News

Czech tennis player Karolína Muchová defeated Canada’s Victoria Mboko 6–4, 7–5 in the final of the WTA 1000 tournament in Doha, claiming the second title of her career.

The former world No. 8 will move back close to the top 10 in the rankings following the victory.

Muchová replaces Linda Nosková as Czech No. 1. On her way to the title in Doha, she eliminated fellow Czechs Tereza Valentová and Karolína Plíšková, Russia’s Anna Kalinskaya, and came from behind in the semi-finals against Greece’s Maria Sakkari.

The United States must step up political pressure on Russia and force it to the negotiating table, otherwise peace in Ukraine will not be possible, Czech President Petr Pavel said at a Ukraine-themed luncheon held on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference by the Victor Pinchuk Foundation.

According to President Pavel, Moscow is currently not mentally prepared for negotiations.

The Czech president called for the spread of the “Scandinavian spirit” in Europe. He said northern European countries are not afraid to stand up to major powers, citing Denmark’s recent dispute with the United States over Greenland and Russian threats toward Finland prior to its accession to NATO.

Mr. Pavel also expressed agreement with the view presented by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who told the conference that Ukraine now has the strongest army in Europe and should be part of NATO. Pavel said it would be “very smart” to have an army such as Ukraine’s within the Alliance, describing it as currently the most experienced in the world alongside Russia’s.

Proposed changes to school catering rules, originally set to take effect this September, could be postponed until September 2027, Prime Minister Andrej Babiš said after Friday’s meeting on the reform.

The decree would update 30-year-old rules governing school menus. Babiš said no final decision has been made and further negotiations are planned with all parties concerned.

Health Minister Adam Vojtěch acknowledged that adapting to the changes may not be easy since the aim was not only to change the menu but make it attractive enough for children to consume, moreover on limited finances.

Under the proposal, school canteens should serve fewer potatoes and limit sweetened beverages. Average meat portions would be reduced, while fish and legumes would appear more frequently on menus.

The intimate lives of Czech schoolchildren are increasingly shifting online, beyond parental supervision, according to data from a survey involving more than 40,000 children aged 13 to 17.

The study by the Safer Internet Centre Czech Republic, conducted in cooperation with Palacký University Olomouc, ascertained that a fifth of teenagers share nude photos with strangers online and ten percent of respondents were willing to meet or had met with a stranger who contacted them online. In six percent of cases, someone other than the expected person arrived at the meeting, the report said.

Michal Barbořík, head of crime prevention at the Interior Ministry, said children are frequently victims of  blackmail as a result of this activity online and he also warned parents against sharing content that is not intended as erotic but could still be misused.