Citizens are heading back to the polls today for the second round of voting in this year’s presidential election after no candidate secured an outright majority in the first round of elections June 28. As before, the election will be conducted via a mixed system of postal and traditional in-person voting, per rules approved by the Sejm last month.

Due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, additional measures have been put into place by the Ministry of Health to protect those most vulnerable to infection. Pregnant women, people with children under the age of three, those with disabilities, and citizens over the age of 60 have priority access and will be able to move to the front of the queue at polling stations.

Polls opened at 7:00 this morning and will remain open until 21:00 this evening. A media blackout is currently in effect until after polls officially close, but check back in with us tomorrow for updated election results.

Source: Radio Poland

80th anniversary of the Battle of Britain

Officials in the UK and Poland are commemorating the 80th anniversary of the Battle of Britain, the nearly four-month-long aerial battle against the German Luftwaffe which began on July 10, 1940.

It was the “first decisive battle in history fought entirely in the air” and is widely considered a turning point of WWII, an outcome which would not have been possible without participation of hundreds of Polish pilots. The 303rd all-Polish “Kosciuszko” squadron shot down 126 enemy aircraft during the Battle of Britain, later ending the war with the highest-ranking tally of any Hurricane squadron in the RAF.

According to the Marshall of the RAF at that time, Sir Charles Portal, “the Poles proved themselves splendid airmen–adaptable, resourceful, and highly skilled…we owe our deepest gratitude to those…who did not spare their blood for Poland, the country that would not be overcome.”

The legacy of the 154 Polish pilots who fought in the Battle of Britain, including the 29 who died, has been commemorated in numerous books and films, most recently the films “Squadron 303” (Dywizjon 303) and “Hurricane,” also known as “Mission of Honor” which came out in 2018.

Source: www.historic-uk.com, Radio Poland

Man escapes with mountain lion

Police in Katowice police are searching for the owner of a mountain lion who absconded with his pet after a court ruled that the animal was to be confiscated and taken to a zoo in Poznań.

According to TVN24, the man purchased a puma cub some years ago in the Czech Republic and then proceeded to raise it with him at home. Legal regulations in Poland forbid keeping dangerous animals as pets, and the man was ordered to surrender the puma.

When police and zoo officials arrived last Friday to collect the animal, the man fled with the puman on a leash. Since that time, the police have been using a helicopter to search the forest area near the village of Ogrodzieniec in hopes of finding the escapees.

In the meantime, the man has created a stir on the internet after publishing a short clip of himself with the puma, under the caption “safe.”

Source: Radio Poland

Dar Pomorza celebrates 90 years

The staff and crew of the museum ship “Dar Pomorza” are spending the next two days preparing to celebrate the vessel’s 90 years of service under the Polish flag.

Visitors today and tomorrow will be able to admire the ship in full regalia and observe special exhibitions and ceremonies commemorating 90 years under the banner of the white eagle. The morning flag will be raised each day at 8:00, and each night the ship will be fully illuminated.

On Monday, visitors are invited to a special dedication and flag-raising ceremony, which will take place at 10:00. All throughout the day, guests will be able to visit „Dar Pomorza” for a symbolic zloty, and on Monday evening at 20:00, the „Zawisza Czarny” or “Dark Shanty” Choir, will be performing classic sea shanties.

For those not wanting to test out their sea legs, both the ceremony and the concert can be observed from the Pomeranian Quay.

For more on the history of the Dar Pomorza, visit

https://bit.ly/dar_pomorza or follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/RadioGdanskNews

Weather

Today will be cool and partly cloudy with a gentle breeze coming in from the west and a slight chance of rain showers overnight. Temperatures will peak around a high of 19°C, or 66°F, dropping overnight to a cool 12°C or 53°F. Similar weather is expected through Wednesday with rain returning toward the end of the week.

RGEN/EP