Daily news summary
Terrorist suspects attempted to buy outdoor equipment in Czech Republic
According to the National Centre for Combating Organised Crime, several people linked to terrorist groups attempted to buy outdoor equipment in the Czech Republic worth tens of thousands of crowns. Another terrorist suspect, who was wounded in combat, received treatment in the country. Czech security forces also tracked terrorist suspects who abused Czech asylum system and transited the territory of the Czech Republic. Michal Mazánek, head of the National Centre for combating organised crime, revealed the information on Thursday at an international conference focused on protection of so-called soft targets against terrorism.
Industry minister seeks top talks over Aircraft Industries
Minister of Industry and Trade Jan Mládek has appealed for intervention by his Russian counterpart, Denis Manturov, to intervene in the problems of Czech aircraft company, Aircraft Industries. Mládek said the Russian-owned company has run up debt and without help from UGMK it’s future is uncertain. Aircraft Industries, based in the far east of the country, had a wealth of technological know-how and many skilled craftsmen, the minister added. Unions earlier warned that they would take strike action because of the deteriorating situation at the Czech company. Mládek added that he had proposed a meeting in Prague of all parties concerned. The company makes the LET aircraft but sales in one of the main markets, Russia, have dropped sharply. Many of the 900-strong workforce have been forced to take leave with reduced wages with fears now that production will be shifted to Russia
Petra Kvitová’s medical records leaked by Russian hackers
Czech tennis player Petra Kvitová is among the athletes whose confidential medical files have been leaked by a group of Russian hackers. The responsibility for the hacking of the World Anti-Doping Agency database was claimed by a group calling itself "Fancy Bears," who said they attempted to undermine the global anti-doping system. The records concerning Petra Kvitová date back to 2009, when she was allowed the use of a banned substance due to asthma problems. The athletes affected include tennis players Venus and Serena Williams and gymnast Simone Biles.
Lost in Munich wins Czech Republic‘s nomination for best foreign Oscar
The Czech Film and Television Academy has nominated Ztraceni v Mnichově or Lost in Munich by Petr Zelenka to compete for the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film. The comedy about the 1938 Munich Agreement took this year’s Czech Film Critics' Awards for Best Film Best Screenplay and Best Director. The Czech Republic has last won an Oscar for Best Foreign Film in 1996’s with Jan Svěrák’s Kolya.
Czech mother Eva Michaláková appeals verdict of Noreweigian court over her sons
Czech mother Eva Michaláková has appealed the decision of a Norwegian court, issued in June this year, to remove her parental rights for her two sons, Ms Michaláková’s lawyer Pavel Hasenkopf told the Czech News Agency on Thursday. The judge has also barred Ms Michaláková from having any contact with her sons. The two children, who are now 10 and eight years old, were taken into care by Norwegian social services five years ago following suspicions of abuse. The case has become a major media and political issue in the Czech Republic. The Ministery of Foreign Affairs has previously said that it was ready to support Ms Michaláková in case she appealed the verdict.
Residents of Brno warned not to drink tap water
The authorities in Brno have warned the city’s residents not to drink their tap water, due to high levels of bacteria detected in the local water supply. The spokeswoman for Brno waterworks announced the news at around noon on Thursday, adding that the water was safe to drink if boiled first. She also said the presence of bacteria in did not present any health risks for the consumers. The warning will remain in place until further notice.
Exhibition of Henri Rousseau paintings gets underway in Prague
An exhibition of the works by the Henri Rousseau gets underway on Thursday at the National Gallery’s Kinský Palace in Prague. The iconic works of the famous French painter, including his most famous self-portrait, are displayed face to face with the paintings of other great artists such as Paul Cézanne, Pablo Picasso, Emil Filla, and Josef Šíma. The exhibition was prepared in cooperation with the Musée d’Orsay in Paris and it is the first time Rousseau’s works are presented in the Czech Republic.
Prague hosts poets’ world congress
The 36th World Congress of Poets opens in Prague on Thursday with the programme running until September 20. It is the first time the event has been staged in Prague. The initiative to host the congress stems from the fact that this year will be the 115th anniversary of the birth of Jaroslav Seifert, the only Czech to have won the Nobel Prize for literature. Guests at the congress include Irish poet Bernard O’ Donoghue and Slovak Milan Richter.
Average price of apartments increased by over 11 percent in second quarter of 2016
The average price of apartments in Prague and other regional towns in the Czech Republic increased by 11.1 percent year-on-year in the second quarter of 2016, according to the price-tracking website cenovamapa.org. The average price per square metre in Prague was 60,300 crowns, while in Ústí nad Labem, square metre is sold for 11,400 crowns. The quarterly increase was 6.1 percent, which is the fastest growth since 2010. The sales of apartments in the second quarter amounted to 20 billion crowns.
Czech banks post aggregate net profit of 44.73 billion crowns for first half of 2016
The aggregate net profit of banks in the Czech Republic increased in the first six months of 2016 by 7.27 billion crowns year-on-year to 44.73 billion, according to the data release by the Czech National Bank on Thursday. The banking sector’s total assets amounted to 5.84 billion crowns at the end of June, which is an increase by 375 billion compared to the end of 2015. The banks recorded a 98.43 billion profit from financial and operational activities, a year-on-year increase by 10.3 billion crowns.
Prague Transport Authority to fit Veleslavín metro station with escalator
The Prague Transport Authority is set to launch construction of an escalator at the Nádraží Veleslavín metro station. The metro station, which opened last April, serves mostly travellers going to and from the city’s Václav Havel Airport, but it is not fitted with an escalator from its vestibule to the street level. Soon after the opening of the station, Prague Airport hired porters to help people with heavy luggage. It is not yet clear when the construction of a new escalator will be completed.
