Poland troops to withdraw from Afghanistan in two years: FM

The Polish army will start to withdraw from the mission in Afghanistan in about two years, Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski said at a press conference in Bydgoszcz on Thursday.

"Now we want to strengthen them ... offer additional training to soldiers, Afghan police so that they could start to take over the responsibility for their own country in some two years' time," said Sikorski.

The minister stressed that the Afghanistan-based Polish troops manage to "implement their strategy slowly, but very consistently."

He added that Poland is withdrawing from foreign missions which "have ceased to be of primary importance to our reason of state."

Read more:http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2010-01/01/content_12737375.htm

Poland : 14 Nigerians convicted within four years for various offences

14 Nigerians who were arrested by the Polish Government between 2005 and 2009 for various travelling offences are still serving different jail terms in Poland.

The Coordinator, Human Support Services, a Nigerian – Polish Initiative, Mr Wisdom Ejebugha, disclosed this on Wednesday in Lagos while speaking on the dangers of illegal migration from Nigeria to foreign countries.

Read more: http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art20100101425453

Polish general battles on to protect his place in history

Twenty years after communism crumbled in central Europe, most of the party leaders from 1989 are dead or living in obscurity - except for Poland's General Wojciech Jaruzelski, who is still fighting to salvage his reputation.

Now 86, the general sits ramrod straight at his desk, quietly explaining that his decision to declare martial law on December 13 1981 and crush the Solidarity labour union helped prevent a Soviet invasion of his country.

The general says, in a conversation with the Financial Times, that he acted after being convinced of a growing threat from the USSR, which was already using economic levers to prod the Polish government to act.

"There was constant, psychologically draining and exhausting pressure," says Gen Jaruzelski, and because he worried that if Poland spun out of control it could destabilise the postwar division of Europe.

Read more: http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/42e59a7e-f5ac-11de-90ab-00144feab49a.html?nclick_check=1

Zakopane, Poland: skiing with divine guidance

It is not often that you get to ski on slopes that have received a papal blessing, but that is one of the pluses of a winter holiday with a difference in the Polish resort of Zakopane.

The late Pope John Paul II hailed from these parts and during his years at the helm of the Catholic church in Kraków, he liked to retreat to the nearby Tatras and have a quick schuss with the best of them.

Slightly bizarrely during what turned out to be the most memorable of the three days I spent in Zakopane last February, I ended up teaming up briefly with a British man of Polish ancestry whose brother had actually skied with Karol Józef Wojtyla, as the pontiff-to-be was then known.

Read more:http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/snowandski/6911471/Zakopane-Poland-skiing-with-divine-guidance.html

Polish admit Euro 2012 stadium delay at Wroclaw

WARSAW — Construction of a new stadium in the city of Wroclaw, one of four Polish venues for Euro 2012, has fallen "several months" behind schedule after a contract with a constructor was shelved, Sports Minister Adam Giersz said Wednesday.

"A change in who will bring the stadium on stream will lead to several months' delay in its construction," said Giersz. "We already had signs the situation was difficult but we hoped the investors and the constructor would resolve the matter. That is not how things worked out," the minister added.

Wroclaw city mayor Rafal Dutkiewicz said the city had rescinded the contract with a Polish-Greek consortium fronted by Polish group Mostostal Warszawa owing to onsite deadlines being missed.

The mayor added the local authorities had given themselves three weeks to find another constructor.

The 42,000 capacity venue is due for completion in June 2011.

Read more: http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5iZ-5AbenuJIMrNnEdzlTLUkvZyKg

Extraditions to Poland: Wanted, for chicken rustling

Why one country accounts for half of Britain’s European extraditions

EVERY fortnight an aeroplane carrying Polish policemen touches down at an airport in southern England. Waiting for them each time is a glum band of 20 or so handcuffed men who are to be flown back to face trial in Poland. Extradited prisoners are normally transferred on ordinary commercial flights, but a surge in the number being sent from Britain to Poland means that now a fortnightly “Con Air” service is being laid on by the Polish authorities.

Astonishingly, Poland now accounts for more than half of all Britain’s extraditions to Europe (see chart). The number of transfers grew from four in 2005 to 186 in the first nine months of 2008. That is about ten times the number being sent to Ireland, despite the fact that Irish migrants easily outnumber Poles in Britain. What explains this sudden plague of hardened criminals?

A look at the charge sheet suggests that they may not be so hard after all. The crimes for which people have been extradited include “theft of a chicken”, “theft of a piglet” and “theft of a cupboard door”. Whereas most countries are happy to put minor offences on hold until the suspect re-enters the country, Poland requests extradition for almost any crime, however petty. Some of its eastern neighbours take a similarly finicky approach.

