CultNEWS101 Articles: 10/13/2025
Patrick Ryan
"The University Grants Commission (UGC) has issued a notice to 54 state private universities across India for failing to submit information under Section 13 of the UGC Act, 1956, and for not uploading their public self-disclosure details on their official websites.
The directive follows UGC guidelines on public self-disclosure issued on June 10, 2024, which mandate that all higher education institutions maintain a functional website providing relevant information for students and stakeholders. Universities were required to submit detailed information in a prescribed soft copy format along with supporting documents attested by the university registrar. They were also instructed to upload these details on their websites with a clearly visible link on the homepage.
Despite multiple reminders via emails and online meetings, the listed universities have not complied. The defaulting institutions [include Maharishi University of Management and Technology, Bilaspur and Maharishi Mahesh Yogi Vedic Vishwavidyalaya, Jabalpur]."
Korea Times: Court dismisses lawmaker's, Unification Church leader's petitions against arrest
"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 custody over their alleged exchange of illegal political funds for favors.
The Seoul Central District Court issued the rulings late Wednesday, hours after holding hearings to review whether their arrests last month were legal and should remain in place.
"Based on the results of suspect questioning and the case records, it is acknowledged that the requests have no cause," the bench said, ruling in favor of special counsel Min Joong-ki's team, which had cited risks the suspects would destroy evidence."
South China Morning Post: Japanese court orders Unification Church to pay US$340,000 to 3 over donations scam
"Lawyers helping victims of the Unification Church’s aggressive donation solicitation practices in Japan said on Thursday that an arbitration had been concluded, ordering the church to pay a total of more than 50 million yen (US$340,000) in damages to three former believers in their eighties – the first such agreement between the two parties.
The arbitration case filed with the Tokyo District Court was one of over 180 cases brought by victims seeking around 6 billion yen over the issue, which came to light following the assassination of former prime minister Shinzo Abe in 2022 by a man who claimed to hold a grudge against the church due to its aggressive fundraising.
The group, known as Lawyers from Across Japan for the Victims of the Unification Church, began arbitration proceedings in July 2023, following the church’s refusal to engage in collective bargaining over the matter.
A woman who was swindled out of around 36 million yen by the church said that she “hopes other victims will reach a resolution soon”, adding that she had been frustrated by the deception."
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