European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen announced yesterday that the EU plans to set up a specialized court to investigate and prosecute possible Russian war crimes in Ukraine.
In a post on Twitter, von der Leyen described the EU’s intentions to work „with our partners” like the ICC to „set up a specialized court to try Russia’s crimes” and „make sure that Russia pays for the devastation it [has] caused.” The Hague-based International Criminal Court (ICC) opened an investigation into suspected war crimes in Ukraine days after Russia invaded the country on February 24.
According to the statement released yesterday by the EC, damage in Ukraine „is estimated at 600 billion euros.” The statement went on to demand that „Russia and its oligarchs have to compensate Ukraine for the damage and cover the costs for rebuilding the country.”
Szymon Szynkowski vel Sęk, Poland’s Minister for European Affairs, responded positively to the announcement. During an interview with journalists on Wednesday, he described using confiscated Russian assets as compensation to Ukraine as „a step in the right direction.”
Source: Radio Poland, PAP
The Polish national football team has advanced to the knockout stage of the World Cup for the first time in 36 years despite losing 0-2 to Argentina last night.
Poland’s promotion ultimately came down to the goal deficit between Mexico and Saudi Arabia. Mexico’s 2-1 victory was not enough to push them into second place in Group C, allowing Poland to advance to the knockout phase.
Argentina arguably played their best football of the tournament and controlled the game from start to finish. Alexis Mac Allister put Argentina 1-0 up in the 46th minute of the match, and Julian Alvarez doubled the score in the 67th.
The score might have been higher if Polish goalkeeper Wojciech Szczęsny had not been able to block a penalty kick from Argentinian great Lionel Messi in the 39th minute.
Poland finished second in Group C and will now face world champions France in the round of 16 on Sunday at 4 p.m. CET.
France was one of the first teams to qualify for the tournament’s knockout stage after a 2-1 victory against Denmark, which may account for their poor showing yesterday, in which they lost to Tunisia 1-0.
Australia also made headlines yesterday after beating Denmark 1-0, which marks only the second time in history Australia has advanced to the knockout stage of the World Cup. They will face Argentina on Saturday, December 3, at 8:00 p.m. CET.
For more highlights, predictions, and analysis from the World Cup, tune into Radio Gdańsk each morning at 7:35 a.m. and again at 1:15 p.m. and 5:10 p.m. each day during the week.
Source: Radio Gdańsk, Radio Poland
Two hundred years after its original publication, Adam Mickiewicz’s masterpiece „Ballads and Romances” has finally been translated and published in English.
Glagoslav Publishers, an independent British-Dutch press, published the collection in collaboration with the Polish Cultural Institute in London and the Polish Book Institute.
„Ballady i romanse” is renowned for ushering in the Romantic period of Polish literature, taking on „the same significance for Polish literature as Wordsworth and Coleridge’s 'Lyrical Ballads’ has for the English.” The book’s collection of four ballads and fourteen poems on the topics of love, the supernatural, and the exotic explore motifs similar to other Romantic poets of the time.
According to the publisher, Mickiewicz was „successful in every genre at which he tried his hand, setting the benchmark for excellence in poetry, prose, and drama for all the writers that came after him.”
Translator Charles Kraszewski praised the publication for ensuring that Mickiewicz’s literary output „is not doomed to be inaccessible to the foreign reader.”
Source: Radio Poland
Gdańsk city council members announced the opening of a new shop in the Gdańsk city center, which will provide food aid for those in need while simultaneously reducing food waste.
Modeled after the „Za Stołem” shop in Nowy Port, the new food aid point on Aksamitna street will allow those in need the chance to choose and take home up to 2.5 kilograms of food products completely free of charge.
Patrons can choose from various vegetables, fruits, meat, fish, bread, dairy products, and ready-made products, such as dumplings donated from local stores. While the products have a short shelf life of 2-3 days, officials promise they are still suitable for consumption.
According to city councilor Przemysław Ryś, the new „Za Stołem” shop will differ from the Nowy Port location in that it will be open to all who „no longer have the funds for even basic food products” after paying rent, utilities, and other bills.
Unlike the shop in Nowy Port, the new shop will not require a referral from a Municipal Family Support Center (MOPR). „We want this place to be available to everyone, explains councilor Kamila Błaszczyk, so there will not be any limits in terms of referrals.”
The shop at Aksamitna 4 will be open Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. On Tuesdays the store will be open from 1:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Source: Radio Gdańsk, gdansk.pl
Weather
Today will be mostly cloudy and cold with very little chance of rain or snow and a light breeze coming in from the southeast. Temperatures will be slightly colder than yesterday, with a high of 2°C, or 36°F, dropping to a low of 0°C or 32°F overnight. Colder weather is expected for tomorrow, with a chance for some snow over the weekend.
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