The United States is to send 1,700 additional troops to Poland, as part of a show of solidarity in the face of Russia’s military build-up around Ukraine. Another thousand American soldiers will move to Romania from Germany.
Moscow has said it is a “destructive” step which will heighten tensions and reduce the scope for a political solution.
Pentagon spokesperson John Kirby said yesterday that it’s important the US sends a strong signal to Vladimir Putin that Nato matters to it, and to its allies. He added that Washington still doesn’t believe that Putin has made a decision to invade Ukraine.
Russia meanwhile accuses the Ukrainian government of failing to implement the Minsk agreement, an international deal to restore peace to the east of country, which was overtaken eight years ago by Russia and rebels with its backing.
Source: PAP, BBC
Supermarket workers unpacking bananas in a store in Pomerania have discovered bags of cocaine hidden among the fruit. It’s the eighth similar find in the region this week.
Police were called to a discount food store in Dzierzgoń yesterday, where they seized 13 kilograms of the drugs.
In total almost a hundred kilos of cocaine, with an estimated street value of 30 million zlotys, have turned up in boxes of bananas in Gdańsk and other locations since Monday.
The contraband probably came from Colombia.
Source: radiogdansk.pl
A huge avalanche has fallen into Morskie Oko in the Tatras mountains—thankfully it came down overnight.
Foresters say if the slide had happened in the day there would have been a terrible tragedy involving tourists visiting the famous lake. Yesterday’s fall broke the ice on the lake’s surface and demolished signs marking tracks in the area.
Forester Grzegorz Bryniarski said on the previous day there had been crowds of people at the attraction, including some who ignored warning signs to walk on the icy surface of the lake.
Source: PAP
The Winter Olympics has begun in Beijing, with Britain and China winning matches in the mixed doubles curling competition.
The event was held at the so-called “Ice Cube” venue, which was previously known as the “Water Cube” when it hosted swimming events at the 2008 Summer Olympics.
The teams yesterday played in front a near-empty arena—Covid restrictions mean no spectator tickets are being sold to the public for the games.
Several nations, including the US, UK and Canada have declared a diplomatic boycott of the tournament in protest at China’s human rights abuses.
The countries won’t send ministers or officials, but they will still send athletes. The formal opening ceremony of the games will take place on Friday.
Source: BBC, Reuters
Last weekend’s storms turned up many things on the beaches of the Vistula Spit—including an eight-year-old message in a bottle.
The handwritten missive was found by a woman walking her dog in Junoszyn. It started out in June 2014 from the town of Grudziądz about a hundred kilometres up the Vistula river.
The author, a Mr Krzysztof, wrote his greetings in the letter, and gave his phone number—although so far he hasn’t answered calls from the finder.
Source: dziennikbaltycki.pl
Weather
Temperatures will hover around freezing today in Gdańsk, lifting to around 2°C, 35°F, this afternoon. Clouds will remain throughout the day although it will be dry. There may be some sleet overnight, and it looks like a rainy day tomorrow with a high of 4°C, 39°F.
LISTEN:
RGEN/AGC