Read more: http://www.economist.com/world/britain/displaystory.cfm?story_id=15179470

Avalanche in Poland kills 2, injures 3

Rescuers say an avalanche has killed two hikers and injured three others in Poland's Tatra Mountains.

A spokesman for the Tatra Voluntary Rescue Service, Marcin Witek, said Wednesday the avalanche hit five people who were trekking at the foot of the Rysy mountain, some 8,200 feet (2,500 meters) high.

Two were killed and three were hospitalized with injuries.

Vestas receives 96 MW order for Poland

Vestas has received an order for delivery of 48 V90-2.0 MW wind turbines for different locations in Poland. The order has been received from the German company Prokon.

The contract includes delivery, installation and commissioning of the turbines and a VestasOnline® Business SCADA solution. Delivery of the wind turbines will take place during 2010 to 2012

Read more: http://www.evwind.es/noticias.php?id_not=3139

Mostostal, Avax Lose Polish Soccer Stadium Contract

The Polish city of Wroclaw canceled a 598 million-zloty ($208 million) contract for Mostostal Warszawa SA and J&P Avax SA to build a stadium for the Euro 2012 soccer championships.

Wroclaw will start talks tomorrow with a group including Budimex SA to take over the work, Marcin Garcarz, a spokesman for the city, said by phone today. The municipality plans to sign a new contract in January to ensure that the stadium will be completed in the spring of 2012, Mayor Rafal Dutkiewicz said in a press conference carried live on the TVN24 television channel today.

Read more: http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601085&sid=aaBql9PQ2Fz4

Colin Farrell's son baptised in Poland

The baby son of Irish actor Colin Farrell and his girlfriend, the Polish actress Alicja Bachleda-Curus, has been baptised in Poland.

Polish newspapers Fakt and Super Express printed photographs today of the couple in a church in Krakow during the baptism, reported BreakingNews.ie.

Read more: http://www.rte.ie/arts/2009/1230/farrellc.html

Polish court to hear WWII massacre case

Poland's supreme court has agreed to consider whether the Polish survivor of a Nazi World War II massacre can sue Germany for compensation in a Polish court, a court spokeswoman said Tuesday.

Judges decided that the case, brought by 71-year-old Winicjusz Natoniewski, should be dealt with because it hinged on a "crucial legal issue", supreme court spokeswoman Teresa Pyzlak told news agency AFP.

"The question is whether the Polish courts have jurisdiction in a case pitting an individual against another state, and whether legal action can therefore be taken," Pyzlak said.

Read more: http://www.thelocal.de/national/20091230-24251.html

Poland Insurance Report Q1 2010

2009-12-29 20:49:11 - New Financial Services market

report from Business Monitor International: "Poland Insurance Report Q1 2010"

A flash estimate provided by the Central Statistical Office shows Polish economic growth slowing to 3.0% year-on-year (y-o-y) during Q408 from 4.8% the previous quarter. We expect growth to continue slowing through 2009, with the economy likely to dip into recession during H209. Despite the deterioration in Poland's macroeconomic fundamentals, we nonetheless believe that the economy will emerge as the regional outperformer, especially compared with heavily trade dependent Czech Republic and post fiscal crisis Hungary, which will both dive deep into recession this year. According to preliminary data provided by the Central Statistical Office, the Polish economy posted growth of around 3.0% during the final quarter of 2008, bringing the full-year figure down to 5.4%, from a bumper 6.6% the previous year.

Read more:  http://www.pr-inside.com/just-published-poland-insurance-report-r1647337.htm

Poland seeks help from Sweden as it investigates theft of Auschwitz sign

Poland will formally seek Sweden's help in investigating the theft of the "Arbeit Macht Frei" ("Work Sets You Free") sign from the Auschwitz memorial, confirming that Polish authorities suspect a Swedish link in the crime.

Boguslawa Marcinkowska, a spokeswoman for Krakow prosecutors, says her office will send a formal request for help Wednesday to the Swedish Justice Ministry in Stockholm.

Read more: http://www.google.com/hostednews/canadianpress/article/ALeqM5ioKYw9TOzsr0TpmIeOaQPJRBBt9A

Poles wary of switching to euro - survey

53% of Poles believe adopting the euro would hit their pockets, according to a survey published today.

The study by the TNS OBOP public opinion agency found that just 15% of respondents believed the euro would be a personal boon, 17% thought its introduction would make no difference to them, and 15% had no view.

Ex-communist Poland, which joined the European Union in 2004, had been aiming to switch from its free-floating zloty to the euro by 2012.

Read more: http://www.rte.ie/business/2009/1229/poland.html

Germans Blame "Polish Fireworks" for New Year's Injuries

Fireworks are an integral part of the German New Year's Eve tradition. Strict regulations and high prices encourage many to do their firecracker shopping across the border in Poland. Unregulated "Polish fireworks" are a perennial problem -- but this year may be their last.

