Saturday, November 30, 2024
The National Theatre in Prague has unveiled the Divadlobraní 2024 promotion, celebrating the start of the new season with significant savings.
From 23 August to 30 September, tickets for all performances will be available at a 25% discount.
This discount applies to the historic National Theatre and its other venues: the National Opera, the New Stage, the Karlin Musical Theatre, and the Stavovské Theatre.
The sale period runs from 19 August to 15 September. To enjoy the 25% discount, you can purchase tickets in one of two ways:
- Visit the National Theatre’s website, select the ‘Divadlobraní’ discount from the list in the shopping cart, and enter the code ‘divadelniurova24’ (without quotes). The system will automatically apply the discount.
- Provide the code ‘divadelniurova24’ at the theatre box office when purchasing tickets.
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Yoga enthusiasts can look forward to a one-of-a-kind event in Prague as they prepare to roll out their mats against the picturesque backdrop of the Křižík Fountain at the Exhibition Grounds.
On August 27, 2024, starting at 8:20 pm, up to 500 visitors are expected to participate in this exceptional yoga experience, which will be accompanied by a mesmerizing light show.
Organized by Yogagang, the event promises an extraordinary evening for attendees. Led by Klára Pokorná, the founder of the project, practitioners will engage in a dynamic flow session from sunset until darkness descends.
The Křižík Fountain, one of Europe’s oldest fountains, will add to the ambiance, casting a luminous glow on the gathering.
This year’s event is set to be bigger than ever before, surpassing all previous years with its number of attendees, which is twice as many as last year.
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Yogagang is committed to creating a celebration of yoga, sports, and community, followed by an after-party that promises to be grander than ever.
For those interested in participating, the yoga class will last for an hour and a half, culminating in the lively after-party.
To find out the full schedule for the evening, visit Yogagang.com and prepare to be part of an unforgettable experience in the heart of Prague.
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The Czech Republic is set to embark on the construction of high-speed railway (HSR) lines next year, Transport Minister Martin Kupka announced on Friday.
The first phase of the HSR project will connect Brno with Prerov in the east, starting in 2025. Construction of the second phase, linking Brno with the southeastern border town of Breclav, is scheduled to begin in 2026, Kupka revealed at a conference in Prague.
Trains on the new high-speed lines will reach speeds of up to 320 kilometers per hour. The overall cost of building the core HSR infrastructure across the Czech Republic is projected to be CZK 800 billion.
Discussions on constructing HSR in the Czech Republic have been ongoing since the 1990s, but significant progress has only been made in recent years. If the current timeline is maintained, the next major phase, including the Prague corridor, is expected to commence in 2030.
A transport model from the Railway Administration predicts that the new high-speed rail between Prague and Brno will serve up to 60,000 passengers daily, reducing travel time between the two cities from nearly three hours to around 50 minutes.
“The construction of high-speed railway and increased investment in infrastructure are crucial for the Czech Republic,” Kupka emphasized, highlighting the impressive economic growth in neighboring Poland following substantial investments in its motorway network.
In addition to the HSR lines, a central dispatching center for remote traffic control will be established in Prague, with construction beginning in 2027.
The Railway Administration is also actively seeking public input for the HSR project through “feeling maps,” with nearly 700 Prague residents having submitted over 2,000 suggestions.
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Two million people in the Czech Republic use TikTok. However, in proportion to the population, the country has one of the lowest penetration rates in the EU.
Recent estimates show it has 1.5 billion monthly active users worldwide, while Facebook boasts over three billion users.
Under the Digital Services Regulation, TikTok reports having an average of 142 million active users per month in the EU from last August to this January. A detailed breakdown by country offers intriguing insights.
