Poland

Axiom 4 mission: Shubhanshu Shukla completes a week in orbit aboard ISS

Shukla has been conducting experiments that explore how microgravity affects growth and genetic behaviour of algae and how tardigrades, hardy microscopic creatures, survive and reproduce in space

Tusk's govt wins confidence vote as political tensions rise in Poland

Prime Minister Donald Tusk's government survived a confidence vote in parliament on Wednesday, shoring up its mandate after the nationalist opposition's victory in Poland's presidential election deepened political gridlock and raised doubts about Tusk's ability to deliver on key reforms. Lawmakers voted 243-210 in favour of the government in the 460-seat Sejm, the lower house, with supporters rising to applaud Tusk and chant his name. Tusk had requested the vote, saying Poland is in a new reality and that he was seeking a fresh opening, following the June 1 loss of Warsaw Mayor Rafal Trzaskowski his close ally to nationalist historian Karol Nawrocki. Backed by President Donald Trump, Nawrocki is set to replace Andrzej Duda, another conservative who repeatedly blocked Tusk's reform efforts. I am asking for a vote of confidence with full conviction that we have a mandate to govern, to take full responsibility for what is happening in Poland, Tusk said earlier in the day. Most of t

Trump-backed conservative Karol Nawrocki wins Poland's presidential race

Conservative Karol Nawrocki's victory in Poland's weekend presidential runoff has set the country on a more nationalist course and cast doubt on the viability of the centrist government of Prime Minister Donald Tusk after the defeat of his liberal ally. Nawrocki, who was supported by US President Donald Trump, won 50.89% of votes in a very tight race against Warsaw Mayor Rafal Trzaskowski, who received 49.11%, according to the final results published on Monday morning. By evening, Tusk said he would ask parliament to hold a vote of confidence in his coalition government, a fragile multiparty alliance that includes left-wingers, centrists and agrarian conservatives. Tusk's government exists separately from the presidency, but the president holds power to veto laws, and Nawrocki's win will make it extremely difficult for Tusk to press his pro-European agenda. The race revealed deep divisions in the country along the eastern flank of NATO and the European Union. The result leaves Tus

Trump ally getting elected in Poland could alter EU and Ukraine policies

Poland has elected Karol Nawrocki, a conservative historian and staunch nationalist, as its next president in a closely watched vote that signals a resurgence of right-wing populism in the heart of Europe. Nawrocki, who is set to take office on Aug 6, is expected to shape the country's domestic and foreign policy in ways that could strain ties with Brussels while aligning the Central European nation of nearly 38 million people more closely with the administration of President Donald Trump in the United States. Here are some key takeaways: Conservative populism on the rise Nawrocki's victory underscores the enduring appeal of nationalist rhetoric among about half of the country along the eastern flank of NATO and the European Union, and its deep social divisions. The 42-year-old historian who had no previous political experience built his campaign on patriotic themes, traditional Catholic values, and a vow to defend Poland's sovereignty against the EU and larger European nations li

Poland votes in tight presidential race between pro-EU, nationalist visions

Voting was due to end at 9 p.m. (1900 GMT), with exit polls published soon afterwards. The electoral commission says it hopes final results will be announced on Monday morning or early afternoon

Poland holds presidential runoff, which Trump had sought to influence

Poland's presidential election has come down to a stark ideological choice: a liberal pro-European mayor versus a staunch nationalist conservative. They are polling so close that the outcome is impossible to predict in the run-off round on Sunday. It's not just a domestic affair. President Donald Trump has thrown his weight behind the nationalist candidate, Karol Nawrocki, and dangled the prospect of closer military ties if Poles choose him over liberal Warsaw Mayor Rafal Trzaskowski. A contest with global implications Trump met with Nawrocki earlier this month at the White House and sent his Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem to a meeting of the conservative pressure group CPAC in Poland, where she offered a strong endorsement. Noem even dangled the prospect of closer US-Polish military ties in the event of a Nawrocki win with the implied warning that a Trzaskowski victory could jeopardize Poland's security. At stake is not only Poland's domestic course but also the ...

