All eyes are on Thailand as the country prepares to host the 2026 International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank Group (WBG) Annual Meetings, also known as the 2026 Annual Meetings or AM2026 Thailand. Running from 12-18 October 2026, at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Center (QSNCC) in Bangkok, the event will mark Thailand’s second time hosting the meetings, following its first in 1991. This will make Thailand one of only three nations to have hosted the IMF–WBG Annual Meetings twice. The IMF–WBG Annual Meetings, held for two consecutive years in Washington D.C. and every third year in one of the 191 member countries, serve as a gathering of top economic figures from around the world. By covering a broad range of issues, the meetings aim to strengthen global financial stability, combat poverty, and ensure inclusive economic growth and job creation. Thailand’s selection to host again in 2026 highlights how the country has advanced over the past three decades in terms of its institutional progress, economic resilience, and sustained engagement with international partners. As host, Thailand brings decades’ worth of experience in economic transformation and regional leadership to the table. The “Olympics of Finance” Often dubbed the “Olympics of Finance,”...
British pop star Robbie Williams will headline the opening day of Colours of Ostrava 2027, organisers have announced. Williams will perform on Wednesday, July 21, at the Dolní Vítkovice industrial complex, marking his return to the Czech Republic after his recent concert at Prague’s O2 Arena. The 2027 edition of Colours of Ostrava will run from July 21 to July 24. Williams is the first major act confirmed for the festival’s lineup. “For me, Robbie Williams is, above all, a personality. He is someone you know, even if you aren’t necessarily a fan,” said Colours of Ostrava artistic director Filip Košťálek. “Over more than three decades, he has managed to stay relevant, evolve and surprise audiences while remaining true to himself. And those are exactly the kind of personalities we want to bring to Colours.” Košťálek said the festival is looking for artists with strong stories and songs who can create memorable moments for audiences. Williams fits that profile after more than three decades at the centre of British pop. Since launching his solo career in the 1990s, following his departure from Take That, he has become one of the UK’s most successful solo artists. His latest studio album, Britpop,...
On October 10, the Prague electronic music collective EDEN will bring Rotten To The Core to Stadion Strahov for one of the collective’s largest and most ambitious events to date. Running from 10pm until 7am, the night will bring together international and local DJs, dancers and visual artists for an event built around music, performance and visual art. The lineup includes VLACE, SCHELLT, RiVid, 2NDRA and Mila (5), with the programme focused on techno and acid. Among the artists, 2NDRA is a Prague-based schranz and techno producer and performer and one of the founders of EDEN Collective. RiVid, meanwhile, is a Czech-Japanese hard techno duo. The event takes a broader approach to the club experience, combining the music programme with visual elements, art installations and live performances. That approach comes at a time when electronic music events are becoming increasingly commercialised, while promoters and venues face rising production costs and growing regulatory pressures. View this post on Instagram A post shared by 𝐄𝐃𝐄𝐍 (@_eden_rave_) The event will take place beneath Strahov Stadium in Prague 6, continuing EDEN’s connection with unconventional venues and large-scale rave productions. The collective previously hosted its 40-hour ALT BABYLON weekender in Prague in August, featuring dozens...
Václav Havel was one of the defining figures of modern Czech history. Playwright, writer, dissident, political prisoner and, ultimately, the last president of Czechoslovakia and the first president of the Czech Republic, his life reflected some of the country’s most dramatic changes of the 20th century. Born into a prominent Prague family, Havel experienced both privilege and political persecution. He became one of the leading voices of the opposition to communist rule and played a central role in the Velvet Revolution of 1989. On October 5th, 2026, Havel would have turned 90. Here is a look at his life, political career and some of the places in Prague and beyond connected to him. From a privileged Prague family to a banned writer Havel was born in Prague on October 5, 1936, into a wealthy and well-connected family. His uncle, Miloš Havel, founded Barrandov Studios, while his grandfather was involved in construction and real estate. His family’s position changed dramatically after the Communist Party took power in Czechoslovakia in 1948. Their property was confiscated, and Havel faced restrictions on his education and career because of his family background. During the political liberalisation of the 1960s, Havel became increasingly involved in Prague’s...
