2016 in Poland

Incumbents

Predicted and Scheduled Events

August

Poland

Coordinates: 52°N 20°E / 52°N 20°E / 52; 20

Poland (Polish: Polska [ˈpɔlska]), officially the Republic of Poland (Polish: Rzeczpospolita Polska, listen ), is a country in Central Europe,bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine and Belarus to the east; and the Baltic Sea, Kaliningrad Oblast (a Russian exclave) and Lithuania to the north. The total area of Poland is 312,679 square kilometres (120,726 sq mi), making it the 71st largest country in the world and the 9th largest in Europe. With a population of over 38.5 million people, Poland is the 34th most populous country in the world, the 8th most populous country in Europe and the sixth most populous member of the European Union, as well as the most populous post-communist member of the European Union. Poland is a unitary state divided into 16 administrative subdivisions.

The establishment of a Polish state can be traced back to 966, when Mieszko I, ruler of a territory roughly coextensive with that of present-day Poland, converted to Christianity. The Kingdom of Poland was founded in 1025, and in 1569 it cemented a longstanding political association with the Grand Duchy of Lithuania by signing the Union of Lublin. This union formed the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, one of the largest and most populous countries of 16th and 17th-century Europe. The Commonwealth ceased to exist in the years 1772–1795, when its territory was partitioned among Prussia, the Russian Empire, and Austria. Poland regained its independence (as the Second Polish Republic) at the end of World War I, in 1918.

2016 European Men's Handball Championship

The 2016 EHF European Men's Handball Championship was the twelfth edition and was held for the first time in Poland from 15–31 January 2016. Croatia and Norway were the other applicants in the bidding process.

Poland was awarded the championship on the EHF Congress in Monaco on 23 June 2012 with 58% votes.

Germany won their second title by beating Spain 24–17 in the final. Croatia captured the bronze medal after defeating Norway 31–24.

Venues

Qualification

Qualified teams

Note: Bold indicates champion for that year. Italic indicates host for that year.

Seeding

The seeding was announced on 18 June 2015.

Squads

Match officials

On 30 September 2015, 12 couples were announced.

Group stage

The draw was held on 19 June 2015.

All times are local (UTC+1).

Group A

Group B

Group C

Group D

Main round

The points gained in the preliminary group against teams that advanced were carried over.

Group I

Group II

Knockout stage

Bracket

Semifinals

Seventh place game

Fifth place game

Third place game

Michał Szpak

Michał Szpak (born 26 November 1990) is a Polish singer who found fame on the first series of the Polish X Factor in June 2011. On Sunday, 5 June 2011 Szpak and Alexandra Burke sang "Hallelujah" during the final.

His musical influences include Queen, Muse, Zbigniew Preisner, Pink Floyd, David Bowie, Marilyn Manson, Michael Jackson.

Biography

Szpak was born in Jasło, a small city in southern Poland. He has two sisters and a brother. Szpak started singing when he was nine years old. He admitted he never took any formal music lessons. As a high school student Szpak was part of the Whiplash band playing mostly hard rock style. In addition to his musical accomplishments with Whiplash, Szpak has recently started recording his first solo album which is expected to be released later this year. On Friday 17 June 2011 Szpak was on the lineup for the Orange Warsaw Festival at Stadion Legii, Warsaw, Poland. The other artists taking part in this year's Orange Warsaw Festival including Moby, Skunk Anansie, My Chemical Romance, Sistars, Plan B (musician), The Streets and Jamiroquai.

Night on the Sun

Night on the Sun is an EP by alternative rock band Modest Mouse, released in 1999 as a Japan-only album, and again in 2000 as a 12" vinyl in the US and UK . The tracks on the Japan's Rebel Beat Factory label were taken from The Moon & Antarctica demos that were sent to Epic Records. The four tracks on 12" ended up on 2001s Everywhere and His Nasty Parlour Tricks. Extra percussion on I Came As A Rat (Long Walk Off A Short Dock) was provided by Ben Massarella and bass on You're the Good Things was played by Ben Blankenship .

Reception

Pitchfork Media compared the EP favorably to the works of The Velvet Underground, noting that the recording contained both characteristics of their earlier work as well as the musical direction taken after their major-label debut album, The Moon & Antarctica

Track listing

CD Release