After a series of intense discussions, the House of Lords approved the bulk of Boris Johnson’s draft UK withdrawal agreement, but sent the bill back to the House of Commons with five additional amendments.
The amendments adopted on Monday and Tuesday include confirmation of the rights of EU citizens to stay in the United Kingdom after Brexit, protection for refugee children seeking family reunification in the UK, and clarification regarding which rulings from the EU Court of Justice may be rejected by British courts.
According to a statement from Downing Street, the government is „disappointed” with this development, but plans to push for a rejection of the amendments when the House of Commons debates the bill again this week.
Source: PAP
Mystery virus continues to spread beyond China
Health authorities are concerned that the outbreak of what is now being called “Wuhan Coronavirus” is becoming a pandemic. In the past 24 hours, the death toll in China has risen from six to nine, with authorities there confirming 440 cases of infection as of this morning.
In another troubling development, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has also confirmed the first case of the virus in the US. A 30-year-old man who recently visited Wuhan was diagnosed with the virus upon his return to Seattle, Washington. The man is reportedly in good condition and is not considered a health risk to medical staff or others.
At many international airports, particularly those in neighboring countries, travelers from China are being asked to undergo additional medical screenings. Thus far two cases of the virus have been reported in Thailand, with single cases also being reported in Japan, South Korea, and now Macau.
Bloomberg Asia also reports that the Chinese government will begin nationwide screenings to combat the spread of the mystery virus, while the World Health Organization is set to determine today if the outbreak constitutes an “international public health emergency.”
Source: Polskie Radio, PAP, Bloomberg Asia
President Duda at the World Economic Forum
President Duda recently kicked off a busy schedule of engagements at the World Economic Forum, the annual gathering of global political and business leaders held in Davos, Switzerland.
Today he will address a debate on the economic vitality of Central and Eastern Europe as well as taking part in an informal meeting on geopolitical risks, a theme which will be continued in workshops tomorrow on US-EU relations and the future of NATO.
Duda will round out the week with a series of meetings with international decision makers, including the president of Azerbaijan, the CEO of Ericsson, the executive director of the International Energy Agency, and NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg.
The World Economic Forum is scheduled to wrap up on Friday.
Source: PAP
Mystery hit-and-run driver turns himself in
The driver of a Porsche who crashed into a bus stop at Myśliwska and then fled the scene has voluntarily turned himself in to Gdańsk police.The driver, a 42-year-old man from Gdańsk, came to the police station yesterday, accompanied by his lawyer and was released after questioning without any charges being filed.
Police are still determining the exact cause of Saturday night’s accident and questioning witnesses, including an 18-year-old woman who suffered minor injuries as a result. The owner of the car, who is suspected of being a passenger at the time of the accident, is also set to be questioned today.
Source: Radio Gdańsk
Weather
Today will be partly cloudy and windy with skies set to clear later in the day. Temperatures will peak in the afternoon around 6 degrees Celsius, or 43 degrees Fahrenheit, with near freezing temps forecast overnight. You can expect cooler weather tomorrow but clear skies, less wind, and lower humidity throughout the day.
RGEN NEWS/EP