Liberal mayor, conservative historian to face off in Poland election

Liberal Warsaw Mayor Rafal Trzaskowski and a conservative historian, Karol Nawrocki, emerged as the front-runners in Poland's presidential election Sunday, according to an exit poll, putting them on track to face off in a second round in two weeks. A late exit poll by the Ipsos institute released early Monday showed Trzaskowski with an estimated 31.2% of the votes and Nawrocki with 29.7%. That suggested the runoff on June 1 could be very tight. Official results are expected on Monday or Tuesday. Trzaskowski is a liberal allied with Prime Minister Donald Tusk, who speaks foreign languages and holds pro-European Union views. His support is strongest in cities, where many like his secular views and support for LGBTQ+ rights. Nawrocki is a conservative historian with no prior political experience who was backed by the national conservative Law and Justice party. The head of a state historical institute, he has positioned himself as a defender of conservative values and national ...

Poland votes for new president on Sunday as worries grow about future

A war next door in Ukraine. Migration pressure at borders. Russian sabotage across the region. Doubts about the US commitment to Europe's security. In Poland's presidential election Sunday, security looms large. So do questions about the country's strength as a democracy and its place in the European Union. One of the new president's most important tasks will be maintaining strong ties with the US, widely seen as essential to the survival of a country in an increasingly volatile neighbourhood. A crowded field, a likely runoff Voters in this Central European nation of 38 million people will cast ballots to replace conservative incumbent Andrzej Duda, whose second and final five-year term ends in August. With 13 candidates, a decisive first-round victory is unlikely. Some have appeared unserious or extreme, expressing openly pro-Putin or antisemitic views. A televised debate this week dragged on for nearly four hours. There are calls to raise the threshold to qualify for the race. A

1 mn Ukrainian refugees in Poland, yet candidates vow to put poles first

In the early months of 2022, as Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine began, millions of Ukrainians mostly women and children fled to Poland, where they were met with an extraordinary outpouring of sympathy. Ukrainian flags appeared in windows. Polish volunteers rushed to the border with food, diapers, SIM cards. Some opened their homes to complete strangers. In the face of calamity, Poland became not just a logistical lifeline for Ukraine, but a paragon of human solidarity. Three years later, Poland remains one of Ukraine's staunchest allies a hub for Western arms deliveries and a vocal defender of Kyiv's interests. But at home, the tone toward Ukrainians has shifted. Nearly a million Ukrainian refugees remain in Poland, with roughly 2 million Ukrainian citizens overall in the nation of 38 million people. Many of them arrived before the war as economic migrants. As Poland heads into a presidential election on May 18, with a second round expected June 1, the growing fatigue w

Modi-Putin ties 'may be helpful' for war talks, says Polish deputy minister

He however clarified that he believes only United States President Donald Trump holds any leeway with President Putin

PM Modi helped persuade Putin against using nuclear weapon: Polish minister

Bartoszewski stated that Putin had "threatened" to use tactical nuclear weapons on Ukrainian territory, but calls from India and China influenced his decision to reconsider

Musk, Rubio and Polish minister bicker over Starlink's role in Ukraine

European nations question reliability of Starlink in Ukraine's war effort against Russia amid Elon Musk's controversial remarks

Poland plans large-scale military training for adult men to boost reserves

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said Friday that his government is working on a plan to prepare large-scale military training for every adult male in response to the changing security situation in Europe. The military training would create a reserve force that is adequate to possible threats, Tusk said in a major speech on security to Poland's lower house of parliament, or Sejm. He said that there's a need for an army of 500,000 soldiers, which would include reservists. Last year, the Polish government said that the military was made up of around 200,000 soldiers and was to grow to 220,000 this year with the objective of increasing it to about 300,000. But security fears have grown far more dramatic in recent weeks, as Russia continues to pound Ukraine with missiles and drones, and as the Trump administration has withdrawn military and intelligence support for Ukraine while putting its commitments to NATO in question. Today we are talking about the need for a half-million army i

Poland cracks down on visa brokers with new biometric checks for Indians

Poland hopes to ensure that only genuine applicants can secure appointments, removing the role of middlemen

Poland accuses Russia of planning acts of terror against airlines globally

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk accused Russia on Wednesday of planning acts of sabotage worldwide that included acts of air terror against airlines. Tusk spoke at a news conference in Warsaw alongside Ukrainian President Volodymr Zelenskyy. I will not go into details, I can only confirm the validity of fears that Russia was planning acts of air terror, not only against Poland, but against airlines around the world, Tusk said. The Kremlin has dismissed previous Western claims that Russia sponsored acts of sabotage and attacks in Europe. Western security officials suspect Russian intelligence was behind a plot to put incendiary devices in packages on cargo planes headed to North America, including one that caught fire at a courier hub in Germany and another that ignited in a warehouse in England last year. Late last year, Azerbaijan accused Russia of unintentionally shooting down an Azerbaijani airliner that crashed in Kazakhstan on December 25, killing 38 people. Russian Presid

