Anyone remember Norwegian, the low-cost carrier beloved by budget travelers that dropped its transatlantic flights nearly a year ago? Now travelers chasing these kinds of low fares across the pond have a new option. PLAY Airlines is a low-cost airline currently operating flights between Iceland and many cities in Continental Europe and the British Isles. To date, PLAY has flown more than 87,500 passengers across Europe and claims an impressive on-time arrival rate over 96% (In comparison, Delta is typically the most punctual U.S. carrier, and led its competitors with 85% in 2019). Like longtime budget carrier Icelandair, it flies from a hub in Reykjavik and will soon be connecting all those European destinations to the East Coast using Airbus A321NEO and A320NEO aircraft. Today PLAY is announcing the launch of service in April 2022 from the United States to Iceland and 21 other European destinations including London, Paris, Barcelona, Copenhagen, Prague, Dublin and more (including Amsterdam, but with service starting later). PLAY will initially go from two U.S. cities, Boston Logan International Airport (BOS, launching May 11) and Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI, launching April 20). Travelers can visit www.flyplay.com to start planning and booking trips with great promotional offers now...
The new Czech government will not extend the state of emergency introduced by the previous Cabinet of Ministers. Therefore, it will automatically expire on December 25th. “The government has decided that it will not ask the Chamber of Deputies to extend the state of emergency. We continue to monitor the development of the epidemiological situation, and if it worsens, the government will be ready to re-discuss the introduction of a state of emergency,” said the new Prime Minister Petr Fiala. However, Fiala added that “the situation remains serious”. Therefore, the Cabinet will not leave for the Christmas holidays and will hold regular meetings on December 22 and 29. The prime minister also announced the creation of a group of ministers who will immediately begin to resolve the issue of a sharp increase in gas and electricity prices. Note that the state of emergency allows the government to take those quarantine measures that cannot be introduced on the basis of current laws. The state of emergency came into effect on November 25, 2021. All Christmas markets across the country are banned, as well as drinking alcohol in public places. Furthermore, bars, restaurants, nightclubs, discotheques, and casinos have to close at 10...
A new coalition government took office in the Czech Republic on Friday, with the coronavirus pandemic and soaring inflation presenting immediate policy challenges. President Milos Zeman swore in the Cabinet at the presidential chateaux in Lany, west of Prague, ending the government of his ally, populist billionaire Andrej Babis, as prime minister. Two political coalitions that together collected a majority of parliament seats in the country’s Oct. 8-9 election signed a power-sharing deal to rule together. The new partnership holds 108 seats in the 200-seat lower house, relegating Babis and his centrist ANO (YES) movement to the opposition. ANO narrowly lost the election with 27.1% of the vote. A three-party, liberal-conservative coalition known as Together, composed of the Civic Democratic Party, the Christian Democrats and the TOP 09 party, came in first with 27.8% of the vote. Together has formed a government with a center-left liberal coalition made up of the Pirate Party and STAN – a group of mayors and independent candidates – which placed third. Despite their differences on many issues, including climate change, same-sex marriage and the adoption of the euro, the coalition parties all support the Czech Republic’s membership in the European Union and NATO membership....
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 drug molnupiravir against COVID-19 will reach the Czech Republic on Friday and its distributor is already accepting orders for it. Molnupiravir inhibits the replication of the virus in a patient’s body. President Milos Zeman has invited Pope Francis to visit the Czech Republic in a letter on the occasion of his 85th birthday on Friday. The head of state as well as other Czech representatives have repeatedly invited the Pope for a visit. Czech Pirate chairman Ivan Bartos will seek re-election at the nationwide congress, naming among his priorities the stabilisation of the party within its government role and more professional political and media strategy, Bartos wrote on the Pirate Internet forum today. The Avenier company started distributing 300,000 anti-COVID vaccines for children aged from five to eleven to the pediatricians’ surgeries and some vaccination centres all over the Czech Republic. Czech researchers have developed a biochip that is as fast as an antigen test and reliable as a PCR, the news site novinky.cz reported. The advantage of biochips is that...
