Warren Jeffs, leader of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, oversaw a 'cult' that advocated for its male followers to have at least three wives, which included girls under the age of 16. Getty Images, Netflix
Warren Jeffs, leader of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, oversaw a 'cult' that advocated for its male followers to have at least three wives, which included girls under the age of 16. Getty Images, Netflix
Warren Jeffs, leader of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, oversaw a 'cult' that advocated for its male followers to have at least three wives, which included girls under the age of 16. Getty Images, Netflix
Warren Jeffs, leader of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, oversaw a 'cult' that advocated for its male followers to have at least three wives, which included girls under

What happened to Warren Jeffs? Netflix's 'Keep Sweet: Pray and Obey' highlights 'cult'


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Described as a hard-hitting but compelling watch, the new Netflix documentary Keep Sweet: Pray and Obey, about the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (FLDS), delves into the charismatic and cult-like leadership of its head, Warren Jeffs, who presided over years of abuse in the secretive organisation.

The church, which has been called a “polygamous cult”, made national headlines in the early 2000s, when its illegal practice of polygamy, as well as incest and marrying female children to much older men came to light after Jeffs’s arrest for sexual assault on a minor.

By the time US law enforcement caught up with the man who had become one of the FBI’s most wanted, Jeffs had more than 78 wives, the youngest being 12.

What is the FLDS church?

Young girls in the church are groomed from birth to 'Keep Sweet: Pray and Obey'. They wear old-fashioned clothing and are married off while in their teens to much older men. Photo: Netflix
Young girls in the church are groomed from birth to 'Keep Sweet: Pray and Obey'. They wear old-fashioned clothing and are married off while in their teens to much older men. Photo: Netflix

The church is a fundamentalist Mormon organisation that emerged as a splinter in the early 20th century.

It split from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS) after a row over plural marriage, which the LDS renounced, but some members wanted to continue.

Followers believe that a man should have a minimum of three wives in order to get to heaven.

The FLDS is led by a succession of men who regard themselves as prophets, and who have convinced their followers that they have been ordained by God to lead them.

The Southern Poverty Law Centre has designated the church a “hate group”, and “a white supremacist, homophobic, anti-government, totalitarian cult”, quoting Jeffs’s disturbing views on women, ethnic minorities, law enforcement and the apocalypse, which he previously insisted would come in 2012.

Where is Warren Jeffs now?

Jeffs, 66, is serving a life sentence at the Texas Department of Criminal Justice's Louis C Powledge Unit and is ineligible for parole until 2038.

Despite being imprisoned, many in the FLDS still regard him as their “president and prophet”.

Having been accused by numerous women and men of rape and sexual assault, including family members and his own children, Jeffs was found guilty on August 9, 2011, on two counts of sexual assault of a child and sentenced to life in prison.

The FBI’s most wanted

Warren Jeffs made the FBI's 'Top Ten Most Wanted Fugitives' list, and when arrested, he was found with several disguises and mobile phones. Photo: FBI
Warren Jeffs made the FBI's 'Top Ten Most Wanted Fugitives' list, and when arrested, he was found with several disguises and mobile phones. Photo: FBI

In June 2005, Jeffs was charged with sexual assault on a minor and with conspiracy to commit sexual misconduct with a minor.

The following month, the Arizona Attorney General’s office released wanted posters offering $10,000 for information leading to his arrest.

In April 2006, Utah issued an arrest warrant on him for accomplice rape of a teenage girl aged between 14 and 18 years old, and on May 6, the FBI put Jeffs on its Top Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list, offering a $60,000 reward.

In June 2006, Jeffs travelled to Colorado City in Arizona to oversee some child-bride marriages. On August 28, his car was pulled over because of number plate issues, with a highway trooper discovering him inside, along with one of his wives and his brother Isaac.

Also found in the car were four computers, 16 mobile phones, wigs and sunglasses to be used as disguises, and more than $55,000 in cash.

Is the FLDS still active?

Members of the FLDS, who have spoken to the media, claim Warren Jeffs is still their leader and they believe the claims against him are fabricated. Photo: Netflix
Members of the FLDS, who have spoken to the media, claim Warren Jeffs is still their leader and they believe the claims against him are fabricated. Photo: Netflix

As shown in the four-episode Keep Sweet: Pray and Obey, the church remains active despite Jeffs’s incarceration.

Many members claim he is still running the organisation from behind bars and exerting influence over his remaining congregation.

In the documentary, former members claim they have become estranged from their families over their decision to leave.

“Three of us are out,” says Lola Barlow, who was in the group as a child. “The rest of everybody’s still in. I could just drive to their house and talk to them but they won’t talk to me.”

Top 17 new Indian shows and movies coming to Amazon Prime Video — in pictures

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    Amazon has announced 41 new titles spanning several genres and Indian languages to be launched over the next two years. Photo: Amazon Prime Video
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    'Adhura' is a supernatural horror series starring Rasika Dugal, right. Photo: Amazon Prime Video
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    'The Village' is one of the first Indian series to be based on a graphic novel. Photo: Amazon Prime Video
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    Madhuri Dixit Nene plays an overbearing mother in the comedy 'Maja Maa'. Photo: Amazon Prime Video
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Who's who in Yemen conflict

Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government

Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council

Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south

Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory

The BIO:

He became the first Emirati to climb Mount Everest in 2011, from the south section in Nepal

He ascended Mount Everest the next year from the more treacherous north Tibetan side

By 2015, he had completed the Explorers Grand Slam

Last year, he conquered K2, the world’s second-highest mountain located on the Pakistan-Chinese border

He carries dried camel meat, dried dates and a wheat mixture for the final summit push

