Asian countries have held conclusive talks on what could be the world’s biggest trade agreement and an announcement of success is expected from the summit in Bangkok, despite doubts raised by India, the Thai hosts said this morning. However questions still hang over India’s participation in the China-backed 16-nation Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), which has been given new impetus by the U.S.-China trade war. Southeast Asian countries are hoping to announce a provisional agreement on the 16-nation trade bloc that would account for a third of global GDP and nearly half the world’s population. The bloc includes the 10 ASEAN members plus China, South Korea, Japan, India, Australia and New Zealand.
The Israeli ambassador says Poland is not an anti-Semitic country
Israel’s ambassador to Poland Alexander Ben Zvi said over the weekend that although anti-Semitism manifests itself in Poland, it is totally untrue to call Poland an anti-Semitic country.
Talking to private broadcaster Radio Zet, Ben Zvi said that being critical of Israeli politics and Israeli politicians is not anti-Semitic. Anti-Semitism is to claim that Jews are responsible for something simply because they are Jews.
Asked whether he sees signs of anti-Semitism in Poland, the ambassador said that, just as in other European countries and in the United States, anti-Semitism exists but to claim that Poland is an anti-Semitic country is a total untruth. He added that in terms of manifestations of anti-Semitism, Poland is no different than any other country.
On the subject of Jewish restitution claims in Poland, the ambassador said that it is not his main mission to constantly talk about such claims. He added that in some other Visegrad countries solutions to the problem had been found, governments and Jewish communities in Hungary, the Czech Republic and Slovakia have managed to reach a form of agreement on the subject. The debate on restitution claims must take place in a calm atmosphere and be discussed by experts, not through media outlets.
Coventry University to set up first independent campus in Poland
A leading British university will set up a campus next year in the city of Wrocław, making it the first foreign university to establish an independent campus in Poland.
Coventry University, currently ranked as the “University of the Year for student experience” by The Sunday Times, will begin offering courses in Poland in 2020. Initially the courses will be undergraduate qualifications in four areas: business, digital studies, cyber security and aviation.
The university decided in 2016 to create a new campus in another European country and considered a variety of EU states before choosing Poland. Coventry then selected Wrocław from a list of eight candidate cities, which included Warsaw, Kraków, Poznań and Gdańsk.
The high number of businesses in Wrocław was a major reason behind choosing the city, and the university has already been in contact with firms in order to ensure its courses tie in with the demands of employers and the local economy.
Poland’s Szymon Marciniak will referee Tuesday’s match between Italy’ Napoli and Austria’s Salzburg in the group stage of the UEFA Champions League.
This will be Marciniak’s second Champion’s League group-stage match as a referee this season.
Last year, Marciniak also refereed matches during the World Cup in Russia.
Marciniak will be assisted by Polish linesmen Paweł Sokolnicki and Tomasz Listkiewicz in Naples on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, Poland’s Tomasz Musiał will be the fourth official and countryman Paweł Gil will be the video assistant referee for the match.
Several Polish footballers, among them Napoli striker Arkadiusz Milik and midfielder Piotr Zieliński, are hoping to make their mark in this season’s Champions League.
The weather
The unseasonal warm weather will continue today with overcast skies and temperatures reaching 12 degrees Celsius, 54 degrees Fahrenheit. Any rain should die-out by later this afternoon.
RGEN
