Faced with the crackdown on Moscow bookshops and publishing houses aimed at removing from circulation novels, essays or even literary classics now deemed “subversive”, some individuals are setting up small private libraries to share their books. People gather and talk about the war, without mentioning Ukraine, but by reading stories that would otherwise be impossible to find anywhere today.

Leo XIV arrived in Cameroon, the second stop in his trip to Africa. Speaking to the authorities of a country governed for more than 40 years by the same president, who is now 92, he called for “renewal” and some soul-searching. He also said to “love your neighbor as yourself”, a commandment that is “equally applicable to international relations!” Before leaving Algiers, he visited a local Church-run orphanage.

Last night, senior diplomats from Israel and Lebanon took part in a meeting in the US capital, chaired by the US secretary of state. This is the first time the two met since the failed 1983 agreement under then President Amine Gemayel. Hezbollah's hostility remains. Former Lebanese ambassador to the United States, Simon Karam, is expected to lead the Lebanese delegation.

The Capital Development Authority (CDA) is pursuing demolitions in katchi abadis, informal settlements, where many Christians also live. Police agents and vehicles have been deployed in large numbers at the G-7 settlement (Allama Iqbal Colony). Residents are protesting, complaining of the lack of advance notice and alternative housing. NGOs are challenging the authorities, claiming they are hostile toward minorities and people living in poverty.

The Hungarian prime minister's electoral defeat deprives China of its main ally in the EU, with repercussions on investments, European cohesion, and relations with Taiwan. However, the new government led by Péter Magyar will have ample room to reposition itself along European lines without abandoning economic ties.

Organized by the Fiat Mission movement, which, based in Kerala, promotes lay apostolate both in Indian dioceses and among Malayali migrant communities worldwide. Archbishop Moolachira of Guwahati presided over the Mission Mass. Among the most visited booths was that of the Archdiocese of Imphal, featuring testimonies from Christians in Manipur.