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JAIL A prominent Christian political prisoner has been released from prison in Myanmar (Burma) after staging a hunger strike to protest inhumane prison conditions and persistent violations of fundamental human rights, including the lack of religious freedom. Dr. Salai Tun Than, a 75-year-old professor, and 17 other political prisoners were released on Sunday, May 4. The releases came a week after Than started a weeklong hunger strike from his bed in Rangoon's Insein Prison Hospital to protest conditions at Insein and other prisons in Myanmar that fail to meet the U.N.'s minimum standards. Prison authorities reportedly denied him access to a Bible and refused to let him take communion inside the prison. Myanmar's military junta said the releases are the "latest in a series of efforts by the government to move Myanmar closer to a multi-party democracy and national reconciliation" Than was arrested outside Rangoon City Hall on Nov. 29, 2001, for staging a solo protest and distributing a petition calling for multi-party general elections. He was sentenced to seven years in prison following a secret trial in February 2002. Amnesty International estimates that there are still 1,200 political prisoners in Myanmar. (Christian Solidarity Worldwide)

FAMINE IN SOUTHERN SUDAN APPROACHES 'ALARMING LEVELS'

In southern Sudan the food situation continues to deteriorate to alarming levels. Evangelical Free Church of America's Jim Snyder says the drought aggravates the need, which is reaching a critical point, prompting a call for help from a sister church in Sudan. "The church's president contacted us and requested assistance because of drought in that area right now," he says. "We are purchasing grain in northern Uganda and trucking it to southern Sudan." Fundraising is under way for the effort that ultimately gives the local Sudanese church body an opportunity to evangelize. "As we have gotten involved there, we've seen a tremendous increase in the awareness of the local church by people who normally do not attend church, and it's been a real bonus to the activity of the local church," Snyder says. He urges believers to pray for staff members who remain in danger of attack by the Khartoum government. (Mission Network News)

APPARENT SUICIDE VICTIM SUSPECTED IN POISONING AT MAINE CHURCH

The fatal arsenic poisoning at a small Lutheran church in New Sweden, Maine, has been ruled a homicide. Walter Reid Morrill, a 78-year-old usher, died last week and at least 15 people were hospitalized after drinking coffee after services at Gustaf Adolph Lutheran Church on Sunday, April 27. "We were looking for ways it could be an accidental introduction -- an old bottle in the cupboard, rodent poisoning near the coffee -- but there's nothing there that makes us think it's accidental," Lt. Dennis Appleton, the lead investigator, told The New York Times. The poisoning has several elements of a classic "whodunit" -- a tiny community where everyone knows everyone, a small cast of possible suspects, and even a method of killing more commonly found in fiction than in the police blotter. Attention is centering on Daniel Bondeson, 53, a local resident who died of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound on Friday, May 2. Bondeson, who at one time served on the church council, was not one of the 27 people at last Sunday's coffee hour, though churchgoers said he attended a bake sale the previous day. (Religion Today/AP/Reuters)

WORLDWIDE DAY OF PRAYER FOR CHILDREN AT RISK SET FOR JUNE 7

One-third of the world's population -- 1.8 billion children -- is under the age of 15. Of these, 17 million children die from malnutrition and starvation each year; 10 million are involved in the sex industry; 100 million live on the streets; 200 million are exploited as child laborers. Since 1996 Viva Network has been organizing the annual Worldwide Day of Prayer for Children at Risk. This year's event is set for Saturday, June 7. For more information visit www.viva.org. (Viva Network)

POLL: RELIGIOUS GERMANS 'HAPPIER' THAN NONRELIGIOUS ONES

Religiously oriented people are generally happier than those who are nonreligious or atheists. That is the result of a representative survey carried out by Germany's Institute for Demoscopy in Allensbach for the Dusseldorf-based Identity Foundation. Forty percent of the religious people considered themselves happy "very often" or "often" compared to 32 percent of the nonreligious respondents, and 28 percent of atheists. Overall, one-third of the population considers themselves happy at least "often." Women, youths and those with a higher education or social standing are more likely to be happy; 43 percent of those in a good economic situation considered themselves happy "often," but only 18 percent of those in a poor economic situation. In reply to the question, "What is happiness?" almost three-quarters (73 percent) replied, "Having grown up in an intact family"; 64 percent replied, "Winning the lottery" or feeling well; and 60 percent replied, "Being with my own family." The study also demonstrated a strong correlation between freedom and happiness. (Friday Fax)

12 TEENS LEAD HUNDREDS TO CHRIST DURING OUTREACH IN MALAWI

Twelve young men with Teen Missions International recently saw an incredible harvest in Malawi. The Malawian nationals from the Bible, Missionary and Work Training Center went out two-by-two to share the gospel. Traveling with nothing but their clothes and a Bible, they led a total of 806 people to Christ during the weeklong campaign. (Mission Network News)

* In partnership with African Bible College, HCJB World Radio helped plant a Christian radio station in Lilongwe, Malawi, in 1995. The station airs programs in Chichewa and English. Staff members from the HCJB World Radio Engineering Center in Elkhart, Ind., also installed FM transmitters at stations in two Malawian cities, Blantyre and Mzuzu, in 2000.

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