Daily news summary
Critical infrastructure operators to carry out Huawei risk analysis
The Czech government has ordered the administrators of the country’s critical infrastructure to carry out an analysis of the risks of using software and hardware produced by Chinese companies Huawei and ZTE. This concerns a total of 160 public and private organisations.
The National Cyber and Security Information Agency has been instructed to provide them with assistance in this regard, Prime Minister Andrej Babiš said on Tuesday.
The National Cyber and Security Information Agency last month flagged up the usage of Huawei and ZTE products as a potential security threat.
2018 road death numbers highest for three years
Last year 565 people died on Czech roads, which was 63 more than the previous year and the highest figure in three years. Numbers presented by the police on Tuesday morning also showed that the deaths of motorcyclists increased by over 40 percent in 2018.
Transport police were called out to over 100,000 traffic accidents last year, the division’s chief, Tomáš Lerch, told journalists.
Almost 2,500 people were left with serious injuries after collisions in 2018. Over 25,000 suffered minor injuries.
Foreign universities fined for lacking permits
The Ministry of Education has fined six foreign universities or branches of them on Czech territory, Czech Radio’s iRozhlas news site reported on Tuesday. The universities lack the required licenses to teach in this country. The ministry is not permitted to reveal their names.
Officials have also filed criminal complaints against two third-level institutions for failing to return admission fees paid by people who never started courses. Administrative proceedings are also being conducted with five schools.
Sixteen foreign universities have fulfilled all legal requirements to offer services in the Czech Republic and passed Ministry of Education checks.
Growth in Czech industrial output slows
Year-on-year growth in industrial output in the Czech Republic slowed to 4.8 percent in November, according to official data released on Tuesday. In October growth had reached 6.7 percent. However, taking into account seasonal factors, industrial output actually rose by 0.9 percent.
The main driver of growth remained motor vehicle production, which went up by 10.2 percent. By contrast construction stagnated in the 11th month of 2018 following growth of 10.4 percent in October.
Internal audit reveals 48 dubious contracts at CzechTourism
An internal audit within the state-owned agency CzechTourism has revealed dozens of suspicious contracts, Czech Television reports. The audit was triggered by a police raid in November at the Ministry of Regional Development, which had numerous contracts with the agency.
It found that over 50 percent of funds were invested into just three regions of the country, and a fifth of the tenders were carried out by just four firms. Police are investigating Regional Development Minister Klára Dostálová and CzechTourism head Aleš Pangrác for possible fraud in this regard.
Quarter of Czech first division soccer players foreign
One-quarter of the players in Czech football’s top division are foreigners, iRozhlas.cz reported on Tuesday. Of the 354 players who made appearances in the autumn part of the season, 90 were not from the Czech Republic, the news site said.
While Slovaks, as is traditional, account for a large number of them, footballers from Eastern European and African states are also making their mark. Foreigners have been the top scorers at half of the top flight’s 16 clubs so far this season.
Weather forecast
Tuesday should be overcast in the Czech Republic with snow in places and temperatures of up to 1 degree Celsius. Temperatures should rise gradually with snow giving way to rain at the end of the week.
