Daily news summary
Jan Hamáček elected new Social Democrat leader
Jan Hamáček has been elected new leader of the Social Democratic Party at the party conference in Hradec Králové on Sunday. Former lower house speaker Hamáček received 272 out of 527 votes in the second round of the election. His rival Jiří Zimola, former South Bohemian governor, received 224 votes.
In his speech delivered after the vote, Jan Hamáček said that Social Democrats should negotiate with the ANO Party on forming a new government. If the Social Democrats were to participate in the government, the members would have to decide in a referendum within the party, he added.
In connection with the investigation of the acting PM Andrej Babiš, Mr Hamáček said it was impossible for people facing criminal charges to take part in the government.
Seven candidates ran for the top party post, including the acting party leader Milan Chovanec. The party convention was called after the party suffered a major defeat in the parliamentary elections in October, picking up only 7.27 percent of the vote.
President Zeman calls on Social Democrats to negotiate with ANO on new government
President Miloš Zeman called on the Social Democrats not to go into opposition but to negotiate with the ANO party about forming a new government. Speaking at the party congress in Hradec Králové on Sunday, Mr Zeman said the Social Democrats failed in October’s parliamentary elections because they didn’t have a strong leader.
Mr Zeman, a former Social Democrat leader, was elected chairman of the party 25 years ago. He officially left the Social Democratic Party in 2007.
The president is set to meet the acting PM Andrej Babiš to discuss the outcomes of the Social Democratic congress later on Sunday.
Olympics: speed skater Karolína Erbanová takes bronze in women's 500 metres
The Czech Republic has won its third bronze medal in the Winter Olympics and its sixth overall.
Czech speed skater Karolína Erbanová finished third in the women's 500 metres race at the Gangneung Olympic oval on Sunday. The 25-year-old Czech crossed the line in 37.34 seconds, finishing just 0.01 seconds behind the defending champion Lee Sang-hwa of South Korea. The reigning world champion Nao Kodaira took the gold medal.
Olympic Hockey: Czechs beat Swiss 4-1 to advance to quarter-finals
The Czech Republic has won its third and final match of the preliminary round at the Winter Olympic Games. The Czechs defeated Switzerland 4-1 on Sunday, earning a spot in the quarter-finals.
Michal Řepík scored twice, including an empty netter in the last minute of the game. ANother two goals for the Czechs were scored by Dominik Kubalík and Roman Červenka.
The Czechs had previously beaten South Korea 2-1 before winning 3-2 in a shootout against Canada. In the quarter-finals, they will face the winner of the match between the United States and Slovakia.
Norway’s s Pedersen wins Jizerská padesátka
Sweden’s Britta Johansson Norgren has won the women’s annual Jizerská padesátka, a 50-kilometre cross country skiing event held in the Jizerské mountains in north Bohemia. The Czech Republic’s Kateřina Smutná didn’t succeed in defending her victory from last year, coming in second.
Morten Eide Pedersen of Norway has won the men’s event for the third time in a row. The best of the Czech men at the event – which also drew hundreds of amateurs – was Stanislav Řezáč. He finished nearly six minutes behind the winner in 18th place.
Below-average temperatures expected in next four weeks
Temperatures in the Czech Republic should remain slightly below the average in the next four weeks, according to a long-term forecast from the Czech Hydro-Meteorological Institute.
In the upcoming week, we can expect daytime highs of around zero degrees Celsius. Towards the end of the four-week period, they could reach an average of seven degrees Celsius. Rainfall levels should also remain slightly lower than the average for the time of year.
Weather
Monday will be mostly cloudy with occasional snow showers and daytime highs ranging between one and three degrees Celsius.
