Europe – Page 423 – Prologue Journal

Russia’s ‘Elastic Defense’ Tactic Frustrates Ukraine’s Counteroffensive

New York Times Military analysts say that Russian commanders have been using a tactic known as “elastic defense” to prevent Ukraine from holding villages and other positions as staging grounds for future attacks. https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/03/world/europe/russia-ukraine-elastic-defense-counteroffensive.html

U.S. and World Leaders Pledge Support for Ukraine ‘for as Long as It Takes’

New York Times President Biden, in a conference call with world leaders amid tumult in Congress, insisted that U.S. aid would not be interrupted. https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/03/world/europe/biden-ukraine-aid.html

Catholic Conservatives Criticize Pope Francis’ Synod

New York Times As bishops and laypeople from around the world prepared to gather at the Vatican, traditionalist Catholics who would not be among them staged their own show. https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/03/world/europe/pope-francis-synod-conservatives.html

Piecing Together Stories of Migrants Who Were Killed in the Greece Wildfires

New York Times A Times reporter hiked to a rugged region in Greece where the bodies of 18 asylum seekers were found. She returned, weeks later, with a man who had lost his brother. https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/03/world/europe/greece-wildfires-migrants.html

Venice Bus Plunge Kills at Least 21

New York Times Italian officials said that the bus had been full of tourists, and that two minors were among the dead. https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/03/world/europe/venice-italy-bus-crash.html

Greenland Indigenous Women Demand Compensation for Involuntary IUDs

New York Times A group of Indigenous women in Greenland say Danish doctors inserted intrauterine devices without their consent. They are now seeking damages from the Danish government. https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/03/world/europe/greenland-indigenous-women-contraception.html

Athens Democracy Forum: Rethinking Security When So Many Threats Are Invisible

New York Times One U.S. company is helping Ukraine behind the scenes combat not only attacks from traditional weapons but invisible ones, too. https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/03/world/europe/cyber-security-athens-democracy-forum.html

Barcelona’s Sagrada Familia Inches Closer to Being Done

New York Times After 140 years, Antoni Gaudí’s unrealized masterpiece is finally nearing completion. But hurdles still remain, with construction to last until at least 2026. https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/03/world/europe/barcelona-sagrada-familia-construction.html

Russian Ruble Briefly Weakens to 100 Against U.S. Dollar

New York Times The currency has been significantly weaker since the start of the year, in a sign of the financial volatility prompted by the war in Ukraine. https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/03/world/europe/russia-ruble-dollar-economy.html

Sunak’s UK Conservative Party Conference Haunted by Truss and Other Rivals

New York Times Prime Minister Rishi Sunak hopes his governing party’s annual conference can lift his ailing poll numbers. Predecessors and would-be successors have other priorities. https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/03/world/europe/conservative-party-conference-uk-sunak-braverman.html