The entire government of the Russian Federation resigned yesterday as President Vladimir Putin plans major changes to the Constitution. Yesterday evening, Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev sat alongside Vladimir Putin as he announced that he and the rest of the government would step down, effective immediately.

Prime Minister Medvedev said the government was resigning to give Mr Putin the ability to „make all necessary decisions” ahead of coming constitutional changes.

The unexpected announcement came just hours after President Putin delivered his annual State of the Nation address in which he proposed reforms that could solidify his grip on power.

They include a shift of power from the president to parliament and changes to rules on who can run in presidential elections.

President Putin is due to leave office in 2024 when his term expires.

However, some speculate his proposed reforms could allow him to hold the reins of power in Russia long into the future.

For now, little known tax service chief Mikhail Mishustin has been nominated to become Russia’s new Prime Minister.

Source: BBC, Tass, Radio Free Europe

Majority of Poles Positive About Foreign Workers, Says CBOS Survey

Six in ten Poles say foreigners should be free to take up work in this country, that’s according to a new survey by CBOS

The survey found 29% believe only some types of work should be available to foreigners while just 4% believe foreigners should not be allowed to work in the country at all.

The study was conducted in November last year on a representative sample of 944 adults in Poland.

London Donates 1.5M PLN to Preserve Consentration Camp Remains

London, England is to make a donation of £300,000, or about 1.5 million PLN, to the Auschwitz-Birkenau Foundation.

The foundation maintains and manages the preserved consentration camps where over a million people were murdered during the Holocaust.

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, is expected to visit Poland later this month for commemorations of the 75th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau.

Mr Kahn said in a statement yesterday: „The Holocaust was one of the very darkest times in human history and we must never forget the atrocities committed”.

London joins other cities around the world which have contributed to the preservation of the site.

High-speed Rail to Warsaw to Commence This Year

Trains from Tricity to Warsaw are expected to finally break the 200km/h mark this year, after months of setbacks.

PKP Polish Railways revealed this week that a test run between Gdansk and Warsaw had been successful and high-speed services are expected to begin in the middle of this year.

The new speeds will bring journey times to the capital to just 2 hours 35 minutes.

UG Professor’s Voyages in Antarctica

And a University of Gdańsk professor has returned from an incredible journey to Antarctica.

Professor Tadeusz Palmowski of the Institute of Geography made the journey aboard the MS Roald Amundsen. During the voyage, the professor learned from Antarctic experts about the biology, meteorology, geography, and glaciology of the polar region. He’s now returned to the university where he’ll be using materials from the journey for scientific and didactic purposes.

Source: University of Gdańsk

Weather

Cooler than yesterday with temperatures around 7°C or 45°F. Remaining largely sunny with patches of cloud around and a moderate wind from the south.

RGEN/TAH