TVN24 News in English

TVN24 News in English

Message on a piece of paper and a coin found in a historic shrine

A bundle with a faded piece of paper from 1972 and a coin from that period have been found by an employee of a workshop hired to renovate a cross from a historic wayside shrine in Kazimierz Dolny. This peculiar time capsule was hidden there during previous renovation of this heritage site. Now, the city authorities have to decide whether to place the capsule in a museum, or to put it back inside an orb attached to the cross. Furthermore, an idea to create a new capsule has also emerged.

Night police chase after a dangerous driver in Warsaw

Warsaw police have detained an extremely dangerous driver who was driving against the traffic, ignoring red lights, and chasing people off pavements. During his crazy run, he also smashed into a dozen of other vehicles. One woman was taken to hospital, while another received medical help on the spot.

Soldier who defected for Belarus sentenced for abusing his mother

Emil C., a Polish soldier who has recently defected to Belarus, was sentenced on Wednesday to six months community service for mentally and physically abusing his mother. He was also served a one-year restraining order and told to stop excessive drinking. The soldier also has an arrest warrant issued after him, and is facing 10 years in prison for defection.

MFA: Poland concerned and disappointed with Russia's liquidation of Memorial Society

Russia's Supreme Court ordered the country's oldest human rights group to disband on Tuesday for breaking a law requiring it to act as "a foreign agent", capping a year of crackdowns on Kremlin critics unseen since the Soviet era. Poland's President Andrzej Duda and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed their concern and disappointment with the decision, as well as praised Memorial Society for its contribution in uncovering Soviet crimes.

Meet Maria, German woman who lives in a Polish forest

A 67-year-old German woman named Maria has been living in a forest near Kłobuck in Silesian Voivodeship for over a decade now. In the summer she used to sleep under a tree, using her backpack as a pillow. In the winter people kept on calling the police to save her from freezing, but she always comes back to the forest. She claims she is a doctor. The woman likes to talk and communicate through sign language. She knows German, English, and French. When she was hungry, the woman used to come to a local village for food. Reportedly, her family once took her back to Germany, but she returned to Poland. Last week, Maria was taken to a hospital for observation. We have asked local residents, social worker and the police about her.

Health Ministry: level of COVID-19 deaths is still in its peak

Unvaccinated people, seniors, and those suffering from pre-existing diseases are most likely to face "the most tragic of possibilities" after contracting coronavirus, Health Ministry spokesman Wojciech Andrusiewicz said on Tuesday. This way he commented on the latest daily coronavirus report, according to which as many as 410 out of 549 of the latest COVID-related fatalities were unvaccinated people.

A century-old lantern which illuminated the path to Poland's independence

On Dec. 26, 1918, the city of Poznań submerged in pitch black darkness. Local residents lit torches and paper lanterns to shed light for Poland's future prime minister Ignacy Jan Paderewski who arrived in the town that day. One such lantern has been preserved - it's 103 years old and belongs to Roman Trojanowicz's collection.

Eight new Omicron cases reported in Poland

According to the latest data, eight new cases of Omicron variant of the coronavirus have been detected, which originated from two previously confirmed outbreaks - in Warsaw and Gdańsk, Health Ministry spokesperson Wojciech Andrusiewicz told Radio Plus on Thursday. He added that a total of 15 cases of Omicron have been detected in Poland so far.

Jourova on Poland's media law: it will be a very big blow to media plurality

"We already raised concerns some time ago because this new media law has been adopted - surprisingly for me because I really hope it will be discussed further - but it was adopted already in the context of a very problematic situation of media in Poland. Some speak about of politicision of media landscape in Poland," the Vice President of the European Commission for Values and Transparency Vera Jourova told TVN24 reporter Sebastian Nepieraj on Wednesday.

Jourova: we want Poland to respect decisions of the EU Court of Justice

"This judgement puts into question whether the rules, which the EU is based on, still apply in Poland," the Vice President of the EU Commission Vera Jourova told TVN24 on Wednesday. She was referring to the ruling issued by Poland Constitutional Tribunal earlier this year, which has challenged the EU law primacy over national laws. "The Tribunal itself raises doubts whether it’s still an independent court," she added. Earlier that day, the EU executive has launched an infringement procedure against Poland over said ruling.

Media freedom organisations call on Polish president to veto contested media law

Seventeen Polish and international organisations promoting media and journalist freedom on Wednesday signed a letter addressed to President Andrzej Duda. They call upon the head of Polish state to veto the media reform bill passed by the parliament last week. The signatories warn that the legislation "poses a fundamental threat to media freedom and pluralism in Poland".

Wall Street Journal on Poland's media law: targeting an American investment is doubly insulting

"The Polish government thinks it is treated unfairly by foreign critics, but then it hurts itself with this media law," the Wall Street Journal Editorial Board said in an article criticising the recent media reform law passed by the Polish Sejm. "Targeting an American investment is doubly insulting. The U.S., through NATO, is treaty bound to send Americans to fight and die for Polish security," the WSJ argues. "Now more than ever, Warsaw should want to underscore its differences with nearby authoritarians," the American paper urges.

Ruins next to new investments. Post-war Warsaw captured by Adolf Duszek

A very valuable collection of post-WWII Warsaw photographs taken by Adolf Duszek has been discovered by his daughter Maria Anioł in their family home in Stare Bielany neighbourhood. Photography was Duszek's passion, especially documenting Poland's capital Warsaw in the 1950s, when the city was being rebuilt after being razed to ground by Nazi Germany. Bielany district authorities announced that an album with these amazing images would be published next year.