Nejnižší podíl populace ze států EU používající TikTok mají Česko a Slovensko pic.twitter.com/xeOL3ooBz5
— Filip Zelenka (@FilipZelenka3) July 25, 2024
When considering the number of users as a proportion of the total population, Luxembourg leads with 46% of its population using TikTok monthly. Ireland follows with 42%, Spain with 40%, Romania with 39%, Lithuania with 38%, Malta with 37%, Greece with 36%, and Italy and France with 35%.
Slovakia and the Czech Republic are at the bottom, with only 17% and 19% of their populations using TikTok, respectively. Slovenia and Denmark have 24% usage, while Austria and Croatia each have 25%. Germany has 26%, and Poland 27%.
US government says TikTok poses threat to national security
The US Justice Department defended a law that aims to either ban TikTok or force it to divest its assets in the US after the social media company filed a lawsuit against the legislation.
Under the law, the social media platform will have to find a non-Chinese buyer or face a ban in the US by January 19, 2025. The Chinese-based TikTok is challenging the law before a US appeals court.
TikTok introduces Shazam-like feature
The company has been working on a new feature called “Sound Search,” which lets you find a song by singing it, humming it, or simply playing it. Since TikTok is a video-focused platform, the app will also show popular videos with the identified song.
Interestingly, although TikTok told TechCrunch that the tool was created specifically to find songs, it seems that it can also find some popular sounds and memes.
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The monumental, almost ten metres high, dynamic statue of the legendary Czech athlete Věra Čáslavská will be an unmissable symbol for all visitors to the Czech House in La Villette Park in Paris.
The tribute to Věra Čáslavská will be on display from 26 July, when the Czech House in Paris opens.
It is a symbol of the gymnast’s movements and a reference to the sporting achievements and life attitudes of Věra Čáslavská, a seven-time Olympic champion.
“Věra was an amazing person. She was a great athlete, but most of all a wonderful person, with whom it was a pleasure to spend time, as she transferred her enthusiasm to everyone. She loved sport and cheered on all the athletes. That is why we want to remember her again – to our fans and to the whole world,” said Jiří Kejval, President of the Czech Olympic Committee.
The statue is made of stainless steel, weighs 7.5 tonnes and reaches a height of over 9 metres.
The individual parts travelled from the Czech Republic to Paris in three trucks and were built by a team of technicians on site for a week.
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“We have been working for a very long time on a rather complex movement technology,” comments David Černý on his work, which is set in motion by a system of electric drives and a complicated program.
“The movement of the sculpture uses the principle of the gimbal, where the central part has the freedom to rotate in all three axes of the Cartesian system. When the sculpture is set in motion, it will be impressive. It’s a beautiful mechanical game, in its own way as graceful as the figures Vera was able to conjure with her body,” described Černý.
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Visitors to Prague Zoo can now experience virtual reality (VR) starting this week.
This new feature allows guests to observe mountain gorillas and herds of wildebeest in their natural habitats.
Located in the lower part of the zoo, visitors will find six chairs equipped with VR glasses, available for a fee. This innovative initiative aims to bring people closer to wildlife.
In one VR film, viewers are transported to Rwanda, Africa, where they can watch mountain gorillas, including scenes of two alpha males vying for dominance.
Another film showcases the epic migration of a million wildebeest, zebras, and antelopes across the East African savannahs.
“These special goggles provide an immersive VR experience, completely surrounding the viewer. The seats are designed to tilt and shake, enhancing moments such as when a gorilla runs out of the forest,” explained zoo spokesperson Filip Mašek.
Mašek emphasized that this VR experience is intended to give people a glimpse of wildlife that they wouldn’t typically see in a zoo.
He also highlighted the zoo’s mission to support animals in the wild. Zoo Prague’s director, Miroslav Bobek, mentioned the possibility of adding more films in the future, potentially featuring whales.
The VR experience costs CZK 140, with a discounted rate of CZK 120 for online purchases through the zoo’s website.
The VR glasses and technology are provided by the American company Immotion. Prague Zoo is the first in the Czech Republic to offer this VR experience, similar to those available at Sydney Zoo in Australia.
