Daily news summary
Prime Minister attends Bread Basket harvest festival in České Budějovice
Members of the government including Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka kicked off festivities at the national harvest festival Bread Basket in České Budějovice on Saturday. On the occasion, the prime minister said the government would continue to push for a 'green fuel' excise tax rebate, which has already been approved in a first reading in the lower house. Mr Sobotka estimated the amendment could save farmers 900 million crowns. This week, the country's agriculture minister said he would push for meat by Czech producers to take up a larger percentage of supermarket shelves.
Thousands attend Tank Day
Twenty-five thousand people attended an event called Tank Day in Lešany in the area of Benešov near Prague on Saturday. The day was organized by Prague's Military History Institute. Featured were tanks built in Czechoslovakia in the 1930s, including the LTH which the country exported to Switzerland, Peru and Iran.
Firefighters get blaze at Barrandov under control
Firefighters got a fire which destroyed film sets at at Prague's Barrandov film studio under control at last at around 7 am on Saturday. The blaze, which broke out on Friday afternoon on a back lot of the studio, is estimated as having caused damage of around 100 million crowns. Investigators have yet to determine the cause of the fire.
Broadcaster Czech TV marks third anniversary of children's channel 'D'
The management of public broadcaster Czech TV this week marked the third anniversary of its 'D' channel, which offers extensive programming for toddlers, older children and teens. On the occasion, the broadcaster confirmed that it had premiered more than 3,500 hours of original programmes for children since the end of August 2013. The head of the station, Petr Dvořák, said that the channel offered an environment where children felt safe. Czech TV is currently preparing new shows, including 39 episodes of the much-loved bumbling D-I-Y duo Pat and Mat.
Meteorologists modify heatwave warning
Meteorologists have modified an earlier heatwave warning for this weekend when temperatures are expected to reach 34 degrees Celsius in places. Earlier, they warned that all of the country would be affected. They have now made clear the most extreme temperatures will be limited to Bohemia, while temperatures in Moravia and Silesia should be roughly three to six degrees lower. The coming days were expected to be the longest hot stretch in the course of the entire summer with temperatures between 33 and 35 degrees.
Tennis: Radwanska knocks defending champion Kvitová out of Connecticut Open
Petra Kvitová's run to clinch her third-straight title at the Connecticut Open was cut short in the semifinal by Polish tennis player Agnieszska Radwanska. The Czech, a bronze medal winner at this year's Olympic Games in Rio, lost easily in straight sets. The final score was a lopsided 1:6; 1:6.
Football: Key Plzeň players bound for Turkish league
Key players for football club Viktoria Plzeň Daniel Kolář and František Rajtoral, with the club since 2008 and 2009, respectively, have signed with Turkish side Gaziantepspor. Kolář and Rajtoral, both 30, were part of a team which won four league titles and twice played in the first round of the Champions League.