Every year around this time, German firefighters and emergency room doctors look to the New Year holiday with dread. In cities and towns all across Germany, New Year's Eve is an occasion for uncontrolled exuberance -- which often takes the form of uncontrolled fireworks displays launched from street corners and balconies all over the country.

In Berlin, fire department officials triple-staff stations around the city on New Year's Eve to deal with the bang boom. Last year, firefighters in the capital tackled some 1,650 fires between 7 p.m. and 6 a.m. on New Year's Eve. Fire departments around the country see a similar spike over the holiday.

It has become a New Year's ritual for German newspapers and authorities to issue dramatic warnings about "Polen Böller," or "Polish fireworks," German shorthand for fireworks illegally imported from eastern Europe. Foreign fireworks, the German press implies, are largely to blame for the thousands of injuries and fires set every New Year's Eve.

Read more:http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/0,1518,669415,00.html

As at Auschwitz, the gates of hell are built and torn down by human hearts A wrenching debate about antisemitism in Poland's past leads us, in the end, to ask questions about ourselves

Between Hanukkah and Christmas, the sign over the entrance to the Auschwitz extermination camp is stolen. Polish police recover it and catch the thieves, who were apparently carrying out a commission from abroad. We struggle to imagine the kind of human being who would want such a thing in his private collection. For all the mass murder, enslavement and torture that has been perpetrated since, Auschwitz remains, for a European of my generation, the symbol of human evil in our time.

This grotesque episode ends a year in which the relations between Christians and Jews in general, Christian Poles and Polish Jews in particular, have again been the subject of debate. The ghosts of a tortured east European past even howled through the corridors of Westminster, as the Conservatives announced their alliance in the European parliament with a group of rightwing parties, mainly from central and eastern Europe, and then put their MEPs under the leadership of Michal Kaminski, from Poland's Law and Justice party.

Read more: http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2009/dec/23/poland-catholicism-nazis-difficult-past

More Money for Auschwitz After Theft of Sign

BERLIN — The Polish Cultural Ministry, in an effort to save face after the embarrassing theft eight days ago of the infamous “Arbeit macht frei” metal banner that hung over the entrance to the Auschwitz concentration camp, has said it will help pay for more security at the site.

Bogdan Zdrojewski, the culture minister, said late Wednesday that the government would contribute about $138,000 after a furor over the lack of security at the camp, which covers over 500 acres.

Read more:  http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/26/world/europe/26poland.html

A troubled genius: The truth about Chopin

He was a narcissistic, anti-Semitic fop who betrayed his country and hated his fellow man. The charges levelled against Chopin are as diverse as they are odious.

Everyone has their own idea of Chopin, and it's often wide of the mark. His commodification by advertisers and the serial murder of a few unfortunate pieces by "smooth classics" programmers means his real oeuvre is now almost terra incognita. His character, meanwhile, has been travestied in a thousand ways. Time was when he was written off as effeminate – "one naturally thinks of him with a skirt on" was the American composer Charles Ives' idiotically macho jibe – and he's now customarily depicted either as a heroic Polish patriot or hypersensitive hothouse plant. While neither image fits the facts, a newer one – first proposed by the pianist Andras Schiff – is currently being tried for size: it has superficial plausibility, but on closer scrutiny proves as blinkered and childish as the others.

After researching Chopin in depth for a biographical film, Schiff – who plays his music with rare sensitivity – condemned him as an anti-Semite, a self-invented aristocrat, a social snob, a dandy who hated contact with the rest of the human race, and a man totally without loyalty to his fellow Polish exiles. "A very strange person, very hard to like," Schiff concluded with haughty distaste. In other words, a great composer, but a rotten human being.

Read more:   http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/features/a-troubled-genius-the-truth-about-chopin-1848372.html

Polish official who campaigned for swine flu vaccines now sick with the virus

WARSAW, Poland — A Polish official who has waged a campaign against the government for refusing to import swine flu vaccines says he is himself now sick with the illness.

Janusz Kochanowski, Poland's ombudsman, the top civil rights official, announced Friday on Twitter that he has a bad case of swine flu and called it "ironical."

Read more: http://www.google.com/hostednews/canadianpress/article/ALeqM5gTJyFx1sTJxxyKdfR1ZNr1yb_2dQ

Swedish neo-Nazis stole Auschwitz death camp sign to fund terror plot

A Swedish neo-Nazi group planned to sell the infamous "Arbeit Macht Frei" sign stolen from the Auschwitz death camp to fund an attack on the prime minister, The London Times reported.
"We are aware of the information about the alleged attack plans," Patrik Peter, a spokesman for the Swedish security police told The Times.
The sign, which means "Work Makes You Free," was stolen Dec. 18 by five men and was later found in three pieces several hundred miles from the camp in Oswiecim, Poland.

