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Václav Hybš, a renowned Czech trumpeter, conductor and bandleader, has died at the age of 90. He began his musical career in his father’s band and later founded the Orchestra of Václav Hybš, which accompanied many leading Czech pop singers, including Waldemar Matuška who later emmigrated to the USA. Hybš was a familiar face on Czechoslovak television, especially in entertainment shows such as Televarieté, and hosted the radio programme Šlágry od srdce between 2011 and 2017. Over his career, he recorded dozens of albums and more than a thousand singles, earning a Golden Record from Supraphon and a cultural award from the Czech Culture Ministry.

Czech President Petr Pavel and his wife Eva have begun an official visit to Argentina, arriving in Buenos Aires on Monday. Their first day includes a visit to the Holocaust Museum and the opening of a business forum, accompanied by a delegation focused mainly on defence and security cooperation. Pavel is also due to meet members of the Czech community, one of the largest in Latin America. Talks with Argentine President Javier Milei and lower house speaker Martín Menem are planned. Both countries share similar positions on international issues, including support for Ukraine and Israel, and seek closer cooperation with NATO.

MEP Alexandr Vondra says that Hungary under Viktor Orban remains a democratic country and that Sunday’s elections are free. He made the comment in a Czech Television debate show. Pavel Telička, a former MEP, also rejected the idea that Hungary had an authoritarian regime, though he said its election campaign had not been entirely fair.

Both politicians said Peter Magyar, who is challenging Mr. Orban, was likely to win and would improve relations between Budapest and the European Union.

The Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs has expressed regret about comments made by President Petr Pavel about the US head of state, Donald Trump. In a statement issued on Sunday, the ministry said Mr. Pavel’s views did not represent the official position of the Czech government.

Mr. Pavel said recently that Mr. Trump had done more to undermine NATO’s credibility in weeks that Russia’s Vladimir Putin had in several years.

The minister of foreign affairs, Petr Macinka, has had a number of clashes with the Czech president, who refused to appoint his party colleague Filip Turek to a ministerial post.