Daily news summary

Czechs mark 77th anniversary of Lidice massacre

Hundreds of people attended commemorative events in the village of Lidice on Saturday marking the 77th anniversary of the its destruction. The Nazis razed the small Central Bohemian village to the ground and killed over 300 of its inhabitants on June 10, 1942 in one of the worst atrocities in the country’s modern history.

The events started with a mass at the foundations of the Church of St. Martin where the village stood and continued with a ceremony at a mass grave of the victims of the massacre and a traditional Light for Lidice gathering of children’s choirs.

Among those who took part in the events in Lidice were the speaker of the lower house, Radek Vondráček, as well as survivors of the Lidice tragedy.

MPs want August 21 to become Memorial Day for victims of invasion

MPs from all deputies’ clubs in the lower house, with the exception of the Communists, have supported a proposal to make August 21 a Memorial Day for victims of invasion and occupation. The draft amendment to the law on State Holidays was signed by 90 deputies.

According to the proposal, the night of August 20 to 21, 1968, when the Soviet-led troops invaded Czechoslovakia to crush the Prague Spring reform movement, was one of the most tragic days in Czechoslovak modern history. If approved by the Senate and the President, the day would become a day of significance rather than a state holiday.

Thousands join cancer awareness march in Prague

Thousands of people joined in the 19th annual March Against Breast Cancer through the Czech capital on Saturday. The participants, mostly women, marched from the Old Town Square to Štvanice island wearing pink t-shirts and carrying pink balloons sold to raise funds in the fight against the disease.

An estimated 7,000 women in the Czech Republic are diagnosed with breast cancer each year and in about 2,000 cases the disease proves fatal. Women over the age of 45 can be tested for breast cancer free of charge

Brno universities celebrating 100th anniversary

Two Brno universities, the Masaryk University and the Mendel University of Agriculture and Forestry, are celebrating their 100th anniversary on Saturday. To mark the milestone, the Masaryk University is holding the largest-ever alumni reunion of Masaryk University, called Festival MUNI 100, at the Brno Exhibition Centre.

The Mendel University has prepared a so-called Student Reunion of the Century, including a tour of the campus, musical performance, exhibitions, workshops or meetings with academic staff. Saturday’s celebrations are a culmination of year-long series of events and activities to mark the 100th anniversary.

Czech wins 1.4 billion crowns in Eurojackpot lottery

A ticket sold in the Czech Republic has won 1.4 billion crowns (approximately 55 million euros) in the Eurojackpot lottery draw held on Friday May 14. It is the second highest sum in the history of the country. The winner has 365 days to come forward and claim the prize, the spokesman of the Sazka betting company told the Czech News Agency.

The largest Eurojackpot ever paid out was 90 million euros to a Czech player from Pardubice region in 2015. The winner picked up his winnings three weeks after the numbers were drawn, and chose to remain anonymous.

Puma on the loose in South Bohemia

An escaped puma has been reportedly spotted in the region of Jindřichův Hradec in South Bohemia. According to the police the big cat, most likely a cougar, has been sighted several times since April, but it has only been reported now.

People from the region have been advised to restrict their walks and keep away from the local forests until the animal is captured.

Weather

Sunday is expected to be mostly overcast with occasional rain showers. Daytime high will range between 21 and 15 degrees Celsius.