Europe – Page 40 – Prologue Journal

Venice in Winter, With a Poet as Our Guide

New York Times A writer and his daughter wander the ancient city at night, inspired by Joseph Brodsky, the Russian writer who loved the city in its cold, quiet season. https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/27/travel/venice-in-winter-joseph-brodsky.html

Monday Briefing

New York Times Cease-fires under pressure. https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/27/briefing/gaza-lebanon-colombia-deportations.html

At Auschwitz, a Solemn Ceremony at a Time of Rising Nationalism

New York Times World leaders and a dwindling group of survivors are joining ceremonies to mark the 80th anniversary of the liberation of the Nazi death camp by the Red Army. https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/27/world/europe/auschwitz-liberation-80th-anniversary.html

Belarus’s Strong-Arm Leader, Aleksandr Lukashenko, Cruises to Re-Election

New York Times Europe’s longest-serving leader won re-election in a contest widely believe to have been rigged. The result cements the power of a leader whose country is considered Russia’s staunchest ally. https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/26/world/europe/belarus-lukashenko-re-election.html

Thieves Blow Up a Dutch Museum Door to Steal a Golden Helmet

New York Times The police said the golden helmet of Cotofenesti, a highly regarded artifact from Romania, was among the items stolen from the Drents Museum in the Netherlands. https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/26/world/europe/art-theft-drents-contofenesti-amsterdam.html

A Storm, a Spill and a Disaster for the Black Sea’s Beaches

New York Times Vast stretches of Russian coast have been tarred by heavy fuel oil from two freighters that foundered in a storm. https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/26/world/europe/russia-oil-spill-black-sea.html

His Opponents Sidelined, Lukashenko Is Set for a 7th Term in Belarus

New York Times President Aleksandr G. Lukashenko, a close ally of Russia’s leader, Vladimir V. Putin, has been making signs of reaching out to the West. He is all but certain to win an election on Sunday. https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/25/world/europe/belarus-election-lukashenko.html

Derek Humphry, Pivotal Figure in Right-to-Die Movement, Dies at 94

New York Times His own experience assisting his terminally ill wife in ending her life set him on a path to founding the Hemlock Society and writing a best-selling guide. https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/24/health/derek-humphry-dead.html

Greece Tightens Laws on Domestic Violence (but Not Enough, Critics Say)

New York Times Amid a surge in reported cases, lawmakers imposed harsher punishments on perpetrators. Victims’ advocacy groups said the legislation was too thin on preventative measures. https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/24/world/europe/greece-domestic-violence-law.html

What Elon Musk’s Salute Was All About

New York Times A gesture associated with the Nazis has a surprising history. But in Germany, there was little doubt about its meaning. https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/24/world/europe/elon-musk-roman-salute-nazi.html