Europe – Page 561 – Prologue Journal

African Leaders Plan ‘Peace Mission’ to Russia and Ukraine

New York Times South Africa’s president said officials from six nations would visit Kyiv and Moscow as part of the initiative. The time frame remained unclear. https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/16/world/europe/russia-ukraine-peace-ramaphosa-africa.html

On an Austrian Train, Hitler’s Voice Played Over the Loudspeakers

New York Times Two men have been questioned in the a bizarre case, where Hitler could be heard over an express train’s P.A. system. The episode has led to outrage and head-scratching. https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/16/world/europe/austria-train-hitler.html

Oxford University Removes Sackler Name From Buildings

New York Times The elite British university has become the latest in a long series of institutions to publicly distance themselves from the family because of some of its members’ ties to the opioid crisis. https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/16/world/europe/oxford-sackler.html

Ukraine’s Push Around Bakhmut Presents Russia with Tough Decisions

New York Times Kyiv’s forces have reclaimed ground near the city that it took Russian forces months to seize, raising pressure on Moscow to devote more fighters and equipment there. https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/16/world/europe/ukraine-russia-bakhmut.html

German Court Convicts Five Men for Green Vault Jewel Heist

New York Times The trial brought to light the extraordinary story of how members of a notorious crime family broke into one of the most secure museums in Germany. https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/16/arts/design/green-vault-jewel-heist.html

German Court Convicts Five Men for Green Vault Jewel Heist

Getting to the Heart of Mexico, One Chile at a Time

New York Times A human rights researcher in Ukraine, on break from her often grueling work, crisscrossed three Mexican states in search of the stories behind the spice. https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/16/travel/mexico-chile-pepper-spice.html

Belarus State Media Release a Photo of Lukashenko Amid Ill Health Rumors

New York Times Aleksandr G. Lukashenko, a Kremlin ally, had not been shown since he attended events last week celebrating the Soviet Union’s triumph over Nazi Germany in 1945. https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/16/world/europe/belarus-president-lukashenko-photo.html

Your Tuesday Briefing

New York Times Pledges for more military aid from Ukraine’s European allies. https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/16/briefing/ukraine-aid-palestinians-trump-inquiry.html

Former U.S. Embassy Employee Is Being Held in Moscow, Russian State News Says

New York Times The State Department had no immediate comment on the report that the man, identified as Robert Shonov, had been arrested and charged with conspiracy. https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/15/world/europe/robert-shonov-detained-russia-moscow.html