This month's news highlights

NEWSMARK

Russian Election Meddling

WARSAW — Poland has identified a Russian group tasked with influencing Polish elections through disinformation and stoking instability, according to Deputy Prime Minister Krzysztof Gawkowski.

Poland is holding a presidential election in mid-May, and authorities fear that Russian intelligence services may try to influence them in reprisal for Poland’s involvement in helping Ukraine. Warsaw, a hub for supplies to Ukraine, has made it a target for spies working for Russia and its ally Belarus, as well as acts of sabotage.

The Russian embassy in Warsaw said it has no information on the matter.

World War II Relics Unearthed

GDAŃSK, Poland — Archaeologists have discovered nearly 14,000 artifacts, including evidence of early World War II German war crimes, during the latest stage of excavations at Westerplatte.

The discovery, made by Poland’s Museum of the Second World War, revealed four bodies believed to be Poles killed by Germans. The victims were executed in caved-in shelters, and the remains were buried. Other discoveries included musket balls, cannonballs from Prussian and Napoleonic periods, Polish artillery positions, and Soviet soldier remains.

Further excavations are planned.

Strogoff Eyes Lechia Gdańsk Football Team

GDAŃSK, Poland — U.S.-based businesswoman and beauty influencer Kinga Strogoff is seeking to buy struggling Polish football club Lechia Gdańsk. A fan of Donald Trump, she said she wants to restore the team to its “greatness.”

Strogoff, who emigrated to the United State to pursue the American dream, plans to bring in football experts and long-term investors to revitalize the club.

Lechia Gdańsk, currently 17th in the Ekstraklasa league, is owned by Swiss entrepreneur Paolo Urfer, who is reportedly considering selling the club but has been stalling. Strogoff believes building a legacy is crucial for the club’s success and believes that bringing the club back to its Polish roots is essential.

Customs Officials Stop Unlawful Delivery

Polish authorities have intercepted 23 tons of illegal waste from Germany, containing used agro-textile contaminated with soil. The driver was found to lack permits for such materials, leading to the Chief Inspectorate for Environmental Protection declaring the transport illegal. The waste has been returned to Germany under customs supervision, with potential financial penalties.

Poland has seen a significant increase in waste shipments from Western Europe, particularly Germany, following China’s 2018 ban on certain waste imports.

DNA Identifies “Jack the Ripper”

LONDON — British researcher Russell Edwards has confirmed the identity of the notorious serial killer, Jack the Ripper, by finding DNA on a shawl.

Edwards claimed that 23-year-old barber Aaron Kosminski, Polish Jew who emigrated from Congress Poland to England in the 1880s, is the Ripper, based on a 100% match with the DNA found on the attire piece.

Kosminski was a suspect in the original investigation but was never arrested. The shawl incriminating Kosminski was taken from the scene of Catherine Eddowes’ 1888 murder in London’s Mitre Square, which later came into Edwards’ possession in 2007. Edwards also noted that Kosminski had schizophrenia and was admitted into an asylum. His occupation as a barber in 19th-century London further matched his qualifications as the Ripper.

Edwards and 10 descendants of Eddowes want closure and are seeking legal acknowledgement that Kosminski is responsible for the murders. They hope to stop the name being bannered around and prevent false suspects.