Prague’s Kramář Villa will open to the public on October 3, giving visitors a chance to see inside one of the Czech government’s official residences. Admission will be free. The villa, located on Gogolova Street in Prague’s Letná district, is the official residence of the Czech prime minister. It was also the home of Karel Kramář, Czechoslovakia’s first prime minister, and his wife, Nadezhda. Visitors during the open house will be able to take guided tours of the building and learn about its history, architecture and former residents. The tour will include parts of the villa that are normally closed to the public, including its living quarters and ceremonial rooms. Built with a combination of Neo-Baroque and Art Nouveau influences, Kramář Villa has been one of Prague’s government residences since the early 20th century. Its history is closely linked to Karel Kramář, who became the first prime minister of Czechoslovakia following the country’s establishment in 1918. The open house will also include access to the villa’s garden. Located above the city, the grounds provide views across Prague and will remain open for longer than the villa itself. The villa will welcome visitors from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on October...
A Czech experiment in which homeless people received CZK 100,000 with no conditions attached suggests that early financial support can reduce some of the costs associated with homelessness. The project, known as New Leaf, was carried out by the Czech organization Neposeda in cooperation with researchers from Charles University. The findings indicate that the state spends an average of about CZK 200,000 a year on each person experiencing homelessness, with healthcare, social services and police work accounting for a significant share of the total. The researchers concluded that leaving people without support can ultimately be more expensive for public finances than providing targeted assistance. How the New Leaf experiment worked The project ran from summer 2024 until the end of 2025 and was inspired by a similar initiative in Canada. Researchers focused on people who had been living on the streets for no more than two and a half years. The aim was to examine whether intervention at an earlier stage of homelessness could prevent longer-term problems. Participants were divided into several groups. Forty people received CZK 100,000 without restrictions on how the money could be used. Another 20 were offered the support of a personal social worker instead, while...
Smartwings is reducing its winter flight schedule from Prague, with several routes being cancelled, frequencies cut and new connections postponed until spring 2027. The biggest changes will affect Spain, a popular choice for Czech travelers looking for warmer weather during the autumn and winter months. The airline will suspend flights between Prague and Valencia from November 2 until the beginning of March. Flights to several other Spanish destinations will also be reduced. Smartwings will cut its Málaga service from two flights a day to one, while Barcelona will move from daily flights to four to six services a week. Flights to Mallorca will be reduced from four per week to two. The Prague–Madrid route will continue, but flights will operate on an irregular schedule. Smartwings is also suspending flights from Prague to Nice until early March. New Prague routes pushed back Several routes that were expected to launch this year will now have to wait until spring 2027. The postponed connections include new services to Venice and Bergen, Norway. Smartwings has also delayed the return of flights to Brussels and Bucharest. Both Brussels and Bucharest were suspended in the spring, with Smartwings originally planning to restore the routes in October....
Home baking is gaining momentum in the Czech Republic, with online supermarket Rohlik.cz reporting a sharp increase in demand for baking ingredients this year. Flour has been at the center of the trend. Sales of organic flour have risen by almost 72 percent compared with the previous year, while conventional flour sales increased by around 23 percent. The change has also affected the balance of sales. Organic flour previously accounted for about 19 percent of flour purchases at Rohlik.cz. That figure has now climbed to almost 25 percent. The figures suggest that customers are not simply buying more flour but are also paying greater attention to the type and quality of the ingredients they use. Rohlik.cz CEO Miroslava Vopatová says baking continues to play a role in family life, particularly as an activity shared across generations. The supermarket has responded by offering products at different price points, from private-label options to organic and farm-produced ingredients. Yeast sales tell a different story The increase in demand for flour has not been mirrored by yeast. Sales of yeast have been gradually falling since the surge in home baking during the coronavirus pandemic. One shift remains noticeable, however: shoppers are increasingly choosing fresh...
