Editing SP Current Events (section)

===In Europe===

By and large, Europe has seen less actual disruption - there is a very strong sense of leaving the work of the Government to the Government, so Archies in Europe who want to take that option tend to join up, locally or otherwise.

The EU states are generally viewing the Arches as belonging '''to''' the EU, and have a strict quarantine in place.

The sole exception to that quarantine is at Lourdes, where the French Government has opened that Arch, and that Arch only, to those with Incurable diseases and other inoperable conditions. It is, perhaps, instructive that the Arch has seen no more than three or four people per week even show an interest, and maybe one every two or three months will follow through.

Meanwhile, the waters of Lourdes still continue to see throngs of people.

The Vatican's official position is that 'One can tell what kind of person they are once they've passed through the Arch.'

Demona - a staunch Catholic herself - has taken issue with that stance, but so far, the issues haven't gotten too heated, and when pressed, the Vatican's press agents have made note that the Pope has not issued any declarations himself.

The UK has, as usual, gone its own way, but treats it similarly - the Arches are Crown Property. However, in a staggering variation, the Crown has set up a clinic to review the case of anyone who wishes to pass through an Arch. To date, they've not officially allowed such passage, but there are rumours.

The celebrity status of them, however, is even higher, especially in places like France and Spain. The scandal sheets are kept busy with the lives, loves and foibles of the current favorites.

In England, meanwhile, there's scandal of another kind. One of the tabloids mentioned a few weeks ago that one of the Royal Family had been through - or was planning on going through - an Arch. That would have been dismissed by most, except that the Royal Family has done nothing to halt the rumours.