Poland’s foreign minister meets Japanese counterpart in Tokyo to discuss Russia’s war against Ukraine and other bilateral issues

Poland’s Zbigniew Rau and Japan’s Yoshimasa Hayashi spoke about Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, related humanitarian aid for the Ukrainians, and ways to more widely enhance bilateral relations. The two top diplomats explored opportunities for further cooperation in areas including security and business.

While in Japan this week, Rau is also scheduled to make a trip to Hiroshima to meet with municipal authorities there and tour the Peace Memorial Museum, according to the Polish foreign ministry.

Today marks day 442 of Russia’s war on Ukraine.

(Polskie Radio)

Kaliningrad: Russia not pleased as government body recommends renaming exclave

The Kremlin has reacted furiously after a Polish government body advised using a different name for Russia’s exclave of Kaliningrad on the Baltic Sea coast. The Polish committee said the city and wider area should instead be called Królewiec.

This was the area’s traditional name in Polish culture and the decision no longer to use an „imposed name” was partly a result of Russia invading Ukraine. Russia said the decision was „bordering on madness” and „a hostile act”.

For hundreds of years before World War Two, the area was known as Königsberg and was part of East Prussia. Królewiec is the Polish translation of Königsberg.

However, after World War Two, the city and wider region were placed under Soviet administration. The Soviets renamed it Kaliningrad after Mikhail Kalinin, one of the leaders of the Bolshevik revolution.

Mikhail Kalinin was one of six Soviet Politburo signatories of the order to execute more than 21,000 Polish prisoners of war in the forests of Katyn and elsewhere in 1940.

(BBC)

The renowned and local actress Krystyna Łubieńska who was a part of the Wybrzeże Theatre has died at the age of 90

Krystyna Łubieńska died yesterday, May 10th at the age of 90. The artist gained widespread popularity playing leading roles in films directed by Bohdan Korzeniewski, Andrzej Wajda and Jerzy Goliński. She also organized numerous poetry events and promoted emerging artists.

Łubieńska was born in 1932 in Warsaw. At the age of 11, she and her mother participated in the Warsaw Uprising. She was a liaison officer of the Home Army, she also helped as a nurse.

The actress appeared on the Gdańsk stage for the first time on October 1, 1958, playing Beautiful Helena in Jean Giraudoux’s play 'There will be no Trojan War’. The actress was also a member of associations and clubs promoting charity. Over her lifetime she received numerous artistic awards and distinctions, including the Gloria Artis medal, the Golden Cross of Merit and the Award of the Mayor of the City of Gdańsk for lifetime artistic achievement.

(Gazeta.pl / Radio Gdańsk)

Family picnic to be held by the Stogi Plaża tramway stop on Saturday, May 13th

This Saturday, from 11am to 2pm, Gdańsk locals will be able to have fun and games at a transport themed family picnic, which will take place at the Stogi Plaża tramway terminus. There will be historic trams to see, competitions to play, kids attractions and refreshments for all.

The event has been organized for the occasion of the completion of works related to the Gdańsk City Transport Project – stage IV A. The date of the picnic coincides with the event celebrated for 10 years throughout Poland – the Open Days of European Funds – which reminds the Polish people of the benefits that the country gains thanks to European Union membership.

You can read more about this project and other investments on the www.gdansk.pl website.

(Gdansk.pl)

The weather

Today will be warm and sunny, similar conditions to yesterday. A moderate breeze will come in from the south east. The temperature during daylight hours will be warm but fall below 10°C as we move into the evening. Cloud coverage is expected at around 25%. Daytime temperatures will see a high of 19°C or 66°F, with expected lows of 5°C or 41°F overnight. As for tomorrow and the coming weekend, it should be just as sunny and the temperature even warmer.

Thomas Rado