The highly-anticipated NATO summit in Vilnius gets underway today, with Polish President Andrzej Duda and Foreign Minister Zbigniew Rau in attendance beside US President Joe Biden and UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.
According to President Duda, the summit will explore “all the issues that matter for Polish security,” including the need to bolster NATO’s eastern flank and support Ukraine in its fight against Russian aggression.
After a meeting on Monday between Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan and Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson, Erdogan agreed to submit Sweden’s NATO accession application for a vote in the Turkish parliament.
Before arriving in Vilnius, Erdogan said the European Union should “open the way” for Turkey’s membership in the bloc of 27 before the Turkish parliament would approve Sweden’s request for NATO membership.
In a later post on Twitter, European Council President Charles Michel said he had met with Turkish President Erdogan, and they had agreed “revive” talks between Ankara and the EU.
President Erdogan reportedly assured NATO members that the Swedish accession application would be ratified by the Turkish parliament, paving the way for Sweden to officially join the alliance.
Source: PAP, Polskie Radio, Reuters
Pope Francis recently revealed the names of 21 new Cardinals, a list which includes Polish Archbishop Grzegorz Ryś.
Ryś is currently the Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Łódź. The Pope’s appointment will see Ryś receive the prestigious Cardinal’s red hat this September.
With a doctorate in theological sciences and a post-doctoral degree in history, Archbishop Ryś is recognized for his exceptional preaching skills and dedication to organizing regular meetings and retreats for young people. He has also played an active role in fostering ecumenism and interreligious dialogue.
The newly appointed Cardinals hail from various regions around the world. Europe accounts for eight of the Cardinals, Asia has six, Africa has two, North America has one, and South America has four. Among the 21 nominees, 18 are below the age of 80 and are therefore eligible to participate in a future secret conclave tasked with electing the next Pope.
Source: Polskie Radio
Polish tennis star Hubert Hurkacz was knocked out of Wimbledon yesterday after a four-set loss to reigning Wimbledon champion Novak Djokovic of Serbia.
The 17th-seeded Hurkacz lost to top-ranked Djokovic 6-7(6), 6-7(6), 7-5, 4-6 in a hard-fought, three-hour match that began on Sunday night and was completed on Monday afternoon.
In a heartstopping and sometimes heartbreaking performance, Hurkacz came close to winning the first two sets in tight tie-breaks and then won the third set 7-5 when play resumed on Monday.
Despite what Djokovic described as “a great performance” by Hurkacz, the Pole ultimately lost to him 6-4 in the fourth set, paving the way for Djokovic to advance to a potential fifth Wimbledon title.
Iga Świątek is still in the running for her first Wimbledon title and is set to face Elina Svitolina of Ukraine this afternoon at 15:30 CEST.
Source: Polskie Radio, wtatennis.com, Reuters
Over a dozen swimming areas in Pomerania are currently closed due to cyanobacteria blooms, including popular beaches in Gdynia, Sopot, and Gdańsk.
According to the official SANEPID website, swimming areas and beaches from Babie Doły in Gdynia to Jelitkowo in Gdańsk are currently closed due to the presence of blue-green algae in the water.
Cyanobacteria blooms can cause a range of adverse reactions for swimmers, including skin rashes, eye irritation, and gastrointestinal problems if the water is ingested.
In more positive news, bathing areas in the Nowy Dwór district (Jantar, Stegna II) and Kąty Rybackie have reopened as of this morning after being closed on Sunday. Beaches near Stogi and on Sobieszewska island were also open as of 9:00 this morning.
Updated information on water quality and beach closures is available on the GIS website: https://sk.gis.gov.pl/index.php/kapieliska/mapa.
Source: Radio Gdańsk
Weather
Today will start off cloudy with a good chance of rain before clearing off in the afternoon, accompanied by a gentle breeze from the northeast. Temperatures will be similar to yesterday, with a daytime high of 22°C or 72°F, dropping to a low of 13°C or 56°F overnight. Slightly warmer weather is expected tomorrow, with a chance for some rain starting midday.
Elizabeth Peck/pb