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/news/world/2009/12/25/2009-12-25_swedish_neonazis_stole_auschwitz_death_camp_sign_to_fund_terror_plot_report.html#ixzz0aoZkQbP1

Poland's first Ferrari dealership to open

Twenty years after Poland ditched the dowdy austerity of communism the country will welcome Ferrari's prancing horse with the opening of the glamorous sports car company's first showroom in the country.

The showroom, due to open next year on Warsaw's premiere shopping street, will offer Polish car enthusiasts a chance to tap into an Italian line of luxury once inconceivable for a country that became synonymous with poverty and shortages during the dark days of socialism.

But with the Polish economy, buoyed by foreign investment and EU membership, now rapidly catching up on those in the west, Ferrari feel that the time is ripe to set up shop.

Read more: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/news/6885310/Polands-first-Ferrari-dealership-to-open.html

More Money for Auschwitz After Theft of Sign

The Polish Cultural Ministry, in an effort to save face after the embarrassing theft eight days ago of the infamous “Arbeit macht frei” metal banner that hung over the entrance to the Auschwitz concentration camp, has said it will help pay for more security at the site.

Bogdan Zdrojewski, the culture minister, said late Wednesday that the government would contribute about $138,000 after a furor over the lack of security at the camp, which covers over 500 acres.

Read more:http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/26/world/europe/26poland.html

Auschwitz sign stolen for Swedish Nazis?

STOCKHOLM, Sweden, Dec. 24 (UPI) -- Swedish neo-Nazis arranged the theft of the "Arbeit Macht Frei" sign at Auschwitz to sell it to finance terrorist attacks, investigators said.

Patrik Peter, a spokesman for the Swedish security police, said the Nazis allegedly planned to disrupt next year's national election, The Times of London reported.

The Stockholm newspaper Aftonbladet said a Nazi source claimed the sign was stolen on order from a collector.

"The sign was to be delivered to Sweden, since it was here the deal should be made," the source said. "My role was to find a buyer. We had a person who was willing to pay millions but he had no political agenda. These things have a huge collector value.... The biggest collectors are from England, the United States and France."

Read more: http://www.upi.com/Top_News/International/2009/12/24/Auschwitz-sign-stolen-for-Swedish-Nazis/UPI-98801261702271/

Mucha to stay with Legia Warsaw

WARSAW, Poland. Dec 24 — The best goalkeeper in the Polish Ekstraklasa Jan Mucha is set to stay with Legia Warsaw FC. The Legion's club owner Mariusz Walter persuaded the Slovakian FIFA World Cup 2010 representative to extend his contract with the Polish vice-champions. Mucha has yet to receive any concrete offers from abroad, but is a popular player from Poland and is expected to leave especially after the World Cup this summer.

The heads of Legia Warsaw appreciated his big contribution to the club's fall season results and offered him a contract extension which is believed to be the highest salary earned in the league.

Read more: http://www.polishsoca.com/newswire/ekstraklasa/1984-mucha-to-stay-with-legia-warsaw

Civic Platform Clearly Favoured in Poland

(Angus Reid Global Monitor) - The governing party of Poland continues to enjoy a high level of support, according to a poll by PBS DGA published in Gazeta Wyborcza. 46 per cent of respondents would vote for the Civic Platform (PO) in the next legislative election, up one point since early November.

The opposition Law and Justice Party (PiS) is a distant second with 26 per cent, followed by the Democratic Left Alliance (SLD) with nine per cent, and the Peasant’s Party (PSL) with seven per cent.

In October 2007, Polish voters renewed the Diet, or lower house of Parliament. Final results gave the PO 41.51 per cent of the vote and 209 seats, followed by the PiS with 32.11 per cent and 166 seats. In November, the PO and the PSL—who together hold 240 seats in the 460-member Diet—agreed to form a coalition government. PO leader Donald Tusk was sworn in as prime minister.

Read more: http://www.angus-reid.com/polls/view/34728/civic_platform_clearly_favoured_in_poland

Poland looks for foreign link in Auschwitz sign theft

Polish authorities say the mastermind behind the theft of the iconic sign at Auschwitz is a foreigner based outside of Poland.

A Polish state prosecutor says it was very likely the men responsible for the theft of the "Arbeit macht frei" sign from the former Nazi death camp Auschwitz were acting on behalf of a third party outside of Poland. Polish media have speculated that the third party is a Swedish collector.

