• Prague hosting record-breaking youth handball tournament over Easter
    04/03/2026

    Nearly 3,000 handball matches will take place across Prague over the Easter holiday as the city hosts the Prague Handball Cup, the largest indoor handball tournament in the world.

    A total of 824 children’s and youth teams from 24 countries will compete from Friday to Monday in 56 venues across the capital and surrounding areas. Matches will be officiated by 355 referees.

    In total, around 15,000 participants are expected, not including fans and parents traveling with younger players.

    The tournament was first held in 1992. Although it was disrupted by a two-year COVID-19 hiatus, it quickly rebounded — with 371 teams returning in 2022, followed by a sharp rise to 577 teams the following year.
    Author: Daniela Lazarová

  • Czech radiation sensors aboard Artemis II spacecraft
    04/03/2026

    Radiation sensors developed by Czech company ADVACAM are onboard the Orion spacecraft, which launched Wednesday as part of the Artemis II mission, according to the Czech Aerospace Industry Association.

    The MiniPix sensors are designed to measure cosmic radiation and help protect the crew from its effects. Radiation remains one of the most significant risks for missions beyond Earth’s orbit.

    Czech industry is contributing to the mission both directly and indirectly, including through the European Space Agency and the broader supply chain.

    Other Czech firms are looking even further ahead. Companies Stellar Exploration and Stellar Nuclear are developing a modular nuclear power source that could one day supply energy to bases on the Moon or Mars. A key challenge remains ensuring reliable operation in a vacuum and under extremely low temperatures.
    Author: Daniela Lazarová

  • PM: Czech government will not join international talks on fuel crisis
    04/02/2026

    The Czech government will not take part in an international meeting on the fuel crisis organized by the United Kingdom, Prime Minister Andrej Babiš (ANO) told reporters on Thursday. He also ruled out any Czech response to a call by U.S. President Donald Trump for countries to attempt to unblock the Strait of Hormuz without American assistance.

    According to Mr. Babiš, Prague intends to address the fuel crisis primarily within Central European framework initiatives aimed at securing a coordinated response.
    Author: Daniela Lazarová

  • Mayors and Independents call for emergency session on public media
    04/02/2026

    The Mayors and Independents (STAN) party is planning to push for an extraordinary session of the lower house to address the future of public service media, party leader Vít Rakušan told reporters on Thursday. The opposition party has sharply criticized the performance of Culture Minister Ota Klempíř (Motorists) who has been tasked with drafting legislation on public media which would replace license fees with state funding, calling him incompetent. It described the government’s statements on the future funding of Czech Television and Czech Radio as “confused and uncoordinated.” The party is demanding clear and concrete information from the government regarding its plans for the nation’s public broadcasters.
    Author: Daniela Lazarová

  • Czech government caps fuel margins, cuts diesel tax
    04/02/2026

    The Czech government will cap fuel distributors’ margins and reduce the excise duty on diesel in response to persistently high fuel prices, Prime Minister Andrej Babiš (ANO) announced after a cabinet meeting on Thursday.

    Under the plan, the maximum margin for fuel retailers will be set at 2.50 CZK per litre for both petrol and diesel. At the same time, the excise duty on diesel will be cut by 2.35 CZK per litre, bringing it down from the current 9.95 CZK. The tax on petrol will remain unchanged at 12.84 CZK per litre.

    The state will also introduce a system of daily maximum fuel prices and continue market monitoring. The measures are expected to take effect on Wednesday, April 8.

    In addition, the cabinet is set to discuss draft legislation on Monday, April 13, which would allow the government to regulate fuel margins and prices more flexibly through decrees.
    Author: Daniela Lazarová

  • Weather forecast
    04/02/2026

    Friday should be clear to partly cloudy and mostly dry with daytime highs between 9 and 14 degrees Celsius. The long Easter weekend should bring fine weather with Sunday’s temperatures reaching 20 degrees in places.

  • State galleries to offer free entry on first Sunday of each month
    04/02/2026

    Permanent exhibitions at major state-run institutