News Of The Day – March 8th
People Booking Rentals Through Airbnb To Help Ukrainians
People looking to help Ukrainians from afar have been booking empty Airbnb rentals in Ukraine’s hardest hit areas, as a way to quickly send cash to the country under siege from Russian forces. In response, Airbnb waived the guest and host fees on bookings so the rental fees go directly to the Ukrainian hosts. “We are so humbled by the inspiring generosity of our community during this moment of crisis. Airbnb is temporarily waiving guest and host fees on bookings in Ukraine at this time,” the vacation rental app said in a statement. The idea has picked up momentum. On March 2 and March 3, guests from around the world booked more than 61,000 nights in Ukraine, according to an Airbnb spokesperson. Read more about the effort here.
Nascar Team Donates $302,000 To Ukraine Relief
Hendrick Motorsports is set to make a sizable donation in an effort to help the country of Ukraine, which was invaded by neighboring Russia last week. In addition to a $200,000 pledge to Samaritan’s Purse, the race team also will donate $2,000 for each lap led by its four drivers in Sunday’s Pennzoil 400 at Las Vegas. Hendrick Motorsports consists of drivers Kyle Larson, Chase Elliott, William Byron and Alex Bowman. Its four-car team led a total of 51 laps during the Pennzoil 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Team member Alex Bowman won the race and led 16 laps, while teammate Kyle Larson finished second after leading 27 laps. Another Hendrick member, William Byron, finished fifth and led eight laps. Read more about the donation here.
Russia Plants Land Mines On Evacuation Route
A top International Red Cross official said on Monday that a proposed humanitarian zone in Mariupol, Ukraine, was lined with land mines. The latest sign of the struggle to allow women and children to flee Russia’s war on the country. Some Red Cross staff had tried to take the proposed route out of Mariupol before realizing that it was mined. Russian and Ukrainian officials have tried for days to agree to limited cease-fires that would allow women and children to evacuate to safer areas and give international aid workers safe passage to those needing care. Ukraine officials also called the Russian safe-corridor proposal a “completely immoral’’ trick, because the Kremlin’s proposed escape routes would funnel refugees into Russia or its ally Belarus, trapping Ukrainians once again. Read more about the route here.
Danish Hobbit Hole Visitor Center Built In Side Of Hill
Lord of the rings fands rejoice. A visitor center that resembles a modern version of cozy Hobbit houses has been built into rolling green hills in Denmark. The visitor center is an architectural interpretation of the glacial landscape. It is not a destination itself, but part of an overall narrative. The building forms a natural starting point for hikes in the area, where a network of paths flows through both building and landscape. From here visitors are guided into the landscape or inside the center to the exhibition, the teaching facilities, or the café. Carsten Primdahl, partner and architect at CEBRA, says, “Skamlingsbanken connects the past with the present and the future, and one of the project’s main ambitions has been to actualize the place’s remarkable history and nature into a contemporary context. Read more the Hobbit hole here.
