The European Union has adopted its ninth package of sanctions against Russia aimed at increasing pressure on the Kremlin to end its war of aggression in Ukraine.
The package was formally adopted on Friday after EU leaders, including Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki, reached an agreement on the restrictive measures at a summit in Brussels the previous day.
The EU added 168 new entities to its sanctions list in an effort to impose “new export controls and restrictions on dual-use goods and technology,” particularly goods that “could be used by the Russian war machine.”
Such goods include key chemicals, nerve agents, night-vision and radio-navigation equipment, electronics, and IT components.
EU officials stressed that “none of the measures adopted in view of Russia’s actions destabilizing the situation in Ukraine target in any way the trade in agricultural and food products, including wheat and fertilizers, between third countries and Russia.”
The move comes as Russian forces intensified strikes on Kyiv and energy infrastructure across Ukraine on Friday in “an effort to break Ukrainian will,” according to the US-based Institute for the Study of War (ISW).
Today marks Day 298 of Russia’s war on Ukraine.
Source: Radio Poland, PAP
Officials in Gdańsk and Gdynia held memorials over the weekend to commemorate the 52nd anniversary of the deadly “Czarny Czwartek” or “Black Thursday” massacre of December 1970.
Protests broke out in Gdańsk, Gdynia, Elbląg, and Szczecin in early December 1970 after the ruling Communist government announced sharp increases in the price of food and other daily necessities.
In response to the protests, on December 17, 1970, soldiers from the Polish People’s Army and the Citizen’s Militia opened fire on shipyard workers on their way to work at the shipyard in Gdynia, killing 18 people and injuring dozens more.
At least 45 people were killed across Pomerania during the protests of December 1970, including 8 in Gdańsk, 18 in Gdynia, 16 in Szczecin, and 1 in Elbląg. An estimated 1,200 people were injured, some 3,000 protestors were detained by police, and others were later blacklisted.
Some suspect that authorities of the People’s Republic of Poland underestimated the actual number of victims for propaganda reasons. Communist officials have been accused of covering up actual causes of death, and victims’ funerals reportedly took place in the middle of the night without the participation of their families.
Source: Radio Gdańsk, gdansk.pl, polskieradio.pl
Poland’s Energy Regulatory Office has approved a plan to freeze natural gas prices for households at 2022 levels to reduce the impact of surging prices on consumers.
Under the new regulations, eligible Polish households can pay natural gas tariffs at 2022 levels from January 1, 2023, to March 31, 2023.
The measure was adopted by both houses of the Sejm, the Polish Parliament, earlier this month and is set to be signed by President Andrzej Duda.
Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki told reporters last month that his government would extend its anti-inflation policies to the following year but would modify their shape to alleviate concerns of the European Commission.
In his remarks, Morawiecki placed the blame for soaring prices squarely on Russia, which “through its price policy, through its energy policy, has caused a dramatic surge in energy prices across Europe.”
Source: Radio Gdańsk, Radio Poland
The World Cup final kicks off later today with France and superstar Kylian Mbappé set to face off against football powerhouse Argentina and star forward Lionel Messi.
While the upcoming match may be a second chance for the 23-year-old Mbappé to take home the World Cup trophy, it marks the fifth (and potentially final) chance for 35–year-old Lionel Messi.
For the past several years, only Cristiano Ronaldo has come close to Messi in terms of success, including a plethora of championship titles, a record number of seven Ballon d’Or (Golden Ball) awards, and six European Golden Shoe awards. The World Cup trophy is the only football accolade Messi has not won.
Heading into tonight’s match, both teams are evenly matched in terms of FIFA rankings – Argentina is ranked No.3 in the world, while France is ranked No. 4 – and statistical win probability.
The World Cup final will start at 16:00 CET this afternoon.
Source: Radio Gdańsk, eurosport.com
Weather
Today will be partly cloudy and quite cold with very little chance of snow showers and a strong breeze coming in from the southwest. Temperatures will stay below freezing, with a high of -3°C, or 27°F, dropping to a low of -8°C or 18°F overnight. Slightly warmer weather is expected tomorrow, with a chance for more snow starting off the week.
Elizabeth Peck/aKa
