One of Russia’s leading opposition figures, Alexei Navalny, was taken to hospital over the weekend due to suspected poisoning, according to reports in international media.

Navalny had been serving a 30 day prison sentence for involvement in last week’s protests when news broke that the prominent Putin critic had been moved from his jail cell to a Moscow hospital.

Mr Navalny’s personal doctor said she suspected poisoning as the cause of his illness. His spokesperson suggested a possible allergic reaction but added that he had not experienced one before.

The hospital described Mr Navalny’s condition as ‘satisfactory’. He has since been discharged and returned to jail.

FEWER POLISH FAMILIES LIVING ON WELFARE

Last year 43,000 fewer Polish families collected welfare payments compared with 2017, according to Poland’s Minister for Social Policy.

Speaking to the Polish Press Agency, Social Policy Minister Bożena Borys-Szopa said the reduction is thanks to the introduction of the Family-500+ programme which offers a universal child benefit to families with children.

The 500+ programme was introduced in 2016 and has been a flagship government policy since. Under the scheme, eligible families receive a benefit of 500PLN per month per child. As of October 1st, the programme is set to be expanded to disabled people.

Proponents of the programme say it helps to redistribute Poland’s new found wealth to all levels of society. Critics raise concerns about the affordability of generous handouts.

According to Eurostat, Poland current spends approximately 2.7% of its GDP on family benefits, significantly more than the EU average of 1.7%. Some economists fear the spending plans could bring Poland dangerously close to the EU’s budget deficit limit, France 24 reports.

Rapid economic growth (5% in 2018) is bringing a massive amount of money into the only country in the former Eastern Bloc with FTSE ‘developed market’ status. How that wealth is distributed is anticipated to be a key issue for years to come.

UK WORKING UNDER ASSUMPTION OF A NO-DEAL BREXIT

The new administration in the UK has said it is ‘working on the assumption’ of an exit from the EU without a deal on October 31st.

Writing in the British Sunday Times newspaper, Michael Gove, the man appointed by new PM Boris Johnson to manage preparations for Brexit, said that the government was now working under a presumed no-deal scenario.

The announcement is a shift in policy from the May administration which had been continually pressing for a negotiated deal and delaying the date for Britain’s exit from March 29th to October 31st.

Writing in another Sunday paper, the Sunday Telegraph, the country’s new Finance Minister said funds would be made available for possible improvements at UK ports and recruitment of extra Border Force agents in preparation for no-deal.

ALGAE WARNINGS FOR TRÓJMIASTO BEACHES

Several of Tricity’s most popular beaches have been flagged as ‘unsuitable for bathing’ by the Pomeranian State Sanitary Inspector.

The warnings are due to dangerously high levels of cyanobacteria caused by algae blooms.

The affected beaches include those at

-All Gdansk beaches including Jelitkowo, Brzeźno, And Stogi

-All Gdynia beaches excluding Rewa

Last year, similar algae blooms resulted in the closure of 50 Polish beaches. The blooms are caused by a mix of factors which create a perfect environment for the algae, including high temperatures, sunshine, low winds, and the nutrients carried into Gdansk bay by the Vistula river.

For more information on beach closures, visit https://sk.gis.gov.pl/index.php/kapieliska/mapa

POLES TAKE TO THE COURTS TODAY AT THE SOPOT OPEN

In tennis, three Poles are set to take to the courts at the second day of the Sopot Open

At 11:20, Poland’s Paweł Ciaś will face off against Tomislav Brkić of Bosnia and Herzegovina on center court.

Later, it’ll be an all-Polish match of Michał Przysiężny and Daniel Michalski at 3pm, also on center court at the Sopot Tennis Club. Entry is free.

In other tennis news, Poland’s Iga Świątek beat top-ranked Tunisian Ons Jabeur in three sets at the WTA Washington Open in Washington, DC yesterday. It is eighteen-year-old Świątek’s first time at the WTA tournament.