Daily news summary

Forbes: Kellner remains the richest Czech

Petr Kellner, the owner of the investment group PPF, remains the richest Czech, according to an annual rich list published by Forbes on Thursday. The market value of his assets is estimated at 310 billion US dollars.

Second on the list is the Czech Prime Minister and ANO party leader Andrej Babiš, whose property is estimated at 75 billion crowns. Karel Komárek, owner of the KKCG financial group, placed third with assets worth 67 billion.

There are 11 newcomers among the country’s 80 richest Czechs and their overall wealth amounts to over 1.1 trillion crowns.

Foreign film production spent five billion crowns in 2017

Foreign film productions spent five billion crowns in the Czech Republic last year, the Czech News Agency reported on Thursday, citing data from the Czech Cinematography Fund.

According to fund’s spokesman Jiří Vaněk, the figure could increase by up to two billion crowns a year, if the government increased incentives for foreign co-productions from the current 20 to 25 percent.

Among the international film productions currently underway in the Czech Republic is the second series of History Channel’s Knightfall. Another major project, an ABC crime series Whiskey Cavalier, is currently under preparation.

Number of Czechs going abroad in summer up by 25 percent

The number of Czechs who travelled abroad during the summer increased by 25 percent compared to 2017, according to the data released by ERV travel insurer on Thursday.

The most popular destination of Czech travel agencies this year was Greece, followed by Turkey, which saw twice as many Czech tourists as last year. Croatia and Italy continue to be the most popular holiday destinations for Czech tourists travelling by car and bus.

Czech tourists spent on average 9.4 nights on their summer holidays last year, compared to 9.6 in 2017.

Escaped green mamba still on the loose

Police and snake capture specialists are still searching for the pet green mamba that went missing on Wednesday in Prague’s district of Hlubočepy.

Police have evacuated the building where the snake escaped from. According to experts, the deadly reptile is most likely still somewhere in the building, seeking shelter in warm and humid conditions.

The mambas’ owner, who was bitten by the snake, remains in hospital in an induced coma, after being given anti-venom.

LUSTR illustration festival gets underway in Prague

The annual festival of illustration LUSTR gets underway in Prague on Thursday. The seven-day event, which is now in its fifth year, includes exhibitions, workshops, lectures, films and discussions.

Visitors will have a chance to meet famous Czech and Slovak artists, as well as some guests from other countries, such as Mágoz from Spain, who has worked for the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal.

The event is organised by the bookseller PageFive in cooperation with Czech illustrators, a not-for-profit association which maps the current state of Czech and Slovak illustration.

Siniaková through to quarterfinals in Beijing

Czech tennis player Kateřina Siniaková has advanced to the quarterfinals of the China Open in Beijing after defeating Kiki Bertens of the Netherlands 6-4, 6-3.

Her victory has also secured a place for her compatriot Petra Kvitová at the WTA finals. Siniaková will next face the winner of the match between Anett Kontaveit or WTA World No.2 Caroline Wozniacki.

Weather

Friday is expected to be mostly sunny with daytime highs ranging between 16 and 20 degrees Celsius.