LFM News Service 4-26-19

US Christians numbers 'decline sharply', poll finds
The number of Americans who identify as Christian has fallen nearly eight percentage points in only seven years, according to a new survey.  Read More

Battle Creek to explore sister city relationship with Falam, Myanmar
When Edward Thawnghmung and his family came to Battle Creek from Myanmar on a sponsorship from First Baptist Church in 1980, people here welcomed them.  Read More

World Report 2019: Myanmar | Human Rights Watch
In August, a United Nations-mandated fact-finding mission found that the military abuses committed in Kachin, Rakhine, and Shan States since 2011 “undoubtedly amount to the gravest crimes under international law,” and called for senior military officials, including Commander-in-Chief Sr. Gen. Min Aung Hlaing, to face investigation and prosecution for genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes.  Read More

At least 54 people missing in deadly Hpakant landslide
At least 54 people are feared dead after a pile of tailings at a mining site collapsed late on Monday in Kachin State’s Hpakant Township, burying mine workers and machinery, in the latest disaster to hit the multi-billion dollar jade industry.  Read More

Pope appoints new Archbishop in Mandalay, Myanmar
Pope Francis on Thursday made an appointment in the Church of Myanmar.  He appointed Fr. Marco Tin Win as the Archbishop of Mandalay.  The 59-year old priest, who has been the vicar general of Mandalay, takes over from Archbishop Nicholas Mang Thang, who stepped down the same day, having reached the canonical retirement age of 75 for bishops.  Read More

American Arrested Over 20-Acre Cannabis Plantation in Myanmar
The 20-acre cannabis plantation was no secret.  The farm, near Mandalay in central Myanmar, had been praised on Facebook by a group calling itself the Mahar Legalization Movement Myanmar, which wants the Burmese government to ease the heavy penalties it imposes on cannabis production and use.  Read More

Lao Police Allegedly Arrest Citizen for Practicing Christianity
Police have allegedly arrested, beaten and detained a man in Savannakhet province in southern Laos for practicing his Christian faith, witnesses told RFAs Lao Service on Thursday.  Read More