The initial delivery of the latest drugs against coronavirus will arrive in the Czech Republic on Friday Morning. Nearly two years into the pandemic, the FDA could soon authorize the first antiviral pill, offering an at-home COVID-19 treatment designed to keep high-risk adults out of the hospital. The pill molnupiravir would block the SARS-CoV-2 virus from replicating and taking over the body. Merck and Ridgeback Biotherapeutics say the pill lowered the risk of hospitalizations and deaths in high-risk study volunteers if given within 5 days of the first signs of infection. The treatment would be started immediately after, for example, a positive PCR test, even before the onset of clinical signs. That gives the patient the most, the greatest chance for therapeutic benefit. The Czech Ministry of Health temporarily authorized the use of molnupiravir last week, stating that “the drug is intended for the treatment of patients with proven mild to moderate Covid-19, and for those who are at high risk of hospitalization. It is available to people aged 18 and over, with the exception of pregnant and breastfeeding women”. The treatment involves taking 40 pills over the course of 5 days. Britain last month became the first country to approve the treatment, jointly...
On January 19th, Meridian is organizing its Open Day. You can meet the team and have a look around to the Early Years and Primary School. More info here A school is imperative to a child’s development, playing an essential role in their physical and mental growth. As the famous phrase goes, the children of today are the adults of tomorrow. That is why teaching, and the overall community, at Meridian International School, located in the sheltered area of Kobylisy in Prague, is so special. With over 450 children from 64 different nationalities attending, their approach to diversity creates a safe and friendly environment, standing out amongst Prague’s other international schools. Fostering inclusion and awareness around multiculturalism benefits students of all different backgrounds and encourages acceptance so they are later equipped to thrive in our diverse world. Children in the Meridian community meet people from new cultures and learn from others, in their cosy class sizes, creating cherished friendships from all over the world in a rich and informative environment. Amongst other things, the school is also unique for offering a full Cambridge Education, from early years to graduation, ensuring an outstanding educational experience for Czech and international students alike. Already...
For the first time in its history, Czech Post has issued a flavored stamp. It is dedicated to Christmas and smells like a mixture of scents closely associated with this holiday – pine needles, cinnamon and gingerbread. The cost of the stamp is 19 CZK. It can be used to send letters weighing up to 50 grams. The design of the brand was created by Pavel Sivko, artist and illustrator of children’s books. The circulation of the novelty is 3.5 million pieces. You can buy it in all post offices. “Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year. Although the volume of letters and cards has been declining for several years, the tradition of sending Christmas cards to loved ones and friends is still popular. Therefore, we decided to launch a flavored stamp and make this tradition even more special,” said the representative of the company Martin Goli. In November, the Czech Postal Service has presented another Christmas stamp. Collectors can obtain it by sending a letter to the post office in Boží Dar, which stamps hundreds of thousands of letters and postcards every Christmas. The 2021 stamp features circles, stars and the inscription God’s Gift, symbolizing open arms...
The Czech signaling manufacturer AŽD Praha presented what it claims to be the first public use of an autonomous train in the Czech Republic on December 15, when invited guests travelled on a single-car DMU on the Čížkovice – Most line in the Louny region. The demonstration included the train stopping at a crossing blocked by a broken car without any intervention from onboard staff. AŽD is working on the introduction of autonomous technology that would enable a regional train to operate without any crew, or for a driver to intervene only during specific parts of the journey. Mr. Zdeněk Chrdle, AŽD CEO, told local media that legislation needs to change to enable automated trains to operate in the country, but he expects automated operations to happen within two to three years. “We definitely do not work with a black-and-white vision of replacing drivers, but with a vision of a modern way of operating the railway, where a number of processes can still not be ensured other than the work of a professional operator,” Chrdle says. In 2022, AŽD will move its development and testing to the Kopidlno – Dolní Bousov line, which is currently without a regular passenger service...
