Radio Safira - News in English
News Service of Safira Radio. Hello! Today is Wednesday, the 17th of May. There are only 228 days left until the end of the year. Joyous name days are celebrated today by Antonia and Bruno, Brunon and Sławomir, Weronika and Wiktor, as well as Wilhelm. We extend our heartfelt wishes to all the celebrants.
Looking at the holiday calendar, it's worth mentioning that National Liberation Day is observed in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. On Nauru and in Norway, meanwhile, it's Constitution Day. Moreover, we celebrate World Information Society Day around the globe, proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly.
Let's also delve into a history lesson. In 1557, Augustów was granted city rights. Even earlier, in 1101, Baldwin I of Boulogne, the King of Jerusalem, captured Caesarea.
We also remember significant figures who were born on this day. In 1791, Richard Pius Miles was born, an American Catholic cleric, the Bishop of Nashville. And in 1749, Edward Jenner came into the world. He was a British physician who discovered the vaccine for smallpox.
News. Poland. Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki has announced that the government is analysing the possibility of extending the 'credit holidays', considering the problems Poles are having with loan repayments, as well as the projected inflation and interest rates. The decision on this matter is likely to be made in June or July. The 'credit holidays', which allow for the suspension of housing loan repayments, were introduced by a law in July of the previous year. These measures aim to support borrowers in a challenging financial situation.
Germany. On the 14th of May, the Pentecost campaign Renovabis began, focusing on aid for migrant workers from Eastern Europe. Bishop of Hildesheim, Heiner Wilmer, draws attention to the poor working conditions and exploitation of these individuals in Germany, appealing for an improvement in their situation. The Director of Renovabis, Thomas Schwartz, points out the negative effects of labour migration on the countries of origin, such as Romania, which is losing educated doctors to Western Europe. As part of limiting labour migration, Renovabis supports start-ups in the Balkans and strives to ensure decent wages and treatment for migrants in Germany.
Poland. Government spokesperson, Piotr Müller, has announced plans to raise the child benefit from 500 PLN to 800 PLN starting from January 2024. Financing for this project is anticipated to be possible due to improvements in the state budget. The "Family 500 plus" programme, from which over six million children currently benefit, is available to all children up to 18 years of age, regardless of income.
Rome. The Community of Sant'Egidio organised a prayer and meeting for peace in Rome. Representatives from 25 African countries took part in the event. Nelson Moda, originally from Mozambique, emphasised that we are all sisters and brothers, regardless of borders. Violence, war, anti-Semitism, and hatred affect us all. The prayer was a tribute to the victims of violence and a reaffirmation of the Community's global commitment to peace.
Scientists from the University of Texas have developed a system that combines artificial intelligence with an MRI scanner, which reads people's thoughts and converts them into text. In the experiment, participants listened to or imagined a story while their brains were scanned using an MRI. A significant aspect is that the system doesn't require electrodes to be implanted into the brain, and the user isn't limited to a predefined list of words. Although the current version of the system is only used in the laboratory, scientists hope that this technology will aid in communication for people with illnesses.
Thank you for your attention. Those were today's news from the Information Service of Safira Radio.