State prosecutor Artur Wrona told a press conference that "The main person behind this crime was somebody living outside Poland who does not hold Polish citizenship." However, he did not confirm or deny if the third party was a Swedish citizen. Investigators are now seeking assistance from Interpol to find the party responsible.

Read more: http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,,5048059,00.html

Winter freeze kills 79 in Poland

WARSAW - Ten people have died of cold in Poland over the past day, taking the toll since winter set in earlier this month to 79, police said Tuesday.

A national police spokeswoman told AFP that 10 people had been found dead since Monday.

The majority of the victims were homeless men who died while drunk, police said.

Read more: http://www.canada.com/news/Winter+freeze+kills+Poland/2370272/story.html

Poland Probes Foreign Link In Auschwitz Theft

KRAKOW, Poland (Reuters) - The mastermind behind Friday's theft of the metal sign above the entrance to the former Nazi death camp of Auschwitz is a foreigner living outside Poland, prosecutors said on Tuesday.

Polish police recovered the German language sign, which reads "Arbeit macht frei" ("Work makes you free"), and seized five men early on Monday over the theft, which had triggered widespread outrage, especially from Israel and Jewish groups.

"The main person behind this crime was somebody living outside Poland who does not hold Polish citizenship," prosecutor Artur Wrona told a news conference after the five suspects took part in a reenactment of the robbery at the camp.

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/2009/12/22/world/international-uk-poland-auschwitz.html

Desperate Poland search for a football star

WARSAW — After seeing Miroslav Klose and Lukas Podolski get snapped up by the likes of Germany, Poland's football association (PZPN) is now scouting the globe's vast Polish diaspora for talent.

Polish fans and the PZPN alike dream of reviving a long-lost golden age, with their sights set on glory on home turf at Euro 2012, after failing to make it to the 2010 World Cup.

Getting budding internationals to opt for Poland is part of the strategy.

"The goal is to never again to have cases like Podolski or Klose," said Maciej Chorazyk, 35, the PZPN's diaspora pointman.

The duo were born in Poland and emigrated to Germany as youngsters. Called up by Germany, they turned Poles into nervous wrecks during the 2006 World Cup and Euro 2008, when twists of fate drew Germany and Poland together.

Read more: http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5ip6VQB4A0Hh-Xt5A3XNgQfWWma-A

Polish bank recapitalisation scheme cleared

The European Commission authorised a Polish scheme to strengthen financial stability on 21 December. The scheme underwrites, via preferential shares or subordinated debt instruments, up to 100% of capital increases of financial institutions that are unable to obtain the required financing from the market.

Read more: http://www.europolitics.info/business-competitiveness/polish-bank-recapitalisation-scheme-cleared-art258474-8.html

U.S. to train Polish soldiers on Patriot

STUTTGART, Germany, Dec. 21 (UPI) -- Training for Polish soldiers on the U.S. Army Patriot Missile will get under way soon, military officials in Germany say.

U.S. Army Europe said Monday that while no specific units have been designated for the mission, about 100 American soldiers will be deployed to Poland to conduct anti-missile missile system training early next year, the military newspaper Stars and Stripes reported.

Read more:  http://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2009/12/21/US-to-train-Polish-soldiers-on-Patriot/UPI-91401261407450/

Benedict XVI names new primate for Polish Catholics

Vatican City, Dec 20, 2009 / 12:33 pm (CNA).- After Sunday's Angelus in Vatican City, Pope Benedict XVI congratulated the new primate of the Polish church, Archbishop Henryk Muszynski. The archbishop takes the place of Cardinal Jozef Glemp.

Cardinal Glemp served in an interim role as the primate of the Polish church, but as of his 80th birthday on Friday, the reigns have been handed over to Archbishop Muszynski. Commenting on the new appointment for the Archbishop of Gniezno, Benedict said, "This honorary title returns to the oldest Metropolan Diocese in Polish lands, tied to the devotion to Saint Adalbert, Patron of Poland." Until 1981, the primate of the Polish Church had always been the Archbishop of Gniezno.

Read more: http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/benedict_xvi_names_new_primate_for_polish_catholics/

Cold snap wreaks havoc across Europe

Snowstorms and sub-zero temperatures have killed at least 30 people across Europe as well as severely disrupting air, rail and road transport.

At least 29 people froze to death in Poland as temperatures fell far below freezing, while in southern Germany a figure of -33C (-27F) was recorded.

Read more: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8423442.stm

Police in Poland find sign stolen from Auschwitz gate

The "Arbeit macht frei" sign stolen from Auschwitz in southern Poland has been found in the north and five men have been arrested, police say.

They said the metal sign from the main gate, which symbolises for many the atrocities of Nazi Germany, had been cut into three pieces.

A major search was launched after the sign was stolen before dawn on Friday.

