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Czech schools will need more than CZK 5 billion by the end of August to integrate refugees from Ukraine, says Education Minister Petr Gazdík. Despite the unexpected outlay, he still wants to keep his promise to maintain teachers’ salaries at 130 percent of the average wage.

Special school classes for Ukrainian children whose families have fled to the Czech Republic are now running in Prague, Brno and other places. In this report we visit the First Slavic Grammar School, the first such institution in the capital to welcome refugee children in this way.

A new bridge connecting the districts of Prague 4 and 5 could be named after the recently deceased Prague-born US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright. The new name is now set to be approved by Prague City Hall and the relevant district authorities. To find out how the idea came about I spoke to the Deputy Mayor for Transport Adam Scheinherr. He says that there had already been plans to name the bridge after a woman.

Czech billionaire businessman Dalibor Dědek has launched an international petition drive calling for tougher action against Russia over its war on Ukraine. Named We Must Act, the campaign is calling for at least a no-fly zone over Ukraine and humanitarian bridges to besieged cities. Dědek explains what spurred him to action.

Madeleine Albright, a former United States secretary of state who was born in Czechoslovakia in 1937, has died at the age of 84. Mrs Albright was the first woman in history to serve as US foreign policy chief and played a key role in the Czech Republic’s accession to NATO.  I discussed her legacy with Daniel Anýž, a well-known commentator on Czech-US affairs:

The Czech Republic has been rocked by Russia’s war on Ukraine. Some are already wondering if the conflict could impact the biggest event in Czech politics this year, campaigning for January’s presidential elections. I discussed the situation with political scientist Miloš Gregor, but I began by asking about the position of incumbent Miloš Zeman, who before the war supported Vladimir Putin.

A new film about a famous skiing race that took place in the Krkonoše or the Giant Mountains in 1913 comes to Czech cinemas this week. Called The Last Race, it depicts the true story of Czech skiing pioneers and friends, Bohumil Hanč and Václav Vrbata, who tragically died in a blizzard on the mountain ridge.

Many in the Czech Republic have been welcoming Ukrainian refugees into their homes. One of the most high-profile Prague residents to do so is the ambassador of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Martina Mlinarević, whose family have taken in two Ukrainian families, swelling their usual household of three to no fewer than nine. She explains their motivations.

Many regional and municipal administrations in the Czech Republic who saved at least part of their funds in Russia’s Sberbank have lost access to their money since the bank lost its license after the invasion of Ukraine. Amid fears that this could lead to financial problems for some districts, the Association of Towns and Municipalities is set to discuss the issue with the Ministry of Finance.

Over 270,000 refugees, mainly women and children, have fled to the Czech Republic as a result of the ongoing Russian war on Ukraine. To help them find their way around a new country, a group of IT experts have created a community map showing all the important places and services the refugees might find useful in Czechia.