Daily news summary

Italian PM reacts to Czech refusal to take in migrants

Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte has sent an open letter to his Czech counterpart Andrej Babiš, who refused to take any of the 450 migrants rescued by Italy at the weekend, calling the Italian approach to immigration a “road to hell”.

According to Reuters, Conte said Rome had the “high road of legality and shared responsibility”, adding “those who set foot in a European country, set foot in Europe”. The Italian Prime Minister has also invited his Czech counterpart to Rome to discuss the migration crisis.

Aero Vodochody inks deals to supply US and Portuguese firms

The Czech aircraft manufacturer Aero Vodochody signed deals to sell 22 of its new L-39NG and L-39CW planes at an air industry trade fair in the UK on Tuesday, a spokesperson said.

The company is set to sell 10 planes to Portugal’s SkyTech and 12 to RSW Aviation, which is one of the biggest suppliers of military training services in the US and around the world.

Kněžínek appointed head of government’s Legislative Council

The newly-appointed justice minister Jan Kněžínek has been appointed the head of the government’s Legislative Council, the government’s press department said on Wednesday.

Charles University professor Kněžínek, who served as a deputy head of the Legislative Council, replaced Taťána Malá in the post of justice minister last week, following allegations that she plagiarised parts of her university thesis.

The Legislative Council serves as an advisory body for the government’s legislative work.

Dead tiger and feline pelts discovered during police raids

Czech customs officials discovered the body of a freshly killed tiger and pelts of large felines during a raid at sites in Prague, central and north Bohemia, which took place on Monday. Mutilated bodies of other animal species were also found. The news was announced on Wednesday in a joint press release by Czech Police and the Customs Office. In connection with the raid, three men were charged with unlawful treatment of protected wildlife.

According to Lidovky.cz, the police raided several sites including Sapa, the Vietnamese market place on the southern outskirts of Prague. The police suspect members of the Vietnamese community of having assisted in the illegal practice of selling special meals made of tiger bones, Lidovky.cz wrote.

Four-day Colours of Ostrava begins

One of the Czech Republic’s biggest music festivals, Colours of Ostrava, gets underway on Wednesday. The event will run until Saturday. Artists appearing at the festival, which takes place at a former steel works in the eastern city, include NERD, Grace Jones, George Ezra and Jessie J. Organisers said earlier this week that it was almost sold out.

Running alongside Colours of Ostrava is Melting Pot, a discussion forum that will feature over 100 speakers, including well-known writers, scientists and economists.

NHL: Czech forward Nosek re-signs deal with Golden Knights

Czech hockey player Tomáš Nosek has agreed to a new one-year deal with NHL’s Vegas Golden Knights worth 962,500 US dollars.

In signing the deal, the 25-year-old forward avoids an arbitration hearing that was set for July 30. Last season, Nosek scored seven goals and eight assist in 67 games with the Golden Knights.

Weather

Thursday is expected to be partly overcast with occasional showers and daytime highs ranging between 24 and 28 degrees Celsius.