THE media in Angola is operating under increasingly difficult conditions, Open Society representative and freelance journalist Rafael Marques said in a statement on Monday. The statement coincided with a decision by independent Catholic-run Radio Ecclesia to suspend all news reports in favour of religious broadcasts. The station also counseled Angolans to pray. Marques attributed the suspension to government pressure on the station, but its director, Father Antonio Jaca, said the station was in the process of revamping its programming. Meanwhile, news reports say Angolan journalist Alegria Gustavo was shot dead, in the Southern province of Huambo on July 10, after leaving a party. According to a news report by the Luanda Commercial Radio, the Vice-administrator of Huambo, Matias Kassoma, shot and killed the journalist. – Irin, Misa