• 02/13/2026

    Czech Foreign Minister Petr Macinka on Friday called on UN Special Rapporteur on human rights in the Palestinian territories Francesca Albanese to step down over remarks she made about Israel.

    Speaking at a recent conference in Qatar organized by Al Jazeera, Albanese said that “humanity has a common enemy” in reference to Israel.

    Her latest statements, in which she describes Israel as ‘a common enemy of humanity,’ are unacceptable and indefensible. Such rhetoric does not contribute to calming the situation; on the contrary, it deepens tensions and undermines trust in the impartiality of the UN system,” Macinka said. “I expect responsibility, professionalism and impartiality from UN representatives,” he added.

    The foreign ministers of Germany and France have also called on Albanese to resign over the comments.

  • 02/13/2026

    Czech speed skater Metoděj Jílek captured gold in the 10,000 metres at the Olympic Games in Milan, securing his first Olympic title and becoming the first Czech Olympic champion in speed skating history.

    Jílek followed up on the silver medal he claimed in his debut appearance in the 5,000 metres earlier in the Games, completing a standout Olympic campaign with a gold medal performance in the longer distance.

    When he won the silver medal the 19-year-old made no secret he was aiming higher, saying he had come to Milan for a gold medal.

    This season, he became the youngest-ever overall World Cup winner in long-distance events, triumphed in the 10,000 metres at the December World Cup stop in Heerenveen, and posted the second-fastest time of the season.

    In Milan, he left the field behind. Russia’s Vladimir Semirunnij, who finished second, trailed by nearly six seconds.

    When, after claiming silver, Jílek was told by reporters that he showed surprisingly little emotion, he responded by saying he was " saving it for the gold". This time, he sprinted along the inside of the oval with his arms raised, waving to the crowd. He then pulled on a white T-shirt emblazoned with the words “Golden Boy,” capping a dominant performance that rewrote Czech speed skating history.

  • 02/13/2026

    Czech snowboard cross rider Eva Adamczyková won silver at the Olympic Games in Livigno, earning her third Olympic podium finish for Czechia.

    In a dramatic final, the 32-year-old finished just four hundredths of a second behind gold medalist Josie Baff. Adamczyková, who returned to competition this season after a maternity break, had earlier won the morning qualification round.

    Another Czech rider, Karolína Hrůšová, who was making her Olympic debut, was eliminated in the round of 16.

    Author: Ruth Fraňková
  • 02/13/2026

    Saturday should bring overcast skies with snow or sleet showers and day temperatures between 0 and 5 degrees Celsius.

  • 02/13/2026

    The reset in relations between Europe and the United States — one of the themes at this year’s Munich Security Conference — is not a rift, it is about Europe taking greater responsibility for its own defense, Czech President Petr Pavel said at the Munich Security Conference. Speaking to reporters on Friday, Mr.Pavel said the United States had long paid a disproportionate share of Europe’s defense costs.

    “Emotionally, it may look like a rift between Europe and the U.S., one that could even threaten NATO. But if you listen carefully, it’s about putting the relationship on a more equal footing,” he said.

    Pavel noted that U.S. representatives had previously pushed for greater European engagement, but had done so in a more diplomatic way. It was only under President Donald Trump that the approach has become more forceful, he added.

    The Czech president also welcomed what he described as a convergence of positions among the United States, Europe and Ukraine on the search for a peace solution to the war in Ukraine. However, he said Russia still needs to be brought to serious negotiations, as it has so far shown no willingness to end the war.

  • 02/13/2026

    Eva Adamczyková posted the fastest time in the opening round of qualification for the Olympic snowboardcross, securing the top seeding for the elimination heats set to begin at 13:30 in Livigno.

    The second Czech rider in the field, Karolína Hrůšová, finished 23rd in qualification.

    Adamczyková, the Sochi 2014 Olympic champion, was closely followed by 20-year-old French rider Léa Castaová, who trailed by half a second. In a surprise result, 18-year-old Swiss competitor Noémie Wiedmerová claimed third place, finishing 0.83 seconds behind the 32-year-old Czech.

  • 02/13/2026

    Real net household incomes in the Czech Republic increased again in 2024 after two years of decline, rising by three percent, the Czech Statistics Office reported. According to the Office, the average annual net income per person reached CZK 293,853 in 2024, or CZK 24,488 per month.

    However, around one in ten residents remains at risk of income poverty. Housing costs account for approximately 16 percent of households’ net income. Tenants spend the most on housing, nearly one third of their income. Almost half of single-parent families with children live in rental housing.

    Single parents and seniors are the groups most frequently threatened by poverty. Statisticians calculated that, in 2025, a family with two young children needed at least CZK 40,089 per month to stay above the at-risk-of-poverty threshold.

  • 02/13/2026

    MPs in the lower house on Thursday condemned animal cruelty, calling for a thorough investigation of such incidents and adequate punishment of perpetrators.

    The draft resolution was initiated in response to a shocking case of cat abuse when teenagers allegedly placed the animal in a tumble dryer for amusement and recorded the incident on their mobile phones.

    The governing coalition wants to increase penalties for animal abuse so that they reflect the severity of the suffering inflicted. MPs pointed out that tolerance of violence against animals may lead to other forms of aggressive and antisocial behaviour.

  • 02/13/2026

    Prague will introduce the position of an Ombudsman to handle residents’ complaints concerning public space. City councillors approved the move on Thursday after lengthy debate over a petition criticising the city’s approach to replacing public lighting.

    They also agreed that Prague City Hall would update its public lighting strategy. A working group will be established, bringing together representatives of the city, its organisations and experts from relevant fields.

    The ongoing replacement of city lighting will continue using fixtures with slightly warmer light, though not to the extent demanded by petitioners. According to the authors of the petition, light with a higher proportion of blue light is harmful and disrupts the daily rhythms of people, animals and plants.

  • 02/13/2026

    Consumer prices in the Czech Republic rose by 1.6 percent year on year in January, the slowest growth since November 2016, the Czech Statistics Office said on Friday, confirming its preliminary estimate.

    Inflation eased from 2.1 percent in December, mainly due to the transfer of renewable energy payments from consumers to the state. Month on month, prices increased by 0.9 percent, driven primarily by higher food, beverage and tobacco costs.

    Author: Ruth Fraňková

Pages