A Czech designer has come up with a novel way to raise money for Ukrainians suffering from the war in their country – making pillows bearing the portrait of their president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, who he says has become a sex symbol for some. Zelenskiy, tired, unshaven but defiant in his trademark green T-shirt, has become the face of Ukraine’s resistance to Russia’s invasion, rallying his compatriots from his bunker in Kyiv in daily broadcasts on social media. “Many people, mostly of the fair sex, see him as some kind of a sex symbol, so I got the idea to make a pillow which would look like he is actually in their bed,” designer Tomas Brinek told Reuters. Brinek, who runs a satirical Instagram channel called TMBK which has more than 540,000 followers and usually pokes fun at politicians, said his limited edition of hand-made pillows has attracted more than 2,000 orders and raised some 420,000 crowns ($18,900) for a charity helping Ukrainians affected by the war. “The idea was really a bit of a joke but there is this serious side that the profits can do some good for Ukraine,” Brinek said, adding that he now planned to make another...
A humanitarian mission launched within 24 hours of the conflict breaking out in Ukraine is delivering thousands of boxes of essential items to residents and collecting refugees at the Ukraine/Poland border to bring them to safety in the Czech Republic, Poland and Switzerland. Freedom Boxes has been created by Stuart Watkins, who also owns the software company Zenoo which is based in Prague. When the conflict began, Stuart, his family, and his team set about to do something to deliver help and provide hope to those affected by the invasion. With Freedom Boxes, the team has created an immediate way to directly help those in need. The team is made up of people from the UK and across the Central and Eastern European region, including Russia and Ukraine, who have pulled together to prepare, pack, and deliver Freedom Boxes. The Freedom Boxes are delivered across the border directly to those in need – in bunkers and war zones – with the team’s drivers risking their lives on every trip. Two of the four people working on the project in Ukraine are Stuart’s team members and they are helping deal with the coordination of getting people to the border and out...
Covid-related restrictions were on Friday lifted for people entering the Czech Republic from other European Union states. The Czech authorities also ended such requirements for people coming from Andorra, Iceland, Lichtenstein, Monaco, Norway, San Marino, Switzerland, and the Vatican. People coming from these countries no longer need to fill in an arrival form, while confirmation of a negative Covid test, vaccination, or previous illness are also not required. According to ČTK, the Ministry of Health will no longer issue the so-called traveling map, on which countries are divided into color categories according to the risk of coronavirus infection. According to the current rules, the obligation to fill in the arrival form and prove vaccination, test, or past illness did not apply to citizens of the Czech Republic and other EU states if they arrived by individual transport. Children under 12 years of age, international transport workers, diplomats, cross-border workers, and students staying in the Czech Republic for no more than 24 hours were also exempted. 8,163 new Covid-19 cases were recorded in the Czech Republic on Thursday, which was the lowest number on a weekday in a fortnight. There were also nearly 1,500 suspected reinfections. The number of people in...
Slovak developer Cresco is entering the Czech real estate scene with a CZK 1 billion project for a 500-apartment building in Prague’s Holešovice, the company announced on the project’s website. And it says it already has other plans for further expansion in the Czech Republic. Holešovice should have a major new development within a few years, namely the SO-HO apartment building, which Slovak developer Cresco Real Estate plans to build there for at least CZK 1 billion. The first stage has already started. The completion is to be finished by the end of 2023. In the first stage of the project, the former industrial building of Tesla Holešovice in V Háji Street will undergo reconstruction into an apartment block with 148 small flats. The price of the smallest 1-bedroom flats, which are already on sale, starts at around CZK 5 million. The project also includes atypical 1.5+kk flats, duplexes and lofts. In the next two phases, the developer will build a new residential block on the perimeter of Dělnická, Jankovcova and Tusarova Streets according to the design of the Prague studio Qarta Architektura. The original project of two office towers has transformed into a purely residential project with a commercial...
