Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

cultnews.bsky.social @cultnews.bsky.social · 11h

HuffPost: From ‘Troubled Teens’ To Traumatized Adults
www.huffpost.com/entry/troubl...

An Isolated Boarding School Promised To Help Troubled Girls. Former Students Say They Were Abused.

One former student called the school’s founder, Jeannie Courtney, “the all-powerful cult leader — God.”

www.huffpost.com

cultnews.bsky.social @cultnews.bsky.social · 11h

HuffPost: From ‘Troubled Teens’ To Traumatized Adults
www.huffpost.com/entry/troubl...

An Isolated Boarding School Promised To Help Troubled Girls. Former Students Say They Were Abused.

One former student called the school’s founder, Jeannie Courtney, “the all-powerful cult leader — God.”

www.huffpost.com

cultnews.bsky.social @cultnews.bsky.social · 21h

The Guardian: New allegations of sexual and domestic abuse made against Jesus Army cult
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...

New allegations of sexual and domestic abuse made against Jesus Army cult

Survivors fear closed church’s £25m in assets could end up in abusers’ hands

www.theguardian.com

1

cultnews.bsky.social @cultnews.bsky.social · 21h

With the Julia brothers' lawyer defending him, the Russian accused of leading a cult strikes back.
hemerosectas.org/ashram-shamb...

Con el abogado de los hermanos Juliá como defensor, el ruso acusado de liderar una secta contraataca

La Nación (Argentina), Paz García Pastormerlo, 13.10.2025 El 28 de marzo pasado, Konstantin Rudnev, creador de la secta Ashram Shambala, fue detenido, junto a otras personas, en el aeropuerto de esta...

hemerosectas.org

cultnews.bsky.social @cultnews.bsky.social · 23h

The Spinoff: Inside Legacy: the MLM that thrives in secrecy
thespinoff.co.nz/business/14-...

Inside Legacy: the MLM that thrives in secrecy

Has your friend started wearing a suit, posting from ‘business conferences’ and using the diamond emoji a lot? They may have joined Legacy.

thespinoff.co.nz

cultnews.bsky.social @cultnews.bsky.social · 23h

Mass Live: ‘Coercive control’ now helps define domestic violence in Mass., an important gain for those facing harm (Viewpoint)
www.masslive.com/opinion/2025...

‘Coercive control’ now helps define domestic violence in Mass., an important gain for those facing harm (Viewpoint)

This is a game changer. It is the most helpful legal change I have seen in the field of domestic violence in decades, the author writes.

www.masslive.com

Reposted

Esther Rockett 🚀 @estherrockett.bsky.social · 1d

Calling investor lemmings

TechCrunch @techcrunch.com · 1d

Oura is raising new funding of $900 million as its valuation reaches nearly $11 billion

Smart ring maker Oura raises $900M from Fidelity | TechCrunch

Oura is raising new funding of $900 million as its valuation reaches nearly $11 billion

techcrunch.com

1 1

cultnews.bsky.social @cultnews.bsky.social · 23h

Mass Live: ‘Coercive control’ now helps define domestic violence in Mass., an important gain for those facing harm (Viewpoint)
www.masslive.com/opinion/2025...

‘Coercive control’ now helps define domestic violence in Mass., an important gain for those facing harm (Viewpoint)

This is a game changer. It is the most helpful legal change I have seen in the field of domestic violence in decades, the author writes.

www.masslive.com

cultnews.bsky.social @cultnews.bsky.social · 4d

Korea JoongAng Daily: Unification Church leader Han Hak-ja indicted on charges including political bribery and destruction of evidence
koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/news/2025-10...

Unification Church leader Han Hak-ja indicted on charges including political bribery and destruction of evidence

A special counsel team indicted Han Hak-ja, the leader of the Unification Church, on multiple charges — including political bribery, illegal political donations and destruction of evidence — on Friday...

koreajoongangdaily.joins.com

1

cultnews.bsky.social @cultnews.bsky.social · 4d

France24: Cults, mass graves, 'encounters with Jesus': In Kenya, freedom of worship comes under scrutiny
www.france24.com/en/tv-shows/...

Revisited - Cults, mass graves, 'encounters with Jesus': In Kenya, freedom of worship comes under scrutiny

In April 2023, Kenyan human rights defenders discovered a deadly cult in the Shakahola forest. They exhumed more than 400 bodies from mass graves. The pastor of the Good News International Ministries,...

www.france24.com

cultnews.bsky.social @cultnews.bsky.social · 5d

NZ Herald: Two by Twos leader Wayne Dean resigns under ‘pressure’, leaves New Zealand for break www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/two-by-tw...

Two by Twos church leader quits suddenly, set to leave NZ after ‘tough year’

Wayne Dean’s exit follows global scrutiny of the secretive sect.

www.nzherald.co.nz

cultnews.bsky.social @cultnews.bsky.social · 6d

IMDb: Danielle Vasinova Joins the Heaven’s Gate Cult Thriller, ‘The Leader’
www.imdb.com/news/ni65510...

Danielle Vasinova Joins the Heaven’s Gate Cult Thriller, ‘The Leader’ - IMDb

IMDb, the world's most popular and authoritative source for movie, TV and celebrity content.

www.imdb.com

cultnews.bsky.social @cultnews.bsky.social · 7d

First Coast Connect: “The Psychology of Cults”
youtu.be/C_FnpgC1Krw?...

