The European Commission opened a procedure on Monday against Poland to challenge a new law forcing the early retirement of some 40 percent of the country's Supreme Court judges. The move is likely to develop into a formal lawsuit. Poland has a month to address the concerns regarding the Supreme Court. Spokesperson for the EU executive said the Commission is still open for dialogue with Polish government.

The President of the European Council, Donald Tusk told the media on Friday in Brussels, after the EU summit, that it's good to see the Polish ruling Law and Justice party (PiS) to "have come to their senses" regarding the bill on the Institute on National Remembrance. He added that damages done by PiS "will have tarnished Polish reputation for long time".

One jump into the water could lead to a life of disability. Summer break has started and with it, the season for accidents. A young filmmaker has published a film online, warning swimmers to be careful. Every year, 700 people break their spines after an unsuccessful jump into the water. Many of them spend the rest of their lives in a wheelchair.

A pile up on the S7 left one person dead and others injured. Near Waplewo, three delivery buses and two trucks collided, leaving two of the vehicles in flames. The delivery buses were believed to have been parked on the road, rather than in the parking lot nearby. One of the injured was left without a leg and was taken by helicopter to the hospital. At one point, the Warsaw-Gdańsk road was completely blocked.

The white and red dreamliner landed in Warsaw. It was the first of two LOT Polish Airlines planes that are painted in the national colors. This is to mark the 100th anniversary of Poland's independence.

40 years ago General Mirosław Hermaszewski and Piotr Klimuk set off on a mission aboard the Soyuz 30 spacecraft. Poland thus became one of only four nations whose citizens crossed the Kármán line. So far, Hermaszewski is the only Pole who has been in space. Thursday marked the anniversary of his flight and on this occassion he received greetings from his fellow astronauts.

Polish national team returned home after disappointing performance in the World Cup in Russia. Despite failing to qualify for the knockout stage, coach Adam Nawałka and his team were greeted by dozens of fans at Warsaw Chopin Airport.

Japan lost 1-0 to Poland on Thursday but survived to become the only Asian side to qualify for last 16 of the World Cup in Russia -- and the first team ever to progress thanks to FIFA's new disciplinary tie-breaker rule.

European Union leaders agreed on Friday to set up joint asylum processing sites and restrict migrants' moves with the bloc, responding to concerns from Rome and Berlin at a hard-fought summit. "All the measures in the context of these controlled centres, including relocation and resettlement, will be on a voluntary basis," said the leaders' joint statement, agreed after nine hours of negotiations. The 28 EU leaders also agreed to tighten their external border more, increase financing for Turkey, Morocco and Northern African states to prevent migration to Europe.

The European Commission will open a legal case against Poland to challenge a new law forcing the early retirement of some 40 percent of the country's Supreme Court judges, officials said on Thursday, a move likely to develop into a formal lawsuit.

"We return to normal, good, friendly relations between both countries," said Israeli Ambassador to Poland Anna Azari to the media, commenting on the changes made to the bill on the Institute of National Remembrance. "There never was any shutdown in Israeli-Polish relations, but last five months were very difficult," she added.

Poland's ruling party leader Jaroslaw Kaczynski on Friday again demanded that Germany pay Poland damages for World War Two.

Jan Bednarek scored the only goal of Japan against Poland match on Thursday. Despite the loss, the Japanese qualified for the next stage of the World Cup, thanks to a better fair play factor than Senegal. The Africans have the same amount of points and the same goal difference as Japan, and yet Aliou Cisse's team ends their Russian adventure alongside Poland. Despite losing their first game to Japan, the Colombians end up as group H winners.

Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki told the media that he expects a clear declaration from the Chairman of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker and his Deputy Frans Timmermans regarding the rule of law dispute. He underlined that "he has kept his word" after talks with the EC representatives.

Judge Małgorzata Gersdorf, in accordance with the Constitution, remains the First President of the Supreme Court until 30 April 2020 - reads the resolution adopted on Thursday by the General Assembly of Supreme Court Judges.