If your day doesn’t start until you’re up to speed on the latest headlines, then let us introduce you to our new morning fix. President Milos Zeman signed three bills aiding the employment and schooling of Ukrainian refugees in the Czech Republic on Thursday. The first law facilitates access to a residence permit. The second ensures that refugees can work in the country without work permits, as well as a 5,000 crown state subsidy. Under the third law, class sizes are increased and Ukrainian-speaking teachers are allowed to teach refugee children without Czech language skills until August. Czech power company ČEZ has launched a tender process to select a builder for a new nuclear unit at Dukovany. ČEZ made the move after receiving consent from the Czech Ministry of Industry. The Czech prime minister, Petr Fiala, says the country is at the very limit of the number of Ukrainian refugees it can absorb without major problems. Speaking on Thursday he said there were at present 270,000 refugees from Russia’s war on Ukraine in the country. EU countries should take care of Russian soldiers who are not willing to fight anymore, said Prime Minister Petr Fiala who,...
Starting today, easyJet, offers flights for its new route between Porto and Prague. With trips available from the 4th of May, the airline will operate 3 frequencies per week. “I’m very excited to announce this new route between Porto and Prague which will link two of the most vibrant cities in Europe. Northern Portugal has a lot to offer, from sightseeing, wine tasting, and food experiences, we can’t wait to welcome to Porto our customers from the Czech Republic in the next months,” says José Lopes, easyJet Portugal country manager. “We continue to look at summer with confidence as we know our customers look forward to a well-needed holiday, reunite with their loved ones and meet their business partners in person,” he adds. “Porto has long been among the priorities in terms of the development of air connections. We are glad the destination will now be even more accessible from Prague thanks to the direct easyJet route,” Jaroslav Filip, Director of Prague Airport Aviation Business, said. Why Go To Porto Porto has long been a hot destination for wine lovers – it’s the go-to place to find the best of that sweet, tasty port wine. But this city by the sea has...
Users can learn more about the construction and architects of the capital’s buildings and monuments. Last week, the Prague Institute of Planning and Development (IPR) unveiled an application with a detailed map of the Czech capital’s historic centre. This map, according to IPR, was developed following an architectural and urban analysis of the city’s monument reserve and contains all the information about its architectural history. Although IPR designed it to make it easier for professionals to care for the monuments in the centre, the map will also benefit the capital’s residents, tourists, and students. Covering an area of 895 hectares, Prague’s historic centre occupies practically the entire centre of the city and is known as one of the largest monumental reserves in the world. IPR’s interactive map (also referred to as the Historic City Centre application) now allows professionals and the general public to get a better understanding of this territory. Search according to design, date of construction, or architect The Historic City Centre application is the first place where historical and current data about the territory and its buildings are collated and put together. There, one can find out anything they want to know about the monuments in the...
The Czech Republic is the 9th best destination for an active holiday, joint with Spain. Scoring in the top 10 destinations for hikers, cyclists and skiers. By considering the number of yoga and wellness retreats, water-sport facilities, cycling routes, hiking routes and ski-slopes in the world’s 50 most visited countries, Gymcatch, a fitness software system, has found the top active holiday destinations. The study then normalized this by the number of tourists per year, and took into account the average cost per tourist per week, to find the world’s best sporty-vacation spots. The Czech Republic places 7th internationally and 4th within Europe as a hiking holiday destination with 5,371 listed hiking trails. In fact, the Czech Republic is a multi-category hotspot, and boasts a great variety of facilities for cyclists and skiers too with 134,141 listed cycling routes and over 700 km of ski slopes to explore. Overall, Australia is 2022’s top active holiday destination, coming top for hiking holidays and scoring in the top 10 countries for number of water-sports facilities and yoga retreats. Coming 2nd in the study, Brazil scored particularly well for cycling; with the 4th most routes per tourist. Norway ranked 3rd. An alternative to the...