His new goal is to climb 14 peaks that are more than 8,000 metres above sea level

Women’s T20 World Cup Asia Qualifier

ICC Academy, November 22-28

UAE fixtures
Nov 22, v Malaysia
Nov 23, v Hong Kong
Nov 25, v Bhutan
Nov 26, v Kuwait
Nov 28, v Nepal

ICC T20I rankings
14. Nepal
17. UAE
25. Hong Kong
34. Kuwait
35. Malaysia
44. Bhutan 

UAE squad
Chaya Mughal (captain), Natasha Cherriath, Samaira Dharnidharka, Kavisha Egodage, Mahika Gaur, Priyanjali Jain, Suraksha Kotte, Vaishnave Mahesh, Judit Peter, Esha Rohit, Theertha Satish, Chamani Seneviratne, Khushi Sharma, Subha Venkataraman

US households add $601bn of debt in 2019

American households borrowed another $601 billion (Dh2.2bn) in 2019, the largest yearly gain since 2007, just before the global financial crisis, according to February data from the New York Federal Reserve Bank.

Fuelled by rising mortgage debt as homebuyers continued to take advantage of low interest rates, the increase last year brought total household debt to a record high, surpassing the previous peak reached in 2008 just before the market crash, according to the report.

Following the 22nd straight quarter of growth, American household debt swelled to $14.15 trillion by the end of 2019, the New York Fed said in its quarterly report.

In the final three months of the year, new home loans jumped to their highest volume since the fourth quarter of 2005, while credit cards and auto loans also added to the increase.

The bad debt load is taking its toll on some households, and the New York Fed warned that more and more credit card borrowers — particularly young people — were falling behind on their payments.

"Younger borrowers, who are disproportionately likely to have credit cards and student loans as their primary form of debt, struggle more than others with on-time repayment," New York Fed researchers said.

Bio:

Favourite Quote: Prophet Mohammad's quotes There is reward for kindness to every living thing and A good man treats women with honour

Favourite Hobby: Serving poor people 

Favourite Book: The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho

Favourite food: Fish and vegetables

Favourite place to visit: London

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%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EDamian%20Szifron%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Shailene%20Woodley%2C%20Ben%20Mendelsohn%2C%20Ralph%20Ineson%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The specs: 2018 BMW R nineT Scrambler

Price, base / as tested Dh57,000

Engine 1,170cc air/oil-cooled flat twin four-stroke engine

Transmission Six-speed gearbox

Power 110hp) @ 7,750rpm

Torque 116Nm @ 6,000rpm

Fuel economy, combined 5.3L / 100km

What is a black hole?

1. Black holes are objects whose gravity is so strong not even light can escape their pull

2. They can be created when massive stars collapse under their own weight

3. Large black holes can also be formed when smaller ones collide and merge

4. The biggest black holes lurk at the centre of many galaxies, including our own

5. Astronomers believe that when the universe was very young, black holes affected how galaxies formed

Our family matters legal consultant

Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais

Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.

Avatar: Fire and Ash

Director: James Cameron

Starring: Sam Worthington, Sigourney Weaver, Zoe Saldana

Rating: 4.5/5

Things Heard & Seen

Directed by: Shari Springer Berman, Robert Pulcini

Starring: Amanda Seyfried, James Norton

2/5

MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW

Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman

Director: Jesse Armstrong

Rating: 3.5/5

The specs

Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo

Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm

Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm

Transmission: 9-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km

On sale: Now

Price: From Dh117,059

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Wicked
Director: Jon M Chu
Stars: Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Jonathan Bailey
Rating: 4/5
Our legal consultant

Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais

Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.

The Details

Article 15
Produced by: Carnival Cinemas, Zee Studios
Directed by: Anubhav Sinha
Starring: Ayushmann Khurrana, Kumud Mishra, Manoj Pahwa, Sayani Gupta, Zeeshan Ayyub
Our rating: 4/5 

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'Top Gun: Maverick'

Rating: 4/5

 

Directed by: Joseph Kosinski

 

Starring: Tom Cruise, Val Kilmer, Jennifer Connelly, Jon Hamm, Miles Teller, Glen Powell, Ed Harris

 
UNpaid bills:

Countries with largest unpaid bill for UN budget in 2019

USA – $1.055 billion

Brazil – $143 million

Argentina – $52 million

Mexico – $36 million

Iran – $27 million

Israel – $18 million

Venezuela – $17 million

Korea – $10 million

Countries with largest unpaid bill for UN peacekeeping operations in 2019

USA – $2.38 billion

Brazil – $287 million

Spain – $110 million

France – $103 million

Ukraine – $100 million

 

Votes

Total votes: 1.8 million

Ashraf Ghani: 923,592 votes

Abdullah Abdullah: 720,841 votes 

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MATCH INFO

France 3
Umtiti (8'), Griezmann (29' pen), Dembele (63')

Italy 1
Bonucci (36')

The biog

Name: James Mullan

Nationality: Irish

Family: Wife, Pom; and daughters Kate, 18, and Ciara, 13, who attend Jumeirah English Speaking School (JESS)

Favourite book or author: “That’s a really difficult question. I’m a big fan of Donna Tartt, The Secret History. I’d recommend that, go and have a read of that.”

Dream: “It would be to continue to have fun and to work with really interesting people, which I have been very fortunate to do for a lot of my life. I just enjoy working with very smart, fun people.”

Hotel Data Cloud profile

Date started: June 2016
Founders: Gregor Amon and Kevin Czok
Based: Dubai
Sector: Travel Tech
Size: 10 employees
Funding: $350,000 (Dh1.3 million)
Investors: five angel investors (undisclosed except for Amar Shubar)

Updated: June 28, 2022, 5:22 AM