The leaders of the Baltic states and Poland signed a long-awaited deal on Thursday to connect their power grids to the European Union grid by 2025 and break their dependence on Russia, a Soviet legacy.

Polish teams dominated this year's finals of the University Rover Challenge in the USA. Poles took first, third, fourth and eighth places in the competition. The winners - Rover Team from the Częstochowa University of Technology.

Poland has signed a huge contract with the USA to import liquefied natural gas and the Warsaw Stock Exchange is feeling the brunt of Donald Trump's trade war. Business news with Mateusz Walczak.

Ireland could stop the extradition of a Polish national if it concludes that Poland's recent overhaul of its judiciary means it can no longer guarantee a fair trial, an adviser to the European Union's top court said.

The Polish government is commenting on what it's calling a sad incident and is hoping that the issue of the rule of law will be quickly resolved. This was what Minister Szymański was saying after the hearing that took place in Luxembourg. However, the First Vice-President of the European Commission Frans Timmermans also spoke after the meeting, in much less optimistic tones. The threat of Article 7 still hangs above Poland.

It's been 77 years since the Great Synagogue was burned down in Białystok. The Germans occupying the town destroyed the temple and burned the Jews trapped inside. Today, Białystok remembers the victims of that tragedy.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Wednesday he was pleased that Poland had "fully rescinded" clauses in its Holocaust law that caused uproar in Israel and internationally. Polish and Israeli issued a joint declaration condemning both anti-Semistism and anti-Polonism.

The ruling Law and Justice has made a sudden U-turn on the law on the Institute of National Remembrance. Amendments to the law were quickly passed through on Wednesday. There will be no prison sentences for the use of phrases offensive to Poland. The prime minister has said that the law was necessary. But voices from the government, including the Marshal of the Senate, say that reality is hitting home. The opposition is not sparing in criticism. And it's pointing to half a year of spoiled relations with Israel, the USA and Ukraine. Now, Law and Justice aims to improve them.

Japan made six changes for Thursday's World Cup game, including leaving midfielder Takashi Inui on the bench, while already-eliminated Poland made five changes.

Polish Senate passed the amendment to the controversial Holocaust law on Wednesday. The legislation has been stripped of the provision that imposed jail sentences for suggestions of Poland's complicity in Nazi crimes. Earlier on, the lower house approved the changed law. During the Sejm session, Prime Minister Morawiecki said: "those who say that Poland may be responsible for the crimes of World War Two deserve jail terms. But we operate in an international context and we take that into account".

Storms, hailstones and whirlwinds. The cold front passing through Poland has brought violent weather along with it. In Płock, roofs were torn off and boats were tossed around in the air.

"Poland backtracks on controversial Holocaust law, scrapping threat of prison," wrote Israeli "Haaretz" in its online edition on Wednesday. The article was released after Polish prime minister Mateusz Morawiecki put forward an amendment to the bill on the National Remembrance Institute.

Local elections are coming. But the ruling Law and Justice party already has the the European elections in its sights. They're planning a change in the electoral law with its representatives claiming that elections need to be fairer. The opposition on the other hand, is crying foul saying that the new law will serve the interests of the ruling party. Medium-sized and small parties will certainly suffer.

Another protest regarding the judiciary reform is taking place in Poland. The president of the Supreme Court, Stanisław Zabłocki, refused to submit a medical certificate about him still being able to rule. This obligation for all judges that turned 65 is one of the consequences of the reform. According to the new law, to avoid retirement, judges have to submit such a document and get permission to remain in the profession by the National Council of the Judiciary. Judge Zabłocki claims this new rule is unconstitutional, as the Polish Constitution states that judges are irremovable. He intends to stay in the Supreme Court, of which he informed the head of the National Council of the Judiciary.

It's the first time ever in the European Union. A member state was subjected to a hearing stemming from Article 7 of the EU Treaty. Warsaw is being accused of breaching the rule of law by policitzing the judiciary. However, the Polish government claims that, first of all, it has already implemented many suggestions made by Brussels, thus showing good will, and secondly, that it will not veer from this path, as those controversial reforms are needed.