Palestinian Baker Goes Viral After Inventing 'Corona Cake' Design

Palestinian baker Eyad Abu Rezqa says he wants to raise awareness - and spirits - with his 'corona cake'. AFP
Palestinian baker Eyad Abu Rezqa says he wants to raise awareness - and spirits - with his 'corona cake'. AFP
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Palestinian Baker Goes Viral After Inventing 'Corona Cake' Design

Palestinian baker Eyad Abu Rezqa says he wants to raise awareness - and spirits - with his 'corona cake'. AFP
Palestinian baker Eyad Abu Rezqa says he wants to raise awareness - and spirits - with his 'corona cake'. AFP

As the world tries to raise awareness everyday over the risks of coronavirus, Palestinian baker Eyad Abu Rezqa had his own plans to convince people to stay at home.

Abu Rezqa, who is also head of the Al-Nada bakery in Khan Yunis in southern Gaza, has created a 'corona cake' depicting a woman wearing a blue face mask aiming to remind people of the importance of social distancing.

First, he posted the design on social media and now dozens of people are ordering them each day.

Abu Rezqa stressed he was not belittling the risk of the deadly disease which has killed more than 50,000 people but trying to keep spirits up while promoting awareness.

"Straight away it got great interest, customers starting saying 'I want that cake'," Abu Rezqa told AFP.

"Every day our clients' demand for the mask cake is increasing."

The staff making the cakes are wearing protective clothing, he pointed out.

So far Gaza has 12 confirmed cases of COVID-19, all of whom are in isolation, according to health authorities.

Like other countries around the world, authorities have put in place strict social distancing rules to try to prevent contagion but have not yet closed all non-essential businesses.



Acropolis to Close in the Afternoon Due to Heatwave

People stand in a shade while visiting the Acropolis, at the start of a 3-days heatwave with temperatures expected to overpass 40 Celsius degrees, in Athens, Greece, July 7, 2025. REUTERS/Louisa Gouliamaki
People stand in a shade while visiting the Acropolis, at the start of a 3-days heatwave with temperatures expected to overpass 40 Celsius degrees, in Athens, Greece, July 7, 2025. REUTERS/Louisa Gouliamaki
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Acropolis to Close in the Afternoon Due to Heatwave

People stand in a shade while visiting the Acropolis, at the start of a 3-days heatwave with temperatures expected to overpass 40 Celsius degrees, in Athens, Greece, July 7, 2025. REUTERS/Louisa Gouliamaki
People stand in a shade while visiting the Acropolis, at the start of a 3-days heatwave with temperatures expected to overpass 40 Celsius degrees, in Athens, Greece, July 7, 2025. REUTERS/Louisa Gouliamaki

Greece's culture ministry on Tuesday ordered a partial closure of the Acropolis, the country's top monument, to protect visitors amid heatwave conditions.

The ministry in a statement said the site would be closed from 1:00 to 5:00 pm (1000 to 1400 GMT) "for the safety of workers and visitors, owing to high temperatures."

The four-day heatwave that began Sunday is the second to grip Greece since late June.

Temperatures in the country are expected to reach 42 Celsius (107.6 Fahrenheit) on Tuesday, with a maximum of 38 Celsius in Athens.

Similar temperatures are expected Wednesday.

The 2,500-year-old Acropolis, built on a rock overlooking the capital that offers little shade, draws tens of thousands of visitors daily.

Last year it recorded some 4.5 million visitors, an increase of over 15 percent compared to 2023.