watching documentaries or attending lectures,” said Dipke, who recently completed a master’s in public relations at Boston University.

“Now I’m here surrounded by hundreds of people, by cameras. It’s a bit overwhelming.”

In and around his hometown of Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar in the western state of Maharashtra, Dipke is routinely thronged by people wanting to shake his hand or take a photo.

If the attention bothers him, it doesn’t show. Perhaps because politics isn’t entirely new to him: before moving to the US, Dipke had worked with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), an opposition party that grew out of an anti-corruption movement, for three years.

Then, on 16 May, Dipke wrote a post on X that would change his life: “What if all cockroaches come together?”

It was a response to a remark by India’s Chief Justice Surya Kant, who had likened jobless youngsters to cockroaches. Kant later said his comments had been misinterpreted and were directed specifically at young people using fake degrees, rather than the country’s youth more broadly.

But the clarification did little to quell the outrage.

Dipke said he wrote his post while playing a video game. “It was totally spontaneous. I had no idea it would become such a big movement,” he said.

Encouraged by tens of thousands of responses, he joined a handful of former colleagues and activists to launch the satirical Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), its name playing on both the chief justice’s remark and that of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Alongside the support, Dipke and the campaign were fiercely trolled by government supporters. Their website and X account was briefly taken down in India.

Dipke says that when he wrote to X and to India’s Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology asking why the account had been taken down, he received a notice saying it had been withheld under Section 69A of the Information Technology Act which allows the government to block online information ‘in the interest of sovereignty and integrity of India, defence of India, security of the State’.

The ministry did not reply to the BBC’s questions about the issue, but The Indian Express and other media reported government officials as saying the sites had been blocked because of ‘national security concerns’. Dipke says he decided to return to India in response to this.

“I took the decision to come back to India when I was called a national security threat by my own government. That really hurt me. Isn’t my government supposed to stand by me when I’m abroad?” he said.

“I decided I need to go back to my country to show I’m not a national security threat. I love my country, just not in the way that you [the government] want.”

Departed Labour Party leader now plans to focus on international affairs.

Former British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has announced he is to stand down as a member of parliament.

Starmer said on Tuesday that it was the “right time” to resign as the MP for the Holborn and St Pancras seat in London after 11 years, triggering a by-election. The announcement comes six weeks after his resignation as the United Kingdom’s premier, having lost the support of ruling Labour Party MPs.

“It is now time to step aside and focus on other issues: international affairs including defence, security, trade and technology in a fast-changing world,” Starmer wrote on social media.

As party leader, Starmer led Labour to a historic 2024 landslide after 14 years of Conservative rule. However, within two years, U-turns, cuts, a diplomatic scandal, pressure from the radical right-wing Reform UK, and the challenge of Andy Burnham – who became Britain’s seventh prime minister in a decade – eroded Starmer’s authority, and he was forced out.

Starmer had previously said he would remain ‌as a lawmaker until the next general election. But he told the Camden New Journal, a local newspaper in his North London constituency, that he had changed his mind and intended to leave UK Parliament after 11 years, six of those as leader of the party.

The newspaper did not give a timeframe for when an election would be held for ⁠Starmer’s seat in the constituency of Holborn and St ⁠Pancras.

Despite his dwindling popularity at home, foreign affairs were seen by some as Starmer’s strength, particularly for the strong relationships he formed with EU leaders in the wake of Brexit, especially French President Emmanuel ⁠Macron, with whom he established the so-called Coalition of the Willing in support of Ukraine.

Starmer comfortably kept his seat in the 2024 election with a majority of over 11,500 votes, though Andrew Feinstein, an independent candidate who campaigned primarily around his opposition to Israel’s genocidal war in Gaza and Labour’s support for it, took nearly 19 percent of ballots.

Burnham’s accession has led to ‌a ‌bounce in the polls for Labour, though he faces tougher challenges ahead, with Parliament resuming on Tuesday.

THE world’s most famous nepo-baby North West has revealed she is planning to land a job at Starbucks next year.

The 13-year-old star is arguably the most famous child-star and nepo-baby thanks to her parents being Kim Kardashian and Kanye West.

She has already carved out an impressive career having released her own music, appeared in stage productions and taken part in fashion editorials all before becoming a teenager.

But despite already living the life of luxury in the fame world, North has now admitted that she wants to give it all up and bag a “regular job”.

In a brand new interview with Dazed magazine, North confessed that as well as her music career, her dream role is to be work as a barista at Starbucks.

Speaking to the publication, North said: “I still wanna work.

‘DOESN’T SIT RIGHT’

North West, 13, worries fans with chilling music vid & haunting lyrics

TOO FAR?

