President Duda has joined other world leaders in condemning Hamas’ rocket attack against Israel early Saturday morning, an action which has resulted in hundreds of deaths and injuries on both sides.

According to reports by the Associated Press, Israeli media reported some 250 people killed and 1,500 wounded in Saturday’s attacks, while the Palestinian Health Ministry cites figures of at least 232 people killed in the Gaza Strip and 1,700 injured in Israeli counterstrikes.

In a post on social media, President Duda wrote he was “shocked by today’s brutal attacks on Israel by Hamas” along with “detention of civilians as hostages.” He reiterated that “Poland strongly condemns all acts of violence” and expressed his “deepest sympathy and condolences to all those affected by the attacks.”

The Polish Embassy in Tel Aviv also strongly condemned the attacks and reminded Polish tourists of the rules of conduct in the event of shelling, advising any visitors to the country to avoid traveling to the border areas with the Gaza Strip, Lebanon, and Syria.

Source: Polskie Radio, PAP, Radio Gdańsk, AP

Russia continues to launch drones and rockets at civilian targets across Ukraine, with local authorities claiming strikes on Friday killed a 10-year-old boy and injured at least 25 others in Ukraine’s northeastern city of Kharkiv.

An 11-month-old baby was among those injured, according to regional governor Oleh Synehubov.

The previous day, at least 51 people, including a six-year-old boy, were killed in a Russian attack on the village of Groza in the Kharkiv region, according to Ukrainian officials, with the death toll rising to 52 as of Friday.

Among those killed in Thursday’s attacks on Groza was an aid worker with Polish Humanitarian Action (PAH), a woman the organization described as an employee of a psychosocial support center supporting elderly residents in the village of Shevchenkove.

In a post on their Facebook site, PAH described the woman’s death as “a great loss for her family, friends, and the entire team of Polish Humanitarian Action.”

Today is day 592 of Russia’s war on Ukraine.

Source: PAP, Polskie Radio

Poland’s world No. 2 Iga Świątek has advanced to the finals of the China Open tennis tournament in Beijing after defeating Coco Gauff of the United States yesterday.

Świątek is set to face off against Liudmila Samsonova of Russia today at 13:30 CEST for a chance to take home the tournament trophy.

Fellow countryman Hubert Hurkacz is also pushing for a win today at the Shanghai Masters in China after defeating Australia’s Thanasi Kokkinakis 7-6, 6-4 in the second round of the men’s singles on Friday.
The 17th-ranked, 26-year-old Hurkacz is set to face Taiwan’s Yu Hsiou Hsu this morning for a chance to advance to the tournament’s Round of 16.

Source: Polskie Radio, wtatennis.com

The Polish men’s national volleyball team has secured a spot in the 2024 Olympics in Paris after defeating the Netherlands 3:1 yesterday at the Volleyball Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Xi’an, China.

Poland’s 3:1 (21:25, 25:17, 25:22, 29:27) victory over the Netherlands on Saturday was the 23rd consecutive match won by Poland in official competition. Earlier this year, the White and Reds took home the gold at both the Nations League and the European Championships.

Poland’s win on Saturday ensured that coach Grbic’s team would advance to the Olympic Games, regardless of the outcome of their final match today.

Poland will face host China in the closing match in Pool C at 13:30 CEST today.

Source: PAP, en.volleyballworld.com

The Gdańsk Zoo celebrated World Animal Day on Saturday, inviting guests to take special selfies as part of the “Photo Without a Wild Cat” campaign, which aims to highlight the unethical use of wild animals on social media.

As explained by Paweł Ciesielski of the Gdańsk Zoo, the #FotaBezDziekiegoKota campaign aims to educate and discourage unethical engagement with wild animals, such as images where people “pet, touch, and ride on them,” or unethical tourist attractions such as “riding elephants in Asia, taking photos with monkeys,” or recently, “taking photos with reptiles” on Długi Targ in Gdańsk.

On the occasion of World Animal Day, the Gdańsk Zoo organized a field game for visitors with special photo frames available at sites on the map, designed to help visitors take “safe selfies” with wild animals at the zoo and promote awareness of wild animals used unethically for Internet content.

The Gdańsk Zoo is currently home to 164 different species of animals.

Source: Radio Gdańsk

Weather

Today will be mostly sunny, with very little chance of rain and a strong breeze coming in from the northwest. Temperatures will stay on the cooler side, with an afternoon high of 12°C or 54°F, dropping to a low of 6°C or 42°F overnight. Similar weather is expected tomorrow, with clouds and a chance for some rain returning midweek.

Elizabeth Peck/kł