Ukraine’s first-ever batch of US crude oil was unloaded in the country’s Black Sea port of Odessa at the weekend. A total of 75,000 tonnes of crude oil from the US arrived onboard an American tanker named Wisdom Venture, the port’s press service said in a statement.

The crude was purchased by Ukrtatnafta, one of Ukraine’s largest oil refining companies, and is due to undergo further processing in the company’s refinery in Kremenchuk, central Ukraine.

Polish FM meets China’s top diplomat on trip to Poland

Poland’s Foreign Minister Jacek Czaputowicz was on Monday expected to hold talks with his visiting Chinese counterpart Wang Yi in Warsaw. The two discussed bilateral relations, business ties, relations with the United States and cooperation in international organisations, Poland and China mark 70 years of diplomatic relations this year. Wang Yi also met the President and the Prime Minister. 

Polish trade with US and China increasing rapidly.

Poland’s exports to the US and China rose sharply during the first quarter of this year, reducing Poland’s trade deficit with both countries, according to the Polish Economic Institute. The Institute reported that during the first quarter of 2019, Polish exports to the US were up 16.7 percent compared to the first quarter of 2018, while Polish exports to China were 35.5 percent higher. The rapid increase in exports means that the US is now Poland’s seventh largest export market, up by two places. According to the Institute, the increase in exports to the US was driven by the sales of aircraft engine parts, digital processors, hearing aids, electric generators and apple juice. China jumped three places to become Poland’s 20th largest export market. This was largely driven by sales of copper cathodes and machine parts. Meanwhile, Polish imports from the US increased 14.2 percent year-on-year during the first quarter, and imports from China by 13.4 percent.

Szpęgawsk Forest Genocide Commemorations set for September

The of a film premiere and the unveiling of a new monument to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the largest German crime in the Kociewie region, south of Gdansk.

– The commemoration will begin with an open air Mass and roll-call of the fallen in the Szpęgawsk Forest open to all. Afterwards there will be an official indoor commemoration and a premiere screening of the new film on the subject of this genocide in nearby Starogard Gdański

The planned monument will consist of 117 concrete trees and 33 concrete trunks. The names and names of almost 2,500 known victims will be displayed as the tree’s age-rings. The author of the idea is Katarzyna Ephreim. For everybody in Kociewie, a region south of Gdansk, this is a very important place. It was here that the occupying Germans murdered local Polish professionals as well as all the inhabitants of a well-known and modern local psychiatric facility . 50 years after marking the site, a proper monument is being created. Victims and their families have waited 80 years for this. The premiere of the dramatised documentary film „Szpęgawsk 1939” is also planned for this September. The hour-long movie will tell the story of the victims, murdered in the Szpegawsk forest and their families. The commemoration of the 80th anniversary of the Szpęgawsk Forest genocide is scheduled for September 21st and 22nd this year. The honorary patron of this event is Polish President Andrzej Duda.

Poland named 13th best country in the world for expats

Poland has been ranked as the 13th best country for expats out of 163, moving up 10 spots from the previous year. A new study published by HSBC has named Switzerland as the best place to live and work as an expat. The No. 2 spot went to Singapore, which had previously topped the list four years in a row, however Poland has been ranked as the 13th best country for expats out of 163, moving up 10 placed from the previous year. HSBC surveyed a total of over 18,000 expats across 163 markets for its Expat 2019 Global Report. The survey evaluated destination countries using a variety of criteria including the ease of settling in, family life and career opportunities.

Wimbledon: Poland’s Kubot reaches doubles quarterfinals

Poland’s Łukasz Kubot and Brazil’s Marcelo Melo have reached the men’s doubles quarterfinals at Wimbledon. Kubot and Melo, who are number one seeds, beat Brazil’s Marcelo Demoliner and India’s Divij Sharan, 7-5, 6-7, 7-6, 6-3, in their round of 16 match at the Grand Slam tournament in London on Monday. The Pole and the Brazilian will take on France’s Pierre-Hugues Herbert and Nicolas Mahut for a place in the semifinals. Kubot and Melo were named the men’s doubles team of the year by the International Tennis Federation in 2017. In the men’s singles, Poland’s Hubert Hurkacz was knocked out in the third round after losing to Serbian world No. 1 Novak Djokovic, 5-7, 7-6, 1-6, 4-6, on Friday. Meanwhile, Poland’s Magda Linette crashed out of the women’s singles after losing to the double Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova from the Czech Republic in straights sets, 3-6, 2-6, on Saturday.

RGEN/AG