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Crème de la Crème recently announced the opening of its new branch on Strossmayerovo náměstí in Prague 7.
The Letná branch offers a variety of 30 different flavors, catering to every ice cream lover.
Customers can enjoy both traditional and innovative flavors, all made with love and the finest ingredients.
“I am delighted to open our new branch in Letná and bring our unique ice cream experience to a wider audience. We believe our customers will appreciate the artisanal quality of our gelato and the pleasant environment we have created,” says Honza Hochsteiger, founder of Crème de la Crème.
During the summer months, customers can enjoy limited-edition “alcoholic gelato” flavors, including the refreshing Jägermeister Orange.
Other summer specials include Almond Amaretto, Apricot Prosecco, Orange Campari, Baileys, Piña Colada, Mojito, and Plum Plum.
Another popular summer option is the Affogato, made with espresso and their artisan vanilla ice cream.
You can also enjoy delicious coffee from domestic craft roasters, refreshing lemonade, and tickle your taste-buds with delicious tarts, pancakes, or sandwiches.
“All of our ice creams are gluten-free (except for Oreo and tiramisu) and are handmade using traditional Italian artisan ice cream makers in the original way, where each ice cream has its own unique recipe”, added Hochsteiger.
“Also, the pasteurization process that all cream ice creams go through is done separately for each type without cooking the so-called “white base” that is commonly produced by most even good ice cream makers. All of this ensures that Crème de la Crème ice creams have a perfect texture and a full, strong flavour that is unique and original to them.”
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Flydubai has announced an increase in flights from Prague to Dubai, adding three more weekly rotations to the existing seven.
Starting next year, the airline will offer two daily connections on Saturdays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays. This increase is currently in a trial phase from February to April.
Previously, Flydubai operated one daily flight from Prague, departing in the evening and arriving in Dubai early in the morning.
The new flights will depart from Prague at 7:00 a.m., arriving in Dubai at 4:20 p.m. The return flight will depart at 1:55 a.m. and arrive in Prague at 5:55 a.m. A Boeing 737 MAX 8 will serve this route.
The additional flights coincide with the start of the spring break, increasing the frequency to ten flights a week until April.
This expansion aims to enhance the airline’s offer on the Prague-Dubai route and reduce connection times for other flights from Dubai.
Emirates also operates flights from Prague to Dubai, sharing codes with Flydubai on this route.
Additionally, Smartwings will return to the route with its winter schedule.
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Today, Friday 26th, Prague residents can immerse themselves in the atmosphere of the Summer Olympic Games’ opening ceremony.
The Czech-French Chamber of Commerce, along with the restaurant Petite Eiffel, has organized an exciting program at the site.
The Opening Ceremony of the Olympic Games will take place in Paris on Friday evening along the River Seine. Over 300,000 spectators will be present in the French capital, with hundreds of millions more watching on TV.
During the ceremony in Paris, Prague’s Petřín Tower will shine in blue, white, and red—the colors of the French tricolor. The illumination will start at 8:55 p.m. and continue until 5:30 a.m. on Saturday.
Additionally, the French House, known as Maison Francaise, will open next to the Petřín Lookout Tower as part of the La Petite Eiffel restaurant.
The opening event at 6 p.m. will be hosted by the French Ambassador to the Czech Republic, Stéphane Crouzat, and Czech Olympian Zuzana Hejnová. The menu will feature delicacies like frog legs, cider from Normandy, and Provençal wine.
The event is organized by the Czech-French Chamber of Commerce in collaboration with Petite Eiffel, under the patronage of Prague’s Mayor, Bohuslav Svoboda.
At the Olympic Games’ opening ceremony, Czech flag bearers will be judoka Lukáš Krpálek and archer Marie Horáčková. The opening ceremony of this year’s Olympic Festival in Prague will commence at 7:30 p.m. on Friday.