Its theft, the motive for which was not being reported, caused outrage in Israel and among Polish politicians.

Five men in their 20s or 30s were detained and were being taken to Krakow for questioning, a police spokeswoman said.

Read more: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8423827.stm

A simple act of kindness saved lives

Woman repaid gesture by sheltering Jewish couple during Nazi occupation

NEW YORK–In 1941, a poor Polish farmwoman travelled from the countryside to Israel Rubinek's village store, but found she didn't have enough money to pay for the things she needed.

Rubinek, a gregarious 21-year-old who sold kerosene, soap and shoelaces, told Zofia Banya not to worry: They'd settle up the next time she came to Pinczow, in German-occupied Poland, to sell butter and eggs.

It was wartime and hardly anyone offered credit. Who knew what life would be like a day later, let alone a week?

Read more:  http://www.thestar.com/actsofkindness/article/741113--a-simple-act-of-kindness-saved-lives

Storm causes chaos in Poland and Germany

Frigid temperatures, heavy snow and icy roads are causing major problems for travelers in Europe. The bad weather is causing traffic and train delays in Poland and Germany.

Slippery roads led to numerous accidents in parts of Germany overnight Friday into Saturday. Bad weather on Friday caused miles-long traffic jams on the Autobahn near the city of Hanover.

Trains to Warsaw and Poznan were delayed by at least an hour. The Polish Meteorological Institute forecast more snow in central and northeastern parts of the country for Sunday. Temperatures are expected to remain at below minus 10 degrees Celsius.

Read more: http://english.cctv.com/program/worldwidewatch/20091220/101503.shtml

Poland offers reward for return of Auschwitz sign

The Auschwitz museum has announced a reward of 115 000 zlotych (27 500 euro) for the return of the sign that hung over the gates of the concentration camp.

The cruelly ironic sign, 'Arbeit Macht Frei', that greeted prisoners destined for the death camps at Auschwitz, was stolen on the morning of December 18 2009.
The office of the Polish prime minister announced a special investigation into the theft has been started.

Read more: http://www.sofiaecho.com/2009/12/20/833092_poland-offers-reward-for-return-of-auschwitz-sign

Polish soldier killed in Afghanistan gun battle

A 22-year-old Polish soldier was killed in Afghanistan after a firefight with rebel forces, Poland's defence ministry said on Saturday, cited by AFP.
The attack happened in the early morning in the Ghazni province, some 20 kilometres (15 miles) from the Polish troops' Afghan base, the ministry added.

Read more: http://www.focus-fen.net/index.php?id=n203947

Border lockdown as police hunt for Auschwitz sign

WARSAW — Polish police Saturday stepped up border checks as they intensified the hunt for thieves who stole the infamous Nazi German "Arbeit macht frei" sign from the Auschwitz death camp.

Road blocks were in place across the southern Polish region, while around 40 officers and forensic experts were mobilised to gather evidence at the camp itself, said regional police spokesman Dariusz Nowak.

Poland has sought the help of the international policing bodies Interpol and Europol to try to track down the criminals, he said.

"This is an absolute priority for the Polish police," added national police spokeswoman, Grazyna Puchalska.

Read more: http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5ick8VGbWSrMYDRm5FrpAdzIENeHg

Conspiracy theories abound over theft of Auschwitz sign

There are no clues 48 hours after the theft Friday of the infamous Arbeit Macht Frei - Work sets you free - sign from above the entrance gate to the Auschwitz concentration camp in Poland.

While Poland is enlisting its finest investigators to solve the crime, its bizaareness is proving fertile ground for conspiracy theories on the Internet and in official responses.

Three of the usual suspects were immediately mentioned: the Jews, the Germans and the Russians. The infamous metal sign is so linked with the Jewish people, it has been said, it must be on its way to Jerusalem. Another theory: The Russians want to embarrass the Poles - or maybe the Poles wanted to embarrass the Russians before the 65th anniversary in January of the liberation of Auschwitz by the Red Army. The Germans are suspected of wanting to bring home something that belongs to them, in their opinion.

There are four main avenues of investigation: hooliganism or sale for scrap metal or an act of neo-Nazism or a service for an art collector. The theft also may be the work nationalist elements upset by the plan to invest more funds in renovating the site.

Read more: http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1136214.html

Pope decrees beatification of Poland's 'Solidarity chaplain'

VATICAN CITY — Pope Benedict XVI on Saturday approved the beatification of Father Jerzy Popieluszko, the "Solidarity chaplain" who was murdered by the Polish secret service in 1984.

The decree placed the charismatic priest, a staunch anti-communist who laced his sermons with political messages backing the Solidarity trade union movement of future president Lech Walesa, a step away from sainthood.