North West, 13, sparks concern as she debuts THIGH piercings on night out

“I wanna work at, like, Starbucks next year.

“I think I can next year ’cause I’m gonna be 14, so… I think I can.

“I want to have a regular job, I guess.”

It marks a major U-turn for the young star to pivot away from the mega Kardashian brand.

In her first magazine interview, North also opened up on her well-discussed look.

Despite her tender age, conversation has swirled around her dyed blue hair and multiple body piercings.

Clapping back, she said: “Everyone’s in love with boys, vaping and doing all kinds of bad stuff.

“All I want is blue hair and piercings.”

But North did reveal that she had been disallowed from getting her “bridge pierced” – a piercing that goes through the top of your nose and under your eyebrow.

Dogs Behaving (Very) Badly expert Graeme Hall is one of the 2026 Strictly Come Dancing contestants – who was a keen dancer away from his job on-screen until a stroke derailed his hopes

Strictly Come Dancing contestant Graeme Hall has revealed he was previously forced to quit dancing after doctors discovered a hole in his heart. The 59-year-old TV star received his shock diagnosis after initially suffering a stroke – with doctors making the diagnosis after he was rushed to hospital.

Graeme – who is a dog trainer on the hit Channel 5 series Dogs Behaving (Very) Badly – feared he would never be able to dance again, but is now thrilled to be taking part in the 2026 season of the long-running BBC reality contest. While he is not a fully trained dancer, Graeme got a taste for the art form after taking part in an amateur competition over a decade ago.

He went on to compete regionally before his health emergency forced him to give up his dancing shoes. Fans will soon be able to see him take to the dancefloor on Strictly when the show returns for its twenty-fourth series with a launch show set to broadcast in September 2026.

Speaking about his past health issues ahead of the new season, Graeme told The Sun: I’d done a local competition called Strictly Northampton in 2012 and loved it so much that I carried it on as a hobby. I started taking part in regional events in church halls and community centres but I had to give up because I had a stroke in 2019.”

He revealed that doctors then found a hole in his heart, which was quickly operated on and the Channel 5 star began his road to recovery. He added: “I was out of action for quite a while and I thought it had brought an end to my dancing.

“I’m fine now but I had to put my dance bag away — now I’ve got it out of the loft and there’s all my kit and practice trousers so I will be using those soon. But if you’d told me in 2019 that I was going to be taking part in the show I would have dismissed you as a fantasist.”

Graeme’s involvement in the 2026 season of Strictly was announced earlier this month – and he shared his excitement over being included when his casting was revealed.

He declared: “I can’t believe I am joining the cast of Strictly for 2026. I have always loved dancing, so to have the opportunity to learn from the best in the business is a dream come true.”

He added: “I have watched the show for years, so to be a part of it feels like a very exciting challenge, albeit more than a bit nerve-wracking! I can’t wait to get started. Bring it on.”

He joins a varied cast of co-stars for the 2026 season which ranges to include Australian pop sensation Delta Goodrem to social media hairdresser Chris Appleton.

EastEnders icon Lacey Turner – known to millions as Stacey slater – and House of the Dragon actress Bethany Antonia – known to even more millions the world over as Lady Baela Targaryen – will also be taking part. While Big Brother presenter Will Best, Emmerdale actor Lawrence Robb, and footballer Shaun Wright-Phillips are also among the contestants.

Fans of Strictly will find a revamped show when it returns next week as long-running hosts Claudia Winkleman and Tess Daly have been replaced by a trio of new hosts. Presenting Emma Willis, comedian Josh Widdicombe, and former dancefloor professional Johannes Radebe will be co-hosting the show.

As news of the new presenting line-up emerged earlier this year, Emma declared: “To be stepping into the Strictly ballroom is something I can’t quite comprehend.” While Josh added he was: “giddy with excitement, honoured and a little overawed to be given the chance to step into the biggest shoes in television”.

And Strictly pro Johannes – who danced professionally on the series from 2018 through 2025 – said returning to the series as a new presenter was “beyond anything I ever imagined”. The 2026 season of Strictly is expected to begin airing in September.

As for the judges – Shirley Ballas, Anton Du Beke, Motsi Mabuse and Craig Revel Horwood have all been confirmed as returning as their seats to preside over all the toe tapping action which will receive marks out of 10 from each expert. The 2026 season of Strictly is expected to begin airing in September.

Like this story? For more of the latest showbiz news and gossip, follow Mirror Celebs on TikTok , Snapchat , Instagram , Twitter , Facebook , YouTube and Threads .