
Poland orders closure of Russian consulate in Krakow, citing arson attack blamed on Moscow
'In connection with the evidence that the Russian special services committed a reprehensible act of sabotage against the shopping center on Marywilska Street, I have decided to withdraw my consent to the operation of the consulate of the Russian Federation in Krakow,' Sikorski said in a statement.
The fire broke out May 12, 2024, in the Marywilska 44 shopping center that housed some 1,400 shops and service points. Many of the vendors were from Vietnam, and it inflicted tragedy on many in Warsaw's Vietnamese community.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
21 hours ago
- Yahoo
Europe stresses Ukraine support ahead of Trump-Putin summit
The path to peace in Ukraine 'cannot be decided without Ukraine', European leaders have said, as US President Donald Trump prepares to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin for talks on Friday. In a joint statement, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, with the leaders of France, Italy, Germany, Poland, Finland and the European Commission, said that the current line of contact between Russia and Ukraine could only be a 'starting point of negotiations'. They said: 'Ukraine has the freedom of choice over its own destiny. Meaningful negotiations can only take place in the context of a ceasefire or reduction of hostilities. 'The path to peace in Ukraine cannot be decided without Ukraine. 'We remain committed to the principle that international borders must not be changed by force.' The statement comes a day after Mr Trump announced that he would meet Mr Putin in Alaska on Friday, as he seeks an end to a conflict he had promised he could finish on his first day in office. The US president had earlier suggested that any peace deal was likely to involve 'some swapping of territories', with reports suggesting this could involve Ukraine giving up its Donetsk region. But President Volodymyr Zelensky has already rejected any proposal that would compromise Ukraine's territorial integrity, something that is forbidden by Ukraine's constitution. He said Mr Putin wanted to 'exchange a pause in the war, in the killing, for the legalisation of the occupation of our land – he wants to get territorial spoils for the second time'. Mr Zelensky added: 'We will not allow this second attempt to partition Ukraine. Knowing Russia, where there is a second, there will be a third.' He also said that any peace agreement that excluded Ukraine would be a decision 'against peace'. In their statement, the European leaders said they welcomed Mr Trump's 'work to stop the killing in Ukraine, end the Russian Federation's war of aggression and achieve just and lasting peace and security for Ukraine'. Adding that they were 'ready to support this work diplomatically' and through military and financial support for Kyiv, they reiterated the need for 'robust and credible security guarantees' for Ukraine and their own 'unwavering support' for the country. The statement also comes after Foreign Secretary David Lammy hosted a meeting of top Ukrainian officials and European national security advisers alongside US vice-president JD Vance on Saturday. The meeting took place at the Foreign Secretary's official country retreat, Chevening, in Kent, where Mr Vance is staying at the start of a UK holiday. After the meeting, Mr Lammy said: 'The UK's support for Ukraine remains ironclad as we continue working towards a just and lasting peace.' It is understood that the meeting had been called at Washington's request, and included representatives from the US, Ukraine, France, Germany, Italy, Finland and Poland as well as the UK. Ukraine was represented by Rustem Umerov, secretary of the country's national security and defence council, and the head of Mr Zelensky's office, Andriy Yermak. In a post on social media, Mr Yermak said the allies' positions were 'clear' that 'a reliable, lasting peace is only possible with Ukraine at the negotiating table, with full respect for our sovereignty and without recognising the occupation'. Ahead of the meeting at Chevening, Sir Keir discussed the talks in a call with Mr Zelensky on Saturday, and also spoke to French President Emmanuel Macron. Meanwhile, the conflict continues, with Ukrainian authorities reporting four people killed and 16 wounded in Russian drone strikes on Saturday in the Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions.


Chicago Tribune
a day ago
- Chicago Tribune
The Tribune's Quotes of the Week quiz for Aug. 9
Greetings, quotes readers! It was another newsy week, so let's get right into it. Lollapalooza wrapped up Sunday in Grant Park following four days of music and can't-miss performances. Sabrina Carpenter closed out the festival with a jam-packed set, featuring her hit songs 'Espresso' and 'Bed Chem' and a special appearance from Chicago's own Earth, Wind & Fire. Sunday also kicked off a weeklong saga over Texas' redistricting efforts. Dozens of Democratic members of the Texas House of Representatives fled to Illinois and other blue states to deny their Republican colleagues the quorum needed to redraw five congressional districts in the GOP's favor. The House responded by issuing civil warrants to arrest those absent politicians and bring them to the state Capitol. In a joint news conference Tuesday, Democratic leaders expressed support for the Texas lawmakers, and Gov. JB Pritzker made an appearance on 'The Late Show With Stephen Colbert,' saying they were welcome in Illinois. On Thursday, the FBI agreed to assist Texas law enforcement in locating the politicians — despite the fact that their civil warrants are unenforceable outside of Texas. By Friday, officials took another route in their bid to bring the Democratic House members back to Texas, asking a downstate Illinois court to compel state police to enforce those warrants. President Donald Trump's latest round of tariffs took effect Thursday, raising import taxes on dozens countries. The president also announced that he will impose a 100% tariff on computer chips made outside the United States. Economists say American consumers will likely foot some of those increased business costs in the form of higher prices. Here's what to expect. In other news from around the globe, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said this week that Israel intends to take full control of the Gaza Strip, Trump announced that he and Russian President Vladimir Putin will meet next Friday in Alaska to discuss ending the war in Ukraine and the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki marked the 80th anniversary of the U.S. atomic bombings that killed more than 210,000 people. Locally, Weiss Memorial Hospital in Chicago ceased most of its operations, following Medicare funding cuts. United Airlines issued a ground stop Wednesday evening for departing flights nationwide due to a tech issue with the system that houses flight information, causing more than 1,000 delays at the Chicago-based carrier. And on Friday, a federal judge denied bond for former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan pending his appeal on corruption charges. Meanwhile, in the world of Chicago sports, the Bears are preparing for their preseason opener Sunday against the Miami Dolphins, the Cubs are hoping to make a postseason run and, after wearing No. 88 for 16 seasons with the Blackhawks, Aug. 8 has officially been declared Patrick Kane Day in Chicago. The unofficial end of summer is marked in Chicago with the annual Bud Billiken Parade, a back-to-school celebration that showcases Chicago's talented young residents. The parade kicks off Saturday in the Bronzeville neighborhood, but if that's not your speed, there's no shortage of events going on around the city this weekend, from Northalsted Market Days to Wilco at The Salt Shed and the Windy City Comedy Fest. So get out there for some fun this weekend, Chicago! That's all for now. Here's the Tribune's Quotes of the Week quiz for Aug. 3 to 9. Missed last week? You can find it here or check out our past editions of Quotes of the Week.


Bloomberg
a day ago
- Bloomberg
Polish Cabinet Stung by Allegations EU Recovery Funds Misused
Poland's government, struggling to regain momentum after its candidate lost a presidential election in June, was put further on the defensive over the potential misuse of European Union funds. State prosecutors have launched probes into how the EU's post-Covid recovery aid is being spent, even as Prime Minister Donald Tusk pledged 'zero tolerance' for any abuse of the resources.