Zelenskyy visits Poland as sides reach deal on exhuming Polish victims

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was visiting Poland on Wednesday after the two countries reached an agreement on a longstanding source of tensions between them: the exhumation of Polish victims of World War II-era massacres by Ukrainian nationalists. The office of Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said early Wednesday he would welcome Zelenskyy in the late morning, and that the two would hold a joint news conference shortly after noon local time. The visit comes just days after Tusk announced progress on the issue of the exhumations, an issue that has strained relations for years. Finally a breakthrough. There is a decision on the first exhumations of Polish victims of the UPA," Tusk wrote on the social platform X on Friday, referring to the Ukrainian Insurgent Army. I thank the ministers of culture of Poland and Ukraine for their good cooperation. We are waiting for further decisions. A non-governmental group, the Freedom and Democracy Foundation, said Monday it will begi

Polish town invites Musk to buy its castle for his European headquarters

A town in Poland is encouraging Elon Musk to buy its vast 13th-century castle and turn it into his European headquarters. The mayor of Glogowek, Piotr Bujak, said Tuesday that he recently posted the invitation on Musk's social media platform X and has sent letters to his companies, advocating for him to buy the castle. No price tag has been announced, and Musk hasn't responded to the offer so far. Bujak told The Associated Press that he saw media reports in Europe suggesting that the US tech billionaire is looking for a sizeable location, possibly a castle in Italy, as a hub for his operations on the continent. The Glogowek castle in southwestern Poland boasts a rich history going back to the Middle Ages, briefly serving as Poland's capital in the 17th century. It has also hosted composer Ludwig van Beethoven, who wrote music there. The castle has a very good vibe and is a perfect location for great things, Bujak told the AP. The area has a long winemaking tradition. We do not f

Switzerland bars exports to Polish firm after ammunition ends up in Ukraine

The Swiss government said on Friday it is barring exports to a Polish military hardware supplier after concluding that some 645,000 rounds of Swiss-made small-caliber ammunition ended up in Ukraine in violation of Swiss law. The State Secretariat for Economic Affairs said exports to the Polish company will be barred because the risk of diversion to Ukraine is assessed as being too high. Switzerland has long touted its neutrality in world affairs, and Swiss law bans exports of Swiss-owned or Swiss-made military hardware to countries in conflict. However the Swiss government has backed European Union economic sanctions against Russia over its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The secretariat opened an investigation after a report by US-based news outlet Defence One last November indicated a Ukrainian company had taken receipt of 645,000 rifle cartridges of armour-piercing rounds made by SwissP Defense and delivered by a Polish importer, UMO. The investigation showed that the S

Poland urges polio vaccination after virus detected in Warsaw sewage

Poland's health authorities on Monday urged polio vaccinations for children after the virus was detected in Warsaw's sewage during regular tests this month. The state Main Sanitary Inspectorate in a statement said the presence of the virus does not necessarily mean people have been sick, but those who have not been vaccinated against polio could be at risk. The vaccinations are free in Poland for people under 19. New measures also include more intensive testing of Warsaw's sewage, renewing the vaccination stocks and updating the list of children still unvaccinated. Polio is most often spread by contact with waste from an infected person or, less frequently, through contaminated water or food. The polio virus mostly affects children under 5. Most people infected don't have symptoms, but in severe cases, polio can invade the nervous system and cause paralysis within hours, according to the World Health Organisation. It estimates that 1 in 200 polio cases results in permanent paralysis

In a first, US turkey shipment leaves for Indian market after tariff cut

The first shipment of American Turkey products for India left on Tuesday, marking a new phase in the bilateral trade relations between the two countries. The shipment comes over a year after India agreed to the American request to reduce high tariffs on US turkey products. US Senator from Virginia Mark Warner, who is also co-chair of the Senate India Caucus, said this marks a historic milestone in international trade, expanding the reach of American turkey products in global markets, and opening new doors for US turkey producers. "This shipment is a tremendous opportunity for Virginia's poultry producers and a huge step forward for US-India trade," he said. "As co-chair of the Senate India Caucus, I look forward to the ongoing cooperation between our two nations and to seeing a wealth of new opportunities open up for Virginia's poultry producers, Warner said. This shipment comes as a result of a trade agreement and tariff reduction, facilitated by a collaborative effort between th