German and American diplomats in Poland joined Poles yesterday in commemorating the start of the 1944 Warsaw Uprising. Flags were flown at half-mast at Germany’s diplomatic buildings in Poland, including at the German Consulate in Gdańsk. Germany’s Ambassador to Warsaw, Arndt Freytag von Loringhoven, described the action as „a sign of profound grief and shame because of the cruel crimes committed by the German occupiers against the people of Warsaw.”
Meanwhile, the US Embassy in Warsaw paid “tribute to the heroes of the Warsaw Uprising” in a Tweet praising those who “heroically took up arms to fight for their beloved city and homeland.”
In Warsaw, traffic and businesses came to a standstill at exactly 5 pm as sirens sounded to commemorate the start of the uprising 77 years ago.
Afterward, a mass was held at the monument to the Warsaw Uprising. The ceremony was attended by President Andrzej Duda and Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki, along with Warsaw Mayor Rafał Trzaskowski, Germany’s Minister-President of North Rhine-Westphalia Armin Laschet, as well as a small number of veterans of the Uprising.
Source: Radio Poland
A group of Polish rescuers and doctors flew to Uganda last Friday to support the East African country’s efforts to contain a spike in coronavirus infections there.
Polish healthcare professionals are helping fight the coronavirus pandemic in Uganda as part of a major humanitarian project managed by the Polish Centre for International Aid (PCPM) in cooperation with the World Health Organisation.
The Polish medics will provide support for the Ugandan health service for over a month in response to a sharp increase in new COVID-19 cases.
In Uganda, 66 percent of serious COVID-19 cases are people under 45 suffering from the Delta variant of the virus, according to the Polish Centre for International Aid.
Source: Radio Poland
The Delta variant is rapidly becoming dominant in Poland and was reportedly responsible for some 60% of COVID-19 infections over the past month and 80% of new infections in the past week.
During a joint press conference with Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki, Minister of Health Adam Niedzielski emphasized that the increase in percentages is not surprising, taking into account the epidemic situation in Austria, Germany, and Sweden.
In all three countries, the percentage of reported cases of the Delta variant is over 90%. According to Niedzielski, Poland is slowly approaching these same parameters. He went on to urge unvaccinated Poles to get vaccinated to help slow the spread of the disease and limit the chance of severe illness resulting from infection.
As Prime Minister Morawiecki later emphasized, the vast majority of those with severe cases of coronavirus are unvaccinated, comprising some 99 percent of all serious cases.
Source: Radio Gdańsk, Radio Poland
Starting this week, city libraries in Gdańsk are set to begin offering free home delivery of books to seniors and those with disabilities.
The new “Książka do domu” program is available for persons over 65 and those who cannot come to the library in person due to disability or mobility issues. Those wanting to participate will need a current Metropolitarna Karta do Kultury, which can be obtained by calling the general library coordinator at 731 420 900.
Books can be ordered on Mondays and Tuesdays by calling or emailing the nearest metropolitan branch library.
Telephone numbers, e-mail addresses, and other necessary information are available on the website of the Provincial and Municipal Public Library of Gdańsk.
Source: Radio Gdańsk
Weather
Today will be mostly sunny and pleasantly warm, with winds coming in from the west and a very little chance of rain. Temperatures will peak around a high of 21°C, or 70°F, cooling off overnight to a low of 14°C or 58°F. Clouds and a chance for rain will return tomorrow, with an increasing chance for rain as the week progresses.