Some of them will eject water into the Vltava River while others will hold fire torches. Prague’s beautiful architecture, its numerous bridges, and the Vltava river are some of the main attractions that make the Czech capital a popular tourist destination. These three attractions are interconnected as the city’s bridges have unique appearances and offer breathtaking views of the river. Taking a case in point, Prague’s Čech Bridge was built in the early twentieth century and is the only steel arch bridge in the city. Its architecture is distinctive, with the bridge having several bronze statues of female torchbearers and three-headed dragons on its four pillars. As TheMayor.eu reports, the City of Prague has revealed that the bridge will undergo a partial restoration of its architecture and statues. The restoration of Čech Bridge will include the reconstruction and fitting of lighting and effects systems. More specifically, the Technology Company of the Capital City of Prague (THMP) will modernise the 20th-century bridge, making its dragons spew water into the river at regular intervals. In addition to this, it will add flames to the torches of the female light-bearers. “From the surviving information, it seems that the fitting of water and gas...
Curfew at night, closed establishments, and deserted streets marked the arrival of 2021 in the Czech Republic. What can be expected this New Year’s Eve is yet unknown. It will depend on how the pandemic develops and whether the state of emergency is prolonged. What is certain is that major cities will not hold large-scale festivities. Restaurants with doors opened for customers, in particular, are hardly likely to be allowed. The Wenceslas Square in Prague, the heart of New Year’s Eve celebrations in Prague, was totally empty less than a year ago. Only certain rescuers and police officers were present. It is unclear whether the last day of 2021 will be similar or not and whether city streets will once again resemble war zones or not. Firefighters, cops, and rescues, on the other hand, are preparing as usual. They will erect a medical tent, and numerous rescue personnel will not be left behind. On the nearby historic Old Town Square, things will appear similar. Government officials have been sending clear messages for a while, telling people not to go to parties, to stay at home, spend New Year’s Eve with their loved ones, making sure those they care about are...
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 Czech Republic has officially called on Belarus to end repression, release all political prisoners and initiate dialogue with its citizens, the Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs informed via its website. At an extraordinary meeting on Wednesday, members of the ANO movement wanted to discuss amendments to the current energy crisis. They tried to address, among other things, the across-the-board reduction of VAT on electricity and gas to zero for the whole next year. The Czech and Slovak police are prosecuting several dozen persons and firms on suspicion of extensive VAT frauds committed in both countries. The gang has deprived both states of more than 6.5 million euros in the past three years at least. Říčany currently ranks as the city with the best quality of life in the Czech Republic, according to Deloitte, which uses data from users to evaluate various aspects of life in Czech cities. The project is called “Obce v date”. Czechs and Hungarians rank among the world’s hardest-working nations when it comes to learning a new language, according...
On Friday, President Miloš Zeman will appoint the government of incoming Prime Minister Petr Fiala, including the disputed nominee for foreign minister, Jan Lipavský. Fiala announced he would get all his nominees on Monday at a press conference after meeting with the president. However, according to Fiala, the president’s reservations about Lipavský persist. The new cabinet will be appointed on Friday, Dec. 17, at 11:00 a.m. at the Lány chateau, the residence of the president. The incoming government wants the confidence vote in the Chamber of Deputies to take place in mid-January when it finishes its program statement. Last Friday, Zeman confirmed that he did not want to appoint Lipavský as the country’s foreign minister, citing his insufficient qualification and reserved stance towards Israel and the Visegrád Four. Lipavský and the head of state also share different views on relations with Russia and China, which Zeman did not mention in an official statement as the reason for his objections. The government coalition planned to fill in a competence lawsuit against the president over the dispute. Fiala called Zeman’s change of mind a “surprising end of the hour-long meeting.” “The government, including candidate Lipavský, will be appointed this Friday as proposed to...
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