Three Polish secret service officers abducted Father Popieluszko in October 1984 after he celebrated his last mass in Bydgoszcz, central Poland.

They tortured him to death and then threw his body into the River Vistula, some 120 kilometres (70 miles) north of Warsaw.

Read more: http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5jwq5SWqAfmvcB2ToaSCtVLSujw8w

Poland tightens border in hunt for Auschwitz sign

OSWIECIM, Poland -- The Polish government says it has tightened security as the search intensifies for the infamous "Arbeit Macht Frei" sign that was stolen from the Auschwitz memorial site.

Interior Ministry spokeswoman Wioletta Paprocka said Saturday that border guards at Poland's eastern border with Ukraine and Belarus - which is also the European Union's eastern frontier - stepped up checks of goods out of Poland looking for the sign, which means "Work Makes You Free."

Read more: http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2009/12/19/general-eu-poland-auschwitz-sign-stolen_7227082.html

Poland signals last-minute Russia gas deal hitch

WARSAW, Dec 18 (Reuters) - Poland's deputy prime minister cast into doubt on Friday an accord between Warsaw and Moscow aimed at securing Russian gas imports in 2010 and beyond.

Poland, facing an annual gas shortfall of 2.5 billion cubic metres (bcm) from 2010, announced a deal last week after talks in Moscow that envisages the import of 10.3 bcm of gas annually direct from Russia's Gazprom (GAZP.MM) until 2037, up from 7-8 bcm at present.

Read more: http://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKLDE5BH1MA20091218

Poland declares state of emergency after 'Arbeit Macht Frei' stolen from Auschwitz

A state of emergency was announced in Poland today involving tightened border controls and random police checks as a nationwide hunt was launched for the infamous bronze sign to the former German Nazi death camp Auschwitz after it was stolen.

The discovery on Friday morning that the sign had been wrenched from the top of the entrance gate posts prompted international reactions of outrage from Washington to London and urgent calls for its return.

The sign, cast by camp prisoners, which offered the cynical welcome to new inmates "Arbeit Macht Frei" (work sets you free) and stands as a potent symbol of the suffering millions endured at the camp, is believed to have been removed by a gang in what authorities called a meticulously planned robbery.

Read more: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/dec/18/auschwitz-arbeit-macht-frei-sign

Infamous "Arbeit Macht Frei" sign stolen from Auschwitz

The "Arbeit macht frei" sign that marked the entrance to the Nazi concentration camp Auschwitz has been stolen. The theft of the sign that symbolised the Nazi era has shocked people in Poland.

Police said the "Arbeit macht frei" (work sets you free) sign that had spanned the gate at the main entrance to the Auschwitz death camp in Poland was stolen early on Friday morning.

The thieves removed the iron sign by unscrewing it on one side of the gate and pulling it off the other side.

Police say they do not have any leads on the identity of the thieves but they are questioning museum guards and checking security camera footage.

Museum spokesman Jaroslaw Mensfelt said it was the first serious case of theft at Auschwitz.

Read more: http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,,5034155,00.html

Poland Defence and Security Report Q1 2010

Poland’s geographical position in Europe and its entry into the EU make it a prime location for the trafficking of illegal immigrants, arms and narcotics. The problems are not as extreme as those in countries further south, such as the Czech Republic and countries of former Yugoslavia. Nonetheless, a significant amount of funds will have to be invested in the Border Guards paramilitary unit, under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Interior and Administration, in order to secure the lengthy border with the Ukraine and prevent smuggling of goods and people into the enlarged EU.

Recent intelligence suggests that Islamist cells operating in Western European towns may have networks extending into countries such as Poland. In 2005, the Ministry of Defence said that in order to boost counter-terrorism operations it would increase funding for the military police (Zandarmeria Wojskowa, ZW) by 68.6% to US$63.5mn (PLN213mn) and the service was expanded with the creation of four battalion-sized operational units called Oddzial Specjalny by 2007. These units have approximately 2,000 professional soldiers, equal to about 45% of the military police’s manpower.

Read more: http://www.companiesandmarkets.com/Summary-Market-Report/poland-defence-and-security-report-q1-2010-192349.asp

Poland Autos Report Q1 2010

Despite the economic downturn sweeping the worldwide auto sector, new car sales in Poland have held up, helping the country outperform its neighbours. Consumer spending has not fallen sharply, and auto exports have gotten a boost from the weakening of the zloty against the euro, as well as from auto scrappage schemes across the EU. According to Samar, new car sales in Poland reached 264,898 units in the 10 months through October 2009. This represents a slight 0.6% improvement over the same period in 2008, but is still impressive considering the headwinds facing the global auto sector.

