Member of Ukrainian parliament and leader of the Voice party Kira Rudyk said in an interview for TVN24 that Tuesday's series of explosions in Russian military base on the annexed Crimean Peninsula had been "an incredibly good sign that nobody will be unpunished". In her view, "it was incredibly important to remind that Crimea is Ukraine and one day it will return to us".

Brussels is unlikely to back down on its demand that Poland respect the rule of law to receive post-pandemic recovery funds, officials said, despite threats from Warsaw that it could block decision-making within the European Union. Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said on Wednesday that Poland was "pursuing its own interest" and would not "react to any Brussels bureaucrats stamping their feet".

Poland could hit back at the European Union if it does not pay out its share of pandemic recovery funds, ruling party politicians have said after Brussels signalled it was not satisfied with Warsaw's latest judicial reforms. On Tuesday, Poland's Supreme Court held drew 33 candidates for the Chamber of Professional Responsibility - a new body created in order to replace the old and contested Disciplinary Chamber. President Andrzej Duda will now pick 11 judges for the new body.

Jagiellonian University (JU) in Kraków notified a group of refugees from Ukraine who live in the college dorms that they have to move out by the end of August. According to local media, the university is said to have given "end of support financing" as the reason. JU spokesperson has just told TVN24 that the buildings were sold last yeat and now they must be handed over to the new owner. "We will have to gradually dislodge these people," Adrian Ochalik said, but added he could not rule out that the refugees would be relocated to other JU dormitories.

Thirteen people who have been injured in a tragic bus crash in Croatia are to return to Poland on Wednesday, Health Ministry spokesperson Wojciech Andrusiewicz told TVN24 on Tuesday (August 9). "Most of these people require assistance, orthopaedic care, they sustained series of fractures, often including spine injuries," he added. In total, twelve people died and thirty-two got injured in the accident which took place on Saturday, August 6.

More tourists have been punished for trying to take along sand, stones and seashells from Sardinian beaches upon return home - Italian press agency Ansa reported on Monday (August 8). Polish tourists were also on the list of culprits, Ansa said, quoting the local customs office. The illegal "souvenirs" were detected during airport security check.

Lech Wałęsa, the former Polish president and Solidarity trade union leader who played a leading role in the fall of Communism, is in hospital with an infection and will remain there for at least a week, his spokesman said on Monday.

Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki has appointed Col. Bartosz Jarmuszkiewicz for the position of the Head of the Foreign Intelligence Agency - Spokesperson of the Minister-Special Services Coordinator Stanisław Żaryn informed on Monday (August 8).

The condition of many of the pilgrims injured in Polish bus crash in Croatia is improving - Polish Deputy Foreign Minister Marcin Przydacz informed on Monday (August 8). "We haven't had any information that the health condition of the injured was deteriorating, quite on the contrary, everything is moving in the right direction," he told public radio broadcaster Trójka. The accident occurred on Saturday morning when the bus skidded off the A4 motorway. It was en route to the Marian shrine of Medjugorje, Bosnia and Herzegovina. Eleven people were killed on site, one died in hospital in Zagreb and 32 were injured.

Polish parliament on Friday (August 5) approved a one-off subsidy to people who use coal for heating their homes. In the final vote, the lower house rejected a number of amendments recommended by the upper house - the Senate, including the one granting the subsidy to all households.

Barcelona's new striker Robert Lewandowski said he felt fitter now at 33 than he did nearly five years ago and that he hoped to help the team with his technical skills and experience.

European Union countries formally adopted the bloc's emergency plan to curb gas use on Friday, as they attempt to save fuel for a winter of uncertain Russian supplies, despite Poland and Hungary both opposing the final law.

Jerzy Owsiak has opened the 28th edition of Pol'and'Rock Festival (once known as Woodstock Festival Poland). The official inauguration was held on Thursday at 3 p.m. This year's edition of the festival - which is a form of gratitude for generosity dispayed in the Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity Grand Finale - is held for the first time in Czaplinek, West Pomeranian Voivodeship. "This is the most beautiful festival in the world. There's never been anything like this before. That's what Poland should be like!" - the "conductor" of the Orchestra shouted from the stage. The event will end at night between Saturday and Sunday.

United States Air Force F-22 Raptor fighter jets on Thursday (August 4) arrived at the 32nd Tactical Air Base in Łask, Poland (Łódź Voivodeship). "One of the state-of-the-art fighter jets in the world are coming to Poland as part of #NATOAirShielding mission on the eastern flank of the Alliance" - Poland's Defence Minister Mariusz Błaszczak said on Twitter. The ministry had informed last week that American F-22 crews would be training together with Polish pilots.