First Coast Connect: “The Psychology of Cults”

YouTube video by WJCT Public Media

youtu.be

cultnews.bsky.social @cultnews.bsky.social · 7d

NJ Stage: MPAC presents The Psychology of Cults – A Live Event
www.newjerseystage.com/articles2/20...

MPAC presents The Psychology of Cults – A Live Event

(MORRISTOWN, NJ) -- Mayo Performing Arts Center (MPAC) presents The Psychology of Cults – A Live Event on Friday, October 17, 2025 at 8:00pm. Hosted by renowned cult interventionist Ashlen Hilliard, t...

www.newjerseystage.com

cultnews.bsky.social @cultnews.bsky.social · 7d

Yahoo: Ex-Cult Members Shared The Moments They Realized Something Was Wrong, And I'm Truly Shocked By Some Of These Stories
www.buzzfeed.com/laurengarafa...

People Who Were Born Into Cults Shared The "Red Flag" Moments They Decided To Leave, And Wow

"When my parents told me they'd let me die rather than allow me to get certain medical procedures."

www.buzzfeed.com

cultnews.bsky.social @cultnews.bsky.social · 9d

The Press Democrat: Trial date for 2 Zizian cult members charged with murder in North Bay attack rescheduled

www.thereporter.com/2025/10/02/t...

Trial date for Zizian pair charged with murder rescheduled for early March

Granting a defense request for a continuance, a Solano Superior Court judge on Thursday vacated the October trial for Suri Dao and Alexander Jeffrey Leatham, each charged with a November 2022 murde…

www.thereporter.com

cultnews.bsky.social @cultnews.bsky.social · 10d

ITV: Two arrested as self-styled 'African tribe' evicted from woodland in Scottish Borders
www.itv.com/news/2025-10...

www.itv.com

cultnews.bsky.social @cultnews.bsky.social · 11d

South China Morning Post: Japanese court orders Unification Church to pay US$340,000 to 3 over donations scam
www.scmp.com/news/asia/ea...

Japanese court orders Unification Church to pay US$340,000 over donations scam

The first such agreement between the church and its former followers opens the path for over 180 victims to seek compensation.

www.scmp.com

cultnews.bsky.social @cultnews.bsky.social · 11d

Korea Times: Court dismisses lawmaker's, Unification Church leader's petitions against arrest
www.koreatimes.co.kr/southkorea/p...

Court dismisses lawmaker's, Unification Church leader's petitions against arrest - The Korea Times

A Seoul court has dismissed the petitions of Rep. Kweon Seong-dong and Unification Church leader Han Hak-ja against their arrests, keeping them in...

www.koreatimes.co.kr

cultnews.bsky.social @cultnews.bsky.social · 12d

The Live Nagpur: State-Wise List: 54 Indian Universities Declared Defaulters
thelivenagpur.com/2025/10/02/s...

State-Wise List: 54 Indian Universities Declared Defaulters - The Live Nagpur

The University Grants Commission (UGC) has issued a notice to 54 state private universities across India…

thelivenagpur.com

cultnews.bsky.social @cultnews.bsky.social · 12d

Sky News: Mother calls for 'brainwashed' daughter living with 'cult' in Scottish wood to be deported back to Texas

news.sky.com/story/africa...

Mother calls for 'brainwashed' daughter living with 'cult' in Scottish wood to be deported back to Texas

Melba Whitehead claims her daughter was "groomed" online when she was 19, before being bought a one-way ticket to the UK.

news.sky.com

1

cultnews.bsky.social @cultnews.bsky.social · 13d

People: Is Wayward a True Story? Inside the Real-Life Cults and Troubled Teen Institutes That Inspired the Netflix Thriller
people.com/wayward-true...

Is 'Wayward' a True Story? Inside the Real-Life Cults and Troubled Teen Institutes That Inspired the Netflix Thriller

'Wayward,' which was released on Netflix on Sept. 25, explores a troubled teen institute known as Tall Pines Academy. Here's everything to know about the real-life inspiration behind 'Wayward.'

people.com

cultnews.bsky.social @cultnews.bsky.social · 14d

The Companion Notebook to Restart and Restore: Continuing the Journey of Discovering and Healing, Rachel Bernstein
www.cultnews101.com/2025/10/the-...

The Companion Notebook to Restart and Restore: Continuing the Journey of Discovering and Healing

Cult News101; news stories about cults, cultic groups and related topics. Cult Intervention, Cult Recovery.

www.cultnews101.com

cultnews.bsky.social @cultnews.bsky.social · 14d

Restart and Restore: A Journal for Survivors of Manipulation, Rachel Bernstein

Healing after manipulation or coercion can feel like stepping into overwhelming territory. You may wonder: Where do I even begin?
www.cultnews101.com/2025/10/rest...

Restart and Restore: A Journal for Survivors of Manipulation

Cult News101; news stories about cults, cultic groups and related topics. Cult Intervention, Cult Recovery.

www.cultnews101.com

cultnews.bsky.social @cultnews.bsky.social · 16d

India Today: Over 50 private universities under UGC scanner for failing disclosure norms

The UGC's action against 54 private universities comes amid growing calls for greater transparency and accountability in higher education.
www.indiatoday.in/education-to...

Over 50 private universities under UGC scanner for failing disclosure norms

The UGC’s action against 54 private universities comes amid growing calls for greater transparency and accountability in higher education

www.indiatoday.in