Travelers flying from Prague this autumn have more options as airlines add capacity and new direct connections, particularly to Asia. At the same time, increased competition is putting pressure on carriers to keep fares under control, according to data from Czech booking portal Letuška.cz. The biggest changes are visible on long-haul routes. New services from Prague are making destinations in Asia more accessible, while airlines already serving the Czech market are responding with promotional fares. “Thanks to high competition and new capacity from Prague, the autumn flight market offers very favorable travel conditions,” said Josef Trejbal, commercial director of Letuška.cz. He said the arrival of new Asian connections has helped revive demand for long-haul travel and encouraged established airlines to introduce more competitive offers. Direct flights strengthen Prague’s links with Asia Asia is once again attracting greater interest from Czech travelers. One factor is the growing number of direct or more convenient connections from Prague, which can reduce the need for lengthy transfers through major Middle Eastern hubs. STARLUX Airlines, for example, is offering flights from Prague to Taipei from around CZK 21,000. The direct service provides an alternative to itineraries involving a stopover and can save travelers both time...
Prague will offer a range of free cultural events in October, from exhibitions and science films to family entertainment and hands-on craft workshops. Several major institutions will also open their doors to the public on October 28, Czech Independence Day. Here are five events where the main program is free, followed by a guide to some of the places that can be visited without charge on the October 28 public holiday. Free admission at the National Gallery October 3–4 and October 28, 10:00 AM–6:00 PM The National Gallery Prague will offer free access to selected exhibitions on two occasions in October. On October 3 and 4, visitors can see 1956–1989: Architecture for Everyone at the Trade Fair Palace (Veletržní palác) without paying an entrance fee. The offer forms part of Architecture Day, this year’s festival built around the theme “I Dwell, Therefore I Am.” The Architecture Day program will also include free tours and workshops at several National Gallery sites, including the Trade Fair Palace, the Convent of St. Agnes of Bohemia and Schwarzenberg Palace. Some activities require advance registration. Another opportunity comes on October 28, when the National Gallery will waive admission to its eight permanent exhibitions. The program...
Bolt and U.S. electric vehicle maker Lucid Group have announced a partnership to develop autonomous mobility services in Europe, with plans to deploy more than 25,000 fully autonomous vehicles across European cities over the coming years. The vehicles will be based on Lucid’s upcoming Midsize platform and use NVIDIA Hyperion, a reference architecture and development platform for autonomous vehicles. The companies plan to develop the vehicles for SAE Level 4 autonomous driving, which allows vehicles to operate without human control within defined conditions. Bolt says the project is part of its wider ambition to have 100,000 autonomous vehicles operating on its platform by 2035. The companies will work together from the early stages of vehicle development. Bolt will contribute traffic and mobility data, operational experience and knowledge of European markets, while Lucid will provide its software-defined vehicle platform and automotive technology. Bolt will also define requirements covering the vehicle, software, safety and passenger experience. Its autonomous driving division will oversee the partnership and develop the infrastructure needed to operate the fleet. This will include vehicle dispatch, charging, maintenance, remote assistance and customer support. Bolt also plans to own and operate the autonomous vehicles itself. Rollout will depend on local regulations...
Prague Airport and the Czech Ministry of the Interior are preparing additional measures to reduce waiting times for passengers arriving from non-Schengen countries following the introduction of the EU Entry/Exit System (EES). The new system has made border checks more complex, particularly for travellers from outside the EU. Prague Airport says it has already introduced several measures aimed at keeping passenger flows moving during busy periods. Airport staff, known as the Red Team, are assisting passengers in the terminal, directing them through the new procedures and providing information where needed. The airport has also adjusted passenger flow corridors based on data collected since the system was introduced. One of the main issues identified so far is the self-service registration process. According to the airport, a significant number of passengers do not complete their registration at the kiosks, which can lead to additional delays at passport control. Prague Airport is therefore examining the entire journey from the registration kiosks to passport control and looking at ways to make the process easier, particularly for families and older passengers. “Data has shown us that the most common delays occur when people interrupt the registration process at the terminals,” said Radomír Lašák, Chairman of...
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