Europe – Page 256 – Prologue Journal

Belgium’s 2024 Election: What to Know

New York Times Belgium, a small yet politically significant country, will hold federal, regional, and E.U. elections on June 9, for control of its complex, layered governance structure. https://www.nytimes.com/2024/05/22/world/europe/belgium-2024-election.html

Investigating a Monster: What We Found and How We Did It

New York Times The end of the war in Afghanistan and the fall of its government allowed us to reach previously inaccessible records, places and people, documenting the bloody history of a key American ally. https://www.nytimes.com/2024/05/22/world/asia/abdul-raziq-afghanistan-investigation.html

Where Royals Once Hunted in France, a Green Forest Welcomes Everyone

New York Times With its boulders, trails and proximity to Paris, the 50,000-acre Forest of Fontainebleau draws millions of hikers, rock-climbers, trail runners and forest bathers each year. Some worry that its popularity is taking a toll. https://www.nytimes.com/2024/05/22/travel/fontainebleau-forest-paris.html

Wednesday Briefing

New York Times President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine speaks to The Times https://www.nytimes.com/2024/05/22/briefing/zelensky-iran-guantanamo.html

Under Relentless Russian Assault, Ukraine Adopts a Defensive Crouch

New York Times As Moscow’s forces retake land from which they were ousted at the end of 2022, the Ukrainian military has adopted a strategy of fighting while slowly falling back to more heavily fortified positions. https://www.nytimes.com/2024/05/22/world/europe/ukraine-kharkiv-russia-defense.html

In One Image: The Moment the Fighting Got Too Close

New York Times As they evacuated from the fighting in Ukraine, the passengers already thought of what they left behind. https://www.nytimes.com/2024/05/22/world/europe/ukraine-kharkiv-region-evacuation.html

Gérard Depardieu Punches the ‘King of Paparazzi’ Outside Rome Cafe

New York Times Mr. Depardieu, 75, was seen striking the 79-year-old photographer Rino Barillari on the Via Veneto. https://www.nytimes.com/2024/05/21/movies/gerard-depardieu-rino-barillari.html

Jenny Erpenbeck’s ‘Kairos’ Wins the International Booker Prize

New York Times Translated by Michael Hofmann, it’s the first novel originally written in German to win the major literary award. https://www.nytimes.com/2024/05/21/books/international-booker-prize-winner-jenny-erpenbeck-kairos.html

U.K. Man Charged With Aiding Hong Kong’s Intelligence Service Is Found Dead

New York Times Matthew Trickett, one of three men accused of gathering information for the special administrative region of China, died in a park outside London, the police said. https://www.nytimes.com/2024/05/21/world/europe/britain-matthew-trickett-hong-kong-intelligence.html

Russia Starts Tactical Nuclear Drills, in a Warning to Ukraine’s Allies

New York Times Moscow has said the exercise is a response to “provocative statements and threats of individual Western officials.” https://www.nytimes.com/2024/05/21/world/europe/russia-tactical-nuclear-exercise.html