Scrappage plans across Europe have largely run their course, which is likely to remove a key driver of sales momentum. In particular, demand from Germany, whose junk car scheme ran out of funds in September 2009, is likely to be reduced going forward. Demand for exports is also likely to ease as the zloty has recouped some of its losses against the euro and is expected to keep strengthening in 2010.

However, robust domestic sales are expected to help offset reduced demand from overseas buyers.

Rad more: http://www.officialwire.com/main.php?action=posted_news&rid=54775&catid=365

Bomi working on expansion

Bomi, the prominent Polish retail group, is negotiating on acquisitions with over a dozen firms. The first transactions are expected to be completed in Q1 2010. The group intends to take over companies which manage between several and several dozen stores. In addition, Bomi is very interested in the acquisition of chains which operate in the south and the north of Poland, where the group’s logistics are strongly developed.

Read more: http://www.retailpoland.com/next.php?id=79543

Strengthening the Polish contingent in Afghanistan - decisions still ahead

Polish Government is considering to send additional 600 troops to Afghanistan and have further 200 in the strategic reserve, said Minister of National Defence Bogdan Klich during a joint press conference with the head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Rados?aw Sikorski on 2nd December.

As Minister Bogdan Klich, stressed however, formal decision to send more troops is still ahead of us and will be taken early next year. The final say in this issue will have the President of Poland.

The size of our involvement in Afghanistan after the increase of the number of forces falls within the optimum range of 3200-3800 soldiers to be deployed to operations abroad, as it is stipulated in the strategy of Polish forces’ participation in operations abroad, adopted by the Government in January this year.

Read more: http://www.defpro.com/news/details/12034/

Germany donates £50m to Auschwitz

Germany has donated more than £50 million to a global fund that aims to preserve the site of the Nazi German Auschwitz-Birkenau death camp in Poland.

The Auschwitz-Birkenau Museum said that the 60 million euros pledged by the German government represented half the total it needs to ensure the future of the Second World War site as a permanent memorial to the Nazis' victims.

"This is a great day! The plan for the long-term preservation of this memorial is becoming a reality," said Piotr Cywinski, director of the state-run museum and head of the Auschwitz-Birkenau Foundation which was launched earlier this year.

Read more: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/poland/6833049/Germany-donates-50m-to-Auschwitz.html

 

Polish senator's career 'destroyed' by prostitutes and cocaine video

Krzysztof Piesiewicz, a Polish politician, admitted his career was all but over after a newspaper posted a video on its website showing him cavorting with prostitutes while wearing a flowery dress and appearing to snort cocaine.

Senator Krzysztof Piesiewicz, a senior member of the governing Civic Platform party, claimed the video was part of a blackmail plot organised by the two prostitutes who made the film.

First shown on the website of the Polish newspaper Super Express, the footage shows the 64-year-old politician wearing a white dress decorated with flowers while slumped on a sofa as a prostitute applies make up to his face.

It also shows Mr Piesiewicz pressing to his nose to a table and appearing to snort a white powder, although the senator has denied accusations that it was cocaine, claiming instead it was a harmless powder and part of the blackmail plot.

While he admits arranging to meet a prostitute, the senator, who has been separated from his wife for 10 years, has claimed the women intoxicated him with something in order to make the film.

Read more: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/poland/6833432/Polish-senators-career-destroyed-by-prostitutes-and-cocaine-video.html

 

Seven ethical places to travel

The U.S. based group Ethical Traveler has come up with a list of ten developing nations it considers ethical destinations for 2010 travel, based on everything from promoting natural environments to building tourism industries that benefit locals. Here's their list of most ethical developing countries to visit next year, in alphabetical order.

Poland: Increased focus on rural tourism, which supports local farmers, most of them women. Launched a program for sustainable tourism in Eastern Poland, with more bike routes and public transit.

Read more:

http://www.thestar.com/travel/article/739859--seven-ethical-places-to-travel

Poles stand out - quietly

Maybe that's why we underestimate Poles. To make it big, they have to drop seven or eight consonants. But then they don't sound Polish.

We've sort of forgotten about the Poles.

And I don't mean the ones at Filmore's and the Brass Rail.

I mean the 300,000 of Polish descent who inhabit the GTA, no fuss, no muss.

Other immigrants grab all the attention.

Tamils, Tibetans, Somalis, Filipinos, Russians, Iranians, Serbs, Indians, Pakistanis. You can't miss 'em.

The Irish raise the roof on St. Patrick's Day. The Italians mob College St. when the Azzurri win. The Jamaicans rule during Caribana.

Meanwhile, the Poles quietly and diligently go about their business on Roncesvalles Ave. or in Mississauga.

Read more:
http://www.torontosun.com/news/columnists/mike_strobel/2009/12/10/12104091-sun.html