The Three Things (episode 7)--Polish elections, the war in Ukraine COVID fallout and more...

Welcome back to The Three Things with Preston Smith, which covers politics, current affairs, crime, spy/intrigue and all things in between in Central Europe. Each section of the Three Things runs approximately 15-20 minutes (or more), and we have provided markers to help you get where you need to go.

This week's segments include:

10:15 An interview with editor/journalist (and veteran when it comes to Polish politics) David McQuaid, in which we discuss the coming elections scheduled for Oct. 15 and what possibly lies in store. A great deal is at stake this time around, with internal and external pundits calling the outcome critical for Poland's future. Yet it goes wider than that.

41:11 The War in Ukraine Update. Plenty of news--but is the excitement surrounding a potential breakthrough in Zaporizhzhia warranted. Let's find out.

58:13 An interview with Poland-based New Yorker (and writer) Jonathan Roy on what it was like to build up a business prior to COVID only to see it wiped out. And was he... patient zero? Humor and insight galore this time around.

Also, the Christian Joy Foundation food drive went ahead as scheduled on Sept. 1, but the need is still great. If you would like to contribute, please find the relevant information below:

Sept. 1, 2023 at the Makro in Zabki in Warsaw's suburbs.

If you would like to support the foundation, please consider donating using the information below:

Chrześcijańska Fundacja Radość
ul. Przyleśna 3, 04-807 Warszawa
biuro.fundacja.radosc@gmail.com
http://www.fundacja-radosc.pl/
KRS: 0000245205 NIP: 952-198-19-33
Rach. Bank.: PL 77 1050 1025 1000 0023 0001 5076
SWIFT: INGBPLPW
USD account: PL 44 1050 1025 1000 0090 8190 1911
EUR account: PL11105010251000009081936552
GBP account number: PL 92105010251000009072321715
PayPal: biuro@fundacja-radosc.pl

Photo attributions below:

Castke Dennis Jarvis from Halifax, Canada, CC BY-SA 2.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Bulgarian dancers by Peter Kitanov, CC BY-SA 4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Jaroslaw Kaczynski photo by President Of Ukraine from Україна, PDM-owner, via Wikimedia Commons.
Tanks heading to Donetsk photo by the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, CC BY-SA 2.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2. via Wikimedia Commons
Ro Khanna in a mas photo by Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.
Donald Tusk photo by Platforma Obywatelska RP, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Jaroslaw Kaczynski photo by Silar, CC BY-SA 4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Konfederacja grouping photo by Tomasz Molina, CC BY-SA 4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Photo by Silar, CC BY-SA 4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Janusz Palikot photo by Palikot Peterson, CC BY-SA 4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Robert Biedron photo by User:Zboralski, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Photo by Mikke Adrian Grycuk, CC BY-SA 3.0 PL https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/pl/deed.en via Wikimedia Commons.
Ukrainian immigrants protesting photo by Franek Vetulani, CC BY-SA 4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Donald Trump photo by Michael Vadon, CC BY-SA 2.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Boxing glovesen:User:Andman8, CC BY-SA 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/, via Wikimedia Commons
Photo by Phillip Pessar, CC BY 2.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Maps by Deep State UA.