Traffic police from Piaseczno near Warsaw employed a drone to monitor the situation at local pedestrian crossings. As part of "Put down the phone and live" operation, the officers were checking if the pedestrians and cyclists were following the rules.

Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned Belarusian chargé d’affaires Alyaksandr Chasnouski in reaction to the jailing of TVP journalist Iryna Slaunikava. Ministry spokesperson Łukasz Jasina informed - after the meeting between the envoy and MFA chief Zbigniew Rau - that the Belarusian diplomat had called Poland's actions as meddling in Belarus's internal affairs.

City of Warsaw - in cooperation with the Institute for Preventing Exclusions - has launched its first helpline for men. The goal of the project is to create a safe space for men, where they could talk about their life, psychological problems or "male matters". Residents of Warsaw, especially of Śródmieście district, can call the helpline at 608 271 402 every Wednesday between 17:00 and 19:00. Psychologists are also on duty every Tuesday from 17:00-19:00, and every Thursday from 19:00-21:00.

On 3 August, the Homiel regional court pronounced the verdict on TVP journalist Iryna Slaunikava - who has been kept behind bars since 30 October last year - finding her guilty of establishing "an extremist formation" and sentencing her for five years in jail - independent Belarusian Belsat TV informed on Wednesday. Slaunikava was detained in late-October of 2021 at Minsk airport. "It's clear that Iryna has been sentenced for normal journalistic work and, most likely, her attitude," Belsat TV Director Agnieszka Romaszewska-Guzy said.

A rare albino fallow deer was spotted in Opole Voivodeship in southern Poland. A woman who came across this incredible animal managed to capture it on video, which she later sent over to us at our Kontakt 24 platform.

Fourth COVID-19 vaccine doses for all adults in Poland will be available most likely with the beginning of September - Health Minister Adam Niedzielski informed on Wednesday (August 3). Senior citizens have been gradually receiving fourth doses already since April.

Poland's Minister of Foreign Affairs and OSCE Chairman Zbigniew Rau visited Kiev on Tuesday (August 2), where he met with President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba. Rau also visited the town of Bucha, heavily damaged by the Russian forces. "I have witnessed the outcome of mindless cruelty, which is impossible to describe," the minister said.

Over 500,000 borrowers have decided to go on a so-called credit vacation in the first two days since the launch of the programme - Poland's Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said on Tuesday (August 2). He added that banks which fail to act in accordance with the regulations regarding credit vacations, would face penalties.

Warsaw Uprising heroine Wanda Traczyk-Stawska recalled on Monday that the allies had failed the insurgents in 1944. "Therefore I plead, because there's war in Ukraine: as soon as possible, bring them help in the form of state-of-the-art weapons," she called upon the free world.

The Orlen Group has finalised its merger with Grupa Lotos, strengthening its leading role in the fuel and energy industry in Central and Eastern Europe - the Polish oil giant informed on Monday (August 1). "We are making history. We have merged PKN Orlen and Grupa Lotos today," Orlen CEO Daniel Obajtek said. "We are not resting on our laurels. We have already taken action to quickly turn the identified synergies into tangible benefits for the companies, their shareholders and customers," he added.

Belarusian athlete Krystsina Tsimanouskaya - who escaped from her country to avoid persecution by the Lukashenko regime - is waiting to be granted Polish citizenship and thus be able to represent Poland in sport tournaments. "But I'm not losing hope. I'm still training here. I dream of going back to the Olympics and this time run my distance and show decent results," the athelete told Reuters.

As every year, exactly at 5 p.m., the city of Warsaw stopped for moment to mark the "W" Hour. With the sounds of wailing sirens, tolling church bells and car horns, the residents of the capital city of Poland pay tribute to the heroes of the Warsaw Uprising of 1944.

An option to take a so-called credit vacation is available for Polish mortgage borrowers since Friday. Even though the new law has come into effect only a few days ago, the Office of Competition and Consumer Protection (UOKiK) has already received some 300 complaints filed by clients against their banks. According yto UOKiK chief Tomasz Chróstny, banks which misinform their clients would receive first charges already this week.

210 people have drowned in Poland since April 1, with 61 in July alone - Polish rescue services informed on Monday (August 1). The rescuers caution tourists to remember about the basic safety rules when spending time by the water. According to a WOPR (Voluntary Water Rescue Service) lifeguard, a vast majority of interventions take place on unguarded beaches.