US President Joe Biden approved a new military assistance package for Ukraine yesterday, valued at roughly USD 550 million and including additional ammunition for advanced rocket systems.
The latest military aid package includes „equipment the Ukrainians are using effectively to defend their country,” such as 75,000 rounds of 155 mm artillery ammunition and additional ammunition for High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS), the Pentagon said in a statement.
„To meet its [Ukraine’s] evolving battlefield requirements, the United States will continue to work with its Allies and partners to provide Ukraine with key capabilities,” Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III explained on Twitter.
Last Friday, Ukraine confirmed receipt of four more HIMARS, bringing the total number available to the Ukrainian military to 16, Polish state news agency PAP reported.
Since taking office, President Biden has authorized „over USD 8 billion in military assistance for Ukraine, over the course of 17 packages,” according to White House national security spokesman John Kirby.
It’s day 160 of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Source: Radio Poland, PAP
Poland’s two largest fuel firms, PKN Orlen and Lotos, have officially merged into one company, executives announced on Monday.
Speaking at a news conference in Gdańsk, PKN Orlen CEO Daniel Obajtek hailed the deal, promising the merged company would „strengthen the Polish economy” and prove to be „an ever greater driving force” for economic development.
Obajtek also announced that the newly merged entity would soon expand further, taking over state gas company PGNiG „in late October or early November,” PAP reported.
The new conglomerate will reportedly ensure the security of fuel and energy supplies in Poland, compete more successfully in European markets, and develop renewable and alternative sources of energy and fuels, including onshore and offshore wind farms, photovoltaics, and small-scale nuclear energy.
Source: Radio Poland, Radio Gdańsk
The Gdańsk Mint recently announced plans to produce a limited number of commemorative coins featuring Polish football star Robert Lewandowski.
Lewandowski joins the ranks of Józef Piłsudski and Pope John Paul II as only the third Pole in history to have a collector coin minted during his lifetime.
The silver commemorative „talent” collector coins will be made of 999 silver and issued in the denominations of $5 and $10. The $5 coin is 45mm in diameter, weighs just over 60 grams, and is limited to only 3,000 copies. The $10 coin is a large, 10-centimeter model weighing 1 kg, produced in a circulation of only 200 pieces.
As Polish law does not allow for any entity other than the National Bank of Poland to issue currency, the coin’s value is insured by the government of the island of Niue, whose Head of State, like neighboring New Zealand, is the Queen of England.
The Gdańsk Mint plans to issue an additional six coins in the series, with the first set reportedly nearly sold out on the Mennica Gdańska website.
Source: Radio Gdańsk, mennica-gdanska.pl
The annual „Szlachetna Paczka” project supporting families in need is looking for volunteers to help organize and lead their annual December „Miracle Weekend” event.
According to regional coordinator Joanna Siedzińska, the project needs „a large number of people to take on specialized roles, such as promoting the entire program or training volunteers.”
Szlachetna Paczka is typically associated with the pre-Christmas period when volunteers prepare gift packages for those in need, including families, children, seniors, and people with disabilities. The „Miracle Weekend” in December, however, is the culmination of many months of planning, training, and organization, which requires the ongoing support of many volunteers.
Details of the campaign and information on volunteering are available on the Szlachetna Paczka website >>>HERE.
Source: Radio Gdańsk
Weather
Today will be partly cloudy and warm, with very little chance of rain and a gentle breeze coming in from the northwest. Temperatures will peak around a high of 22°C, or 72°F, dropping to an overnight low of 14°C or 57°F. Much warmer weather is expected tomorrow, with temperatures topping over 30°C on Thursday and Friday.
Posłuchaj:
Elizabeth Peck/MarWer
