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Dozens of fraudulent Czech e-shops have appeared online, offering post-holiday discounts, according to cybersecurity firm Check Point. The sites lure shoppers with images of stylish clothing and accessories, but goods often never arrive after payment. Rather than isolated cases, investigators say this is a coordinated, large-scale campaign using numerous near-identical websites aggressively promoted on social media.

The shops follow similar naming patterns, often combining Czech names with city names such as Prague or Brno. Content is generated using AI to appear credible and visually appealing. Experts warn the sites may soon pivot to Valentine’s Day-themed offers. The pages typically lack verifiable contact details, but the scams are still difficult to detect even for experienced users.

The demolition of five houses in the former mining settlement of Bedřiška in Ostrava was carried out in breach of legal regulations and based on insufficient documentation, the city authority has ruled. The decision followed a complaint from Eva Lehotská, spokesperson for the settlement’s residents. The city has annulled the original demolition approval, but the houses were already torn down by the end of last year.

Lehotská said residents are still seeking to buy or obtain building rights for the remaining houses in an effort to preserve the settlement. Activists had previously tried to halt the demolition, even sitting on the roof of one of the houses for several weeks.

“We submitted the complaint because it was clear from the start that the owner’s actions, and those of the local authority and building office, were not lawful. The city’s decision confirmed our concerns, noting multiple breaches of construction and administrative regulations,” Lehotská added.

The Chamber of Deputies’ Mandate and Immunity Committee will decide on Tuesday, February 3, whether to recommend to the plenary that Prime Minister Andrej Babiš (ANO) and Chamber Speaker Tomio Okamura (SPD) be stripped of their immunity to face criminal prosecution. The committee announced the date on Tuesday, 20 January, and adjourned both items for the time being. Its chair, Helena Válková (ANO), told reporters she would not comment on the details of the discussions.

Babiš has previously said he will not consent to prosecution in the long-running Čapí hnízdo (Stork Nest) case, in which he was charged in 2017 over alleged subsidy fraud and damage to the EU’s financial interests.

Okamura faces possible prosecution over pre-election posters police say may have incited hatred.

Firefighters attended 18,684 fires last year, an increase of 1,503 compared with 2024. They also responded to more road accidents and hazardous material incidents, although the overall number of call-outs fell year on year. A total of 112 people died in connection with fires last year, five more than in 2024. 78 people died directly in fires, one more than the previous year. The figures were presented on Tuesday by the Fire and Rescue Service’s Director General, Vladimír Vlček.