In his Easter message to the world, Pope Francis appeared to ask the Russian people to seek the truth about their country’s invasion of Ukraine, while also appealing for dialogue between Israelis and Palestinians.

Speaking from the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica to an estimated crowd of 100,000 attendees, the Pope spoke of “the darkness and the gloom in which, all too often, our world finds itself enveloped,” offering a prayer to “help the beloved Ukrainian people on their journey towards peace, and shed the light of Easter upon the people of Russia.”

He then prayed to God to “comfort the wounded and all those who have lost loved ones because of the war, and grant that prisoners may return safe and sound to their families. Open the hearts of the entire international community to strive to end this war and all conflict and bloodshed in our world.”

As he has done every Easter, the Pope also called for peace in the Middle East, an appeal made more urgent by recent violence in Jerusalem and cross-border exchanges of fire involving Israel, Lebanon, and Syria.

During his Easter address, Pope Francis also prayed that the „martyred Rohingya people” of Myanmar “may encounter justice” and called for more aid for the victims of the February earthquakes in Turkey and Syria that killed nearly 56,000 people.

Source: Polskie Radio

President Andrzej Duda and First Lady Agata Kornhauser-Duda extended their official Easter wishes to all Poles in the country and abroad via a video posted online yesterday.

In their holiday message, the Presidential couple wished that “the memory of the victory of life over death and good over evil brings us all hope and new strength” and for “Polish homes – in the country and abroad” to be “filled with a solemn, festive atmosphere, full of peace, family happiness, and harmony.”

In her remarks, First Lady Kornhauser Duda noted that this holiday marks the second year “that we celebrate together with war refugees from Ukraine” and expressed her hope that “this festive time [would] contribute to strengthening our bond of solidarity.”

President Duda finished by thanking the “soldiers, officers, and employees of all services and institutions, as well as enterprises,” for their “dedication and efficiency in performing your responsible tasks…thanks to which the holidays pass[ed] peacefully.”

The official recording of the message was published on Sunday morning on the website of the presidential office, and can be found on the website of Radio Gdańsk.

Source: Radio Gdańsk, Polskie Radio

A new law regulating remote work in Poland came into effect last Friday, hailed by the government as “an important day for the Polish labor market.”

Under the new regulations, staff are allowed to work remotely on a full-time or part-time basis, depending on the needs of the given employee and employer, including in emergencies such as the outbreak of an epidemic or when an employee needs to look after a relative.

Employers will also be required to offer remote work arrangements for employees who are parents of children up to four years of age, a parent or carer of a person with disabilities, or pregnant.

Speaking in an interview with Polish state news agency PAP, Family and Social Policy Minister Marlena Maląg praised the new law for “mak[ing] it much easier to reconcile family and work duties” and providing more opportunities “for people living in smaller communities with fewer transport links.”

Source: Polskie Radio

Drivers are urged to exercise additional caution after two fatal accidents were reported in Trójmiasto over Easter Sunday.

Around 10:30 yesterday, a passenger car struck a tree on Chwarznieńska Street, near the intersection with Dulina Street in Gdynia, killing the driver.

According to witnesses, the man driving the car was traveling at a very high rate of speed when the crash occurred. Deputy Commissioner Jolanta Grunert of the Gdynia police told Radio Gdańsk yesterday that the exact circumstances and details of the incident are still being determined.

Earlier that same morning, the body of an unidentified male was discovered in a ditch off Route 212 in Urdopie in the poviat of Bytów. The man had reportedly been struck and killed by a car, with police still looking for the driver responsible for the accident.

As reported previously on Radio Gdańsk, additional police officers, including drones and unmarked police cars, are currently patrolling high-traffic areas around Trójmiasto as part of the “Święta” police action, due to wrap up today.

Source: Radio Gdańsk

Weather

Today will be mostly sunny, with very little chance of rain and a light breeze coming from the north. Temperatures will be warmer than yesterday with a high today of 12°C or 54°F dropping to a low of 2°C or 35°F overnight. Even warmer weather is expected tomorrow, with a good chance of rain showers tomorrow afternoon.

Elizabeth Peck/aKa