Europe – Page 424 – Prologue Journal

At Spanish Disco Where Fire Killed 13, Grief and Questions

New York Times With only four of the bodies pulled from the charred remains of an disco complex near the Mediterranean Coast identified, the authorities are asking families for DNA samples. https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/02/world/europe/spain-club-fire-murcia.html

Ethnic Serbs in Northern Kosovo Feel ‘Trapped’ by Politics

New York Times A deadly shootout in a Kosovar village raised fears that the troubled Balkan region would be plunged into another conflict. Locals worry about food, and long for a return to normalcy. https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/02/world/europe/serbia-kosovo-clash.html

E.U. foreign ministers met for the first time outside the borders of the bloc.

New York Times https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/02/world/europe/meeting-european-union-ukraine.html

U.S. Aid for Ukraine Won’t Change, Officials in Moscow and Kyiv Say

New York Times Officials in Moscow and Kyiv played down the significance of a U.S. government spending bill that lacked new funding for Ukraine. https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/02/world/europe/us-aid-ukraine-russia-war.html

James Webb Telescope Discovers Orion Nebula Enigmas That ‘Shouldn’t Exist’

New York Times In new, high-resolution imagery of the star-forming region, scientists spotted worlds that defied explanation, naming them Jupiter Mass Binary Objects. https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/02/science/orion-nebula-webb-planets.html

Russia May Be Planning to Test a Nuclear-Powered Missile

New York Times Visual evidence from a remote base in the Arctic shows launch preparations mirroring those that preceded earlier tests. https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/02/video/russia-nuclear-missile.html

Vatican Synod Puts Catholic Church’s Most Sensitive Issues on the Table

New York Times Pope Francis’ calls for open-minded discussion will be tested this week as bishops meet with lay people, including women, to debate topics such as married priests and the blessing of gay couples. https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/02/world/europe/pope-francis-synod.html

What Is a Synod in the Catholic Church? And Why Does This One Matter?

New York Times A seemingly obscure meeting could be the culmination of Francis’ papacy and lay the groundwork for lasting change on issues like married priests and the blessing of gay unions. https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/02/world/europe/what-is-a-synod-pope-church.html

Giving River Cruising a Try in France

New York Times On a first-time luxury river cruise in France, our reporter learns why this all-inclusive trip, despite its expense, was worth it. https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/02/travel/france-rhone-river-cruise.html

Monday Briefing

New York Times An averted government shutdown. https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/02/briefing/shutdown-ukraine-slovakia-poland.html