Daily news summary
Czech president attends dinner hosted by his Chinese counterpart
Czech president Miloš Zeman, who is on a three-day official visit to China, attended a dinner hosted by his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping in Shanghai.
The event took place ahead of the launch of a new international trade fair focused on imports into the world’s most populous state on Monday. The China International Import Expo will be attended by a Czech delegation, made up of some 70 business representatives and four ministers.
President Zeman is scheduled to hold talks with the Chinese president on Monday. Among the topics on their agenda should be China’s new silk road project, the president’ spokesman Jiří Ovčáček told the Czech News Agency.
New plaque in Shanghai commemorates China's assistance to Czech Jews
A new plaque was unveiled in Shanghai on Sunday commemorating China's assistance to Czech Jews, who were fleeing Europe to escape the Holocaust.
The event was attended by Czech Foreign Minister Tomáš Petříček, who is part of the government delegation accompanying President Miloš Zeman on his official visit to China.
Mr Petříček also visited the Shanghai Jewish Refugees Museum, commemorating the Jewish refugees who lived in the city during World War II, which is located in former synagogue.
The official programme of president Zeman's visit starts on Sunday evening with a reception hosted by his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping. The two heads of state are scheduled to meet for talks on Monday.
Singer Jaromír Nohavica receives award from Russian president Putin
Popular Czech singer songwriter Jaromír Nohavica has been awarded the Pushkin Medal, a Russian state decoration, for strengthening Czech-Russian relations.
The singer received the medal from Russian president Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin on Sunday, on the occasion of Russia’s National Unity Day, the news agency RIA Novosti reported.
The Medal of Pushkin has been awarded since 1999 to Russian citizens as well as foreign nationals for achievements in the arts and culture, education, humanities and literature.
Other Czech recipients of the award include former Czech president Václav Klaus and head of the Czech-Russian society Jiří Klapka.
Czech winemakers report above-average grape harvest
The grape harvest in the Czech Republic should exceed that of the two previous years, the Czech News Agency reported on Sunday, citing data released by the Union of Winemakers of the Czech Republic and the country’s Wine Fund.
According to the head of the Wine Fund, Jaroslav Machovec, the grape harvest is about 30 percent higher than the ten-year average. Contrary to expectations, the quality of grapes, with the exception of early varieties, has not been affected by drought.
Due to the exceptionally hot and dray weather, the grape harvest in the Czech Republic started a few weeks earlier.
Karolína Plíšková pulls out of Czech team for Fed Cup final against US
Czech women’s tennis player number two Karolína Plíšková has pulled out of the Czech team for next week’s Fed Cup final against defending champions the United States due to a calf injury.
She will be replaced by Barbora Krejčíková, who leads the WTA doubles rankings with her partner Kateřina Siniaková.
Two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitová will be leading the Czech team for the best-of-five series on indoor hardcourt at the O2 Arena in Prague next weekend, joined by Barbora Strýcová, Kateřina Siniaková and Barbora Krejčíková.
Klára Spilková becomes first Czech golf player to secure LPGA Tour card
Czech golf player Klára Spilková became the first Czech player to secure an LPGA Tour card for the 2019 season, after finishing fourth in the eight-round LPGA qualification tournament in Pinehurst, North Carolina.
The 23-year-old Spilková was the first Czech player to win a Ladies European Tour event at the Lalla Meryem Cup in Morocco. She also represented the Czech Republic at teh 2016 Rio Olympics.
The LPGA Golf Tournament is a series of weekly golf tournaments for elite female golfers from around the world organised by the Ladies Professional Golf Association.
Weather
Monday is expected to be partly cloudy with daytime temperatures ranging between 14 and 18 degrees Celsius.