A crowdfunding campaign aiming to raise money for weapons for Ukraine has raised over CZK 670 million from more than 100,000 supporters since it was launched last month, according to the Czech Ministry of Defense. The campaign is coordinated by the Czech government with the money going to the Embassy of Ukraine in Prague. The proceeds are being used to buy weapons and other military supplies that Ukraine needs to defend itself from the Russian invasion, according to a statement from the Czech Ministry of Defence. The Czech government said it has made available CZK 413 million worth of military supplies that can be purchased with the money from the crowdfunding campaign. “Arms, military equipment and ammunitions urgently needed by the Ukrainian military and the Territorial Defense Force to fill depleted stockpiles are part of the offer,” the ministry said. “Heavy military systems and ammunitions of ‘Eastern’ design are under consideration for delivery to Ukraine as well. The Ministry of Defence has already sent about CZK 750 million worth of military aid to Ukraine, which is resisting Russian aggression, including ammunition, machine guns and anti-aircraft missiles. Czech legislators are also finalizing a bill to give Ukraine refugees 5,000 Czech crowns a...
Find out what is going on this weekend in Prague. Party, exhibitions, food festival, comedy, and much more. The events and things to do in Prague this weekend. Balkan Bashavel Party The popular Balkan Bashavel is back in Prague! The well-known Slovak DJ duo MALALATA and their guests, the Prague band Lovesong Orchestra and Barcelona DJ Grounchoo will play o the rhythms of Balkan beats, gypsy, reggae and world music. Let yourself relax with energizing music that won’t let you sit down for one moment. Orchids of six continents Last chance to see a unique exhibition in the Botanical Garden Prague dedicated to the world of orchids! More than 2,300 species from all over the world will take the breath away of all (not only) flower lovers. This exhibition will help you discover the beauty of orchids and learn more about these exceptional flowers. As every year, you can also buy some of them in the greenhouse at the warehouse. If you are not sure which one is right for your home, ask the expert staff who will be happy to help. Festival of Delicate Flavours If you like food festivals, this Sunday the Festival of Delicate...
If your day doesn’t start until you’re up to speed on the latest headlines, then let us introduce you to our new morning fix. The Czechs who accommodate refugees may get a solidarity subsidy of 3,000 crowns per person a month, but 9,000 crowns would go to one household at the most, based on a draft directive on the state support for private accommodation providers, Interior Minister Vit Rakusan said today. Over 170,000 people who fled from the war in Ukraine have received a special visa in the Czech Republic and almost 10,000 new applications were submitted on Tuesday alone, while assistance centres have registered over 94,500 refugees, the Interior Ministry tweeted today. The Czech government has approved the delivery of more military equipment worth 700 million crowns (approximately 283 million euros) to Ukraine, Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Vít Rakušan. The European Commission has approved a EUR1.4 billion Czech scheme to partially compensate energy-intensive companies for higher electricity prices, the Commission informed on its website on Wednesday. The total debt of the Czech population rose by a record CZK 365 billion to CZK 2.97 trillion in 2021.
A Czech zoo has welcomed a critically endangered eastern black rhinoceros baby that has taken the name of Ukraine’s capital Kyiv in honour of that country’s resistance to invading Russian forces. The rhino was born early on March 4 in the Dvur Kralove zoo, a rare occurrence for the facility even if it has the most rhinos belonging to the subspecies. “The name is another expression of our support for the Ukrainian heroes,” said zoo director, Premysl Rabas. Kyiv’s mother, Eva, has been taking care of him in the best possible way, the zoo said, with the baby gaining a kilogram a day. The baby currently weighs about 50 kilograms (110 pounds). Poaching has reduced the number of eastern black rhinos living in the wild to about 800. The Czech park has 14. Only three other such rhinos have been born in other zoos around the world in the last year. A total of 47 eastern black rhinos have been born in Dvur Kralove since the park received the first one in 1971. Many of them are now in various zoos around the world but nine have been returned to Rwanda and Tanzania to live in the wild.
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