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The Salvation Army has defeated a case brought by Moscow's Tagansky Municipal Court that sought to close down the religious group's Moscow chapter for failing to re-register. Religious rights lawyer Vladimir Ryakhovsky of the Slavic Legal Center lawyer issued a statement on Tuesday, Feb. 18, saying he was pleased with the ruling. The Salvation Army's legal battle with city authorities dates back to 2000 when its re-registration application was repeatedly turned down. The ministry's case was bolstered last year, however, when the Constitutional Court ruled that religious organizations could not be shut down for failing to reregister. Ryakhovsky now plans to contest a 2000 Presnensky court ruling that called the Salvation Army a "militarized group." (Moscow Times)

FILIPINO PASTOR TRIED FOR DISTRIBUTING CHRISTIAN LITERATURE IN U.A.E.

Rev. Fernando Alconga, a Filipino pastor in the United Arab Emirates who was arrested Nov. 12 for allegedly distributing Christian materials, said he is pleased with the progress of his trial. Alconga was arrested after undercover police agents approached him, asking for Christian materials in Arabic. The previous day he had handed out a package of information to an Egyptian Arab outside the same building. When he told them he had no materials in Arabic, they asked to see what he had in other languages. After showing them cassette tapes, tracts and New Testaments, he was arrested. At his trial on Sunday, Feb. 16, the Egyptian to whom he had given literature testified that Alconga had not pressured him in any way. Another witness is scheduled to testify on March 2. A letter of appeal also has been presented to one of the rulers of Dubai, and a response is expected soon. Alconga's lawyer is optimistic about the outcome of the trial, but he urges belieers to keep praying for an acquittal. (Voice of the Martyrs)

PAT ROBERTSON RECOVERING FROM SUCCESSFUL CANCER SURGERY

Religious broadcaster Pat Robertson is recovering from prostate cancer surgery Monday, Feb. 17, after what his physician called a successful operation. "We are all very pleased with the success of the procedure," said Michael Little, president and chief operating officer of the Christian Broadcasting Network. "We thank God for answering prayer and continue to pray for Pat's full recovery." The statement came after Robertson's physician said the surgery went "extremely well and he is alert, stable and in extremely good spirits." The religious broadcaster announced last Thursday to his audience for "The 700 Club" that he was due for the surgery. It was believed that the cancer was isolated in the prostate gland which was removed during laparoscopic surgery. Robertson is expected to return to work in a few weeks. In addition to serving as host of "The 700 Club" TV program, he is the network's chairman and chief executive officer and chancellor of Regent University in Virginia Beach, Va. (Religion Today)

'SHINE' TV CHANNEL LIGHTS UP NEW ZEALAND WITH GOSPEL PROGRAMS

Shine TV, a Christian channel that was launched in December, is lighting up New Zealand with the gospel and is already drawing a large audience with its 24-hour-a-day mix of local and international programming. Shine CEO Denis Delaney, speaking at the National Religious Broadcasters convention in Nashville, Tenn., last week, said Shine TV went on air Dec. 1. It is a free addition to Sky's basic digital service with a potential audience of 800,000. "The channel's programming can be summarized by the acronym PRAISE -- professional, relevant, authentic, intelligent, scriptural and entertaining," he said. "The channel fulfills a vision that many New Zealanders have shared for the past 20 years." While Christian TV has been available in Wellington for nine years and Christchurch for five, Delaney sees Shine's national coverage as an important milestone. Initial response has been positive with 530,000 viewer-hours registered in January. Programming includes such things as devotionals, a fitness program, Christian music, news, a children's puppet show and a program called "Mission Monday" featuring interviews with missionaries and videos from various ministries. (Assist News Service)

CENSUS: MOST BRITISH RESIDENTS STILL IDENTIFY WITH CHRISTIANITY

Despite falling church attendance, almost three-quarters (72 percent) of those surveyed in England and Wales say they belong to the Christian religion. "These figures [disprove] that England is no longer a Christian country," said Bishop Keith Sutton of Litchfield. The finding came from the 2001 national census, the first to ask the 52 million participants about their religious affiliations. The results showed that 37.3 million people declared their adherence to Christianity even though less than 10 percent attend church weekly. "It is a wake-up call to the churches when so many people identify as Christian but don't feel strongly enough to be part of a church," said David Goodburn, general secretary of Churches Together in Britain. The second largest faith in England and Wales is Islam with about 3 percent followed by Hinduism, Sikhism, Judaism and Buddhism. Among the surprises from the survey, 390,000 identified themselves as followers of Jedi, inspired by warriors from the "Star Wars" movies. (Episcopal News Service)

MASSIVE EVANGELISTIC THRUST PLANNED FOR 2004 OLYMPICS IN GREECE

While the Greek government allays fears of delays in the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, saying that some key sports venues are being completed ahead of deadline, AMG International is working in partnership with Christian organizations worldwide to prepare for a full-scale evangelistic thrust during the games. "Because of AMG's history and tradition, we are taking a leadership role in that area," said AMG spokesman Tasos Ioannidis. "Pray that the preparations would continue to go smoothly, that the material which is going to be distributed for evangelistic purposes would be ready. . . and for safety of all involved." (Mission Network News)

9,000 TURN TO CHRIST DURING 10-DAY MISSION IN NAIROBI, KENYA

More than 9,000 people trusted Christ and another 6,000 believers recommited their lives to Him as a 50-member team led by evangelist Sammy Tippit held evangelistic events throughout Nairobi, Kenya, Feb. 7-16. Team members spoke in hospitals, orphanages, prisons, schools, and lunch meetings. During one prison outreach, about 1,000 inmates put their faith in Christ. Billy and Kristi Hobbs from Texas also visited a maximum-security unit in a mental hospital and saw more than 90 percent of 250 people give their lives to Christ. "It was incredible to see these men, some of whom were murderers, ask Jesus to save them and forgive them for what they had done," Billy said. The evangelistic thrust culminated Feb. 14-16 as Tippit preached at a local stadium. Today he is in the Democratic Republic of Congo where he is speaking in a rebel-controlled area. (MNN/Sammy Tippit Ministries)

* ECUADORIAN JOURNALISTS HONOR HCJB WORLD RADIO FOR SPANISH NEWS

Edwin Chamorro, news director at Radio Station HCJB in Quito, Ecuador, reported that the station's Spanish news service has been honored for the second time in three years by Ecuador's National Union of Journalists (UNP), the oldest group of its kind in the country. Among those present at the Jan. 29 event were the country's first lady as well as the first vice president of the National Congress, the state general controller, the president of the Civic Anti-Corruption Commission, the mayor of Pichincha province and others. The journalists honored and recognized many in the community for their contributions to the advancement of communication of news in the country. The honor to the station read, "In recognition of its journalistic tactic and its endorsement of the UNP's stance in defense of life and restoration of Ecuadorian values." Allen Graham, HCJB World Radio's national radio director, says the award is significant because a "secular organization has recognized the station for its journalistic programming which incorporates the message of Jesus Christ. It also affirms us and motivates us to continue in the ministry that God has given us via radio." (HCJB World Radio)

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