TVN24 News in English

TVN24 News in English

Protests in Polish cities after court ruling banning abortion

Protests gathered across Poland after the Constitutional Tribunal ruled on Thursday that abortion due to foetal defects was unconstitutional, banning the most common of the few legal grounds for ending a pregnancy in the largely Catholic country.

New restrictions announced as coronavirus infections surge

"Our actions must be decisive" - Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said at a press conference on Friday. He announced new coronavirus restrictions that will come into effect on Saturday. The changes will mainly affects restaurants and schools.

Immunologist Paweł Grzesiowski loses academic work after criticising government

"It's been rather straightforwardly suggested to me that it wasn't my academic work, but rather pandemic-related activity that was the problem" - immunologist and infection treatment expert, Dr Paweł Grzesiowski said in TVN24 about his departure from the Centre for Postgraduate Medical Studies. On Thursday, dr Grzesiowski was appointed General Medical Assembly's (NRL) expert on fighting COVID-19 pandemic.

Sejm rejects Zuzanna Rudzińska-Bluszcz as Poland's new ombudsman

The Sejm has rejected attorney Zuzanna Rudzińska-Bluszcz's bid to stand at the helm of the Office of the Commissioner for Human Rights. She was the only candidate running for the office. Deputy Speaker of the lower house Ryszard Terlecki announced the whole procedure of appointing a new ombudsman would start from the scratch.

"Concerned" Council of Europe Ombudsman writes to Poland's foreign minister

"The constitutional challenge and the delays in the process of selecting a new Ombuds have created a serious risk that the Polish Ombudsman institution may be left without a head of institution for an unknown period of time" - the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights Dunja Mijatovic wrote in a letter addressed to Poland's Foreign Minister Zbigniew Rau. "I am particularly concerned that this may hamper the continuity and effective functioning of this important constitutional body" - Mijatovic wrote.

Farmers blocked roads again in protest against fur farming ban

They want to meet with Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki to hear declaration that if the president vetoes the "five for animals" bill, the legislation would not be pursued any further. "We don't want to do this, but we can't allow to have a bad, harmful law imposed upon us" - said Michał Kołodziejczak from AGROunia, whom the police handcuffed for a brief moment, but released shorty after.

Polish fencer can now represent USA after court battle

She says the last two years have been the most difficult time in her life, but she's finally smiling again. Aleksandra Shelton has won the case before the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Lausanne. The acclaimed fencer sued the Polish Fencing Federation and the Polish Olympic Committee for not allowing her to represent the United States at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo.

Sejm postpones debate on fighting COVID

The Polish parliament postponed an emergency debate on Tuesday on new rules to boost the number of medics available to treat COVID-19 cases, as Poland reported its second steepest daily rise in the number of cases since the start of the pandemic.

Health ministry: 9,291 infections and 107 deaths on Tuesday

The Ministry of Health on Tuesday confirmed 9,291 new coronavirus infections and the death of 107 COVID patients. So far, Poland has reported over 190,000 cases, of which 3,721 have been fatal. More than 9,000 patients have been reported to be hospitalised across the country.

Actor Wojciech Pszoniak dies aged 78

Esteemed stage and screen actor Wojciech Pszoniak has died aged 78. His played his most well-known roles "The Promised Land", "The Wedding", and "Danton". "Although, we all know that sooner or later everyone will pass away, it always hurts. Sometimes it hurts more, sometimes less. This time it hurts very much" - actor and director Jan Englert told TVN24.

Coronavirus report: 7,482 infections and 41 deaths on Monday

The Ministry of Health on Monday confirmed 7,482 coronavirus infection cases and 41 COVID-related deaths. Since the start of the pandemic Poland has reported over 183,000 infections. Over 8,300 infected patients were being treated in hospitals. During last 24 hours, some 36,000 COVID tests were taken.

Health minister: infection cases may soon spike up to 20,000

Health Minister Adam Niedzielski urged Poles at a press conference on Monday to adhere to coronavirus restrictions as the number of daily infections may surge even up to 20,000 cases. Furthermore, Poland will bring in the army to handle drive-through coronavirus testing facilities amid a surge in new infections that threatens to overwhelm the healthcare system.

Jarosław Kaczyński goes into quarantine

Deputy Prime Minister Jarosław Kaczyński had contact with a person infected with coronavirus and has gone into quarantine - deputy spokesman for the Law and Justice party (PiS) Radosław Fogiel informed on Monday. Another senior official who has gone into quarantine is the Defence Minister Mariusz Błaszczak.

Joe Biden's advisor: Poland's security crucial for new administration

Joe Biden's foreign policy advisor Michael Carpenter has told "Fakty" TVN reporter Marcin Wrona that the Democratic Party's presidential candidate "is committed to ensuring the security of all our allies on the eastern flank, and especially Poland". The head of the "Polish Americans for Trump" committee Łucja Świątkowska-Cannon, however, stressed that Donald Trump has delivered on the promises he had made to the Polish Americans ahead of the previous election.

Attorney Roman Giertych officially charged by the prosecutor

Attorney Roman Giertych, businessman Ryszard K., and other people have been charged of misappropriating and siphoning off about 92 million zlotys from a real estate developing company between 2010-2014 - said a prosecutor's office in Poznań. Giertych has been detained by the Central Anti-Corruption Bureau (CBA) on Thursday. During the search of his home, the attorney fainted and was taken to a hospital.

"Roman Giertych is in serious condition", says his wife Barbara

"Contrary to what Stanisław Żaryn claims, after speaking with doctors I've found out that Roman Giertych is in serious condition" - said the wife of the attorney detained on Thursday. She, thereby, contradicted the opinion of the special services minister-coordinator Stanisław Żaryn, who on Thursday had assessed the attorney's condition as "good". Spokesperson for a Poznań prosecutor's office said it was being considered whether or not Giertych would be fit to be questioned.

New restrictions announced. Warsaw and other cities in red zone

Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki announced a new set of coronavirus restrictions for yellow and red zones. "We want to introduce restrictions that will protect us from the spread of coronavirus, but at the same time, we want to keep the economy running" - the prime minister said after a Government Crisis Management Team meeting.

Attorney Roman Giertych detained by anti-corruption bureau

A Warsaw attorney Roman Giertych has been detained by the Central Anti-Corruption Bureau (CBA) - his wife Barbara said on Thursday. She told TVN24 she only had "a brief contact" with her husband. "He doesn't know what it is about, he has no idea about any charges" - she said. "It's a bizarre situation" - she added.