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Singapore edged past France, Germany, Italy and Spain to reclaim bragging rights as having the world’s most powerful passport.
Having a Singapore passport means getting visa-free entry to a record 195 global destinations, putting the city-state at the top on the Henley Passport Index. The four European countries, which held the No. 1 spot earlier in the year, are now in second place along with Japan.
The Henley Passport Index, compiled by London-based Henley & Partners, evaluates 227 countries and territories using data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA).
The index ranks passports by the number of destinations their holders can visit without a visa.
South Korea, Sweden, Finland, Austria, Ireland, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands are in third place, with visa-free access to 191 destinations.
The United Kingdom, which was the top-ranked passport along with the United States until 2014, now shares fourth place with New Zealand, Norway, Belgium, Denmark, and Switzerland. Australia and Portugal hold fifth place. The United States dropped to eighth place, just behind the Czech Republic.
The number 195 is a record for Singapore and the entire index. On the other end, Afghanistan remains the lowest-ranked, with its citizens having visa-free access to only 26 countries.
“The global average number of destinations travelers can reach without a visa has almost doubled from 58 in 2006 to 111 in 2024. However, the gap between the top and bottom ranks is now wider than ever,” said Christian Kaelin, chairman of Henley & Partners, in a press release.
The ranking, published by London-based immigration consultancy Henley & Partners, uses data from the International Air Transport Association to rank 199 passports’ access to 227 travel destinations.
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For the second year in a row, the Czech Republic has allocated more than USD 21 million for humanitarian support, development and economic assistance to Ukraine.
“In the first six months of this year, approximately half of this amount has already been spent. Czech firms will supply, for example, water treatment plants and equipment for surgical rooms or rehabilitation centres in the Dnipro region,” the Prime Minister Petr Fiala explained.
He informed that last year, the same amount of 500 million CZK was allocated for projects within the framework of humanitarian and economic assistance and for the development of Ukraine.
In particular, as part of this program, the Czech Republic contributed to the demining of war-affected agricultural areas in Kharkiv, Kherson and Sumy regions.
Czech companies have been supporting Ukraine since the beginning of the full-scale Russian invasion. Already in the first year, they began to establish contacts with new partners and travel to Ukraine on business missions. More and more Czech firms are getting involved in Ukraine’s recovery, thanks in part to government support.
“They can impress foreign investors and financial institutions with their quality… When we visit Ukraine today, we see concrete results of their work,” the Prime Minister stressed, acknowledging that the Czech economy also benefits from such cooperation.
He recalled Czech humanitarian organisations and volunteers who have raised “several billion crowns” to help Ukraine.
In addition, on 16 July, during the visit of Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal to Prague, agreements were signed under which the Czech company Sellier & Bellot will build a cartridge factory in Ukraine.
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In the first six months of this year, Václav Havel Airport Prague handled over seven million passengers, which represents a year-on-year increase of almost a quarter.
The number of passengers in the first half of the year reached 92 percent of the 2019 record year. The most flights were operated to and from Great Britain, Italy, Spain, France, and Germany.
Every eighth passenger handled at Václav Havel Airport Prague flew to or arrived from Great Britain. It is therefore no surprise that London ranked top among the operated destinations.
Paris took the imaginary silver podium, Amsterdam ended third, Milan was fourth, and Rome completed the list of the TOP 5 champions. For some passengers, the listed places became the final destinations of their trip, while others used the respective airports as transfer points.
From January to June, direct air connections to 13 new destinations were added to the network.
Alongside the resumption of the long-haul route to Beijing, the flight schedule now also includes connections to Kazakhstan’s Astana, the Italian cities of Brindisi, Florence, and Verona, the Turkish resort of Izmir, the Moldovan capital of Chisinau, La Palma in the Canary Islands, Ponta Delgada in the Azores, Poznan in Poland, Tallinn in Estonia, Tashkent in Uzbekistan, and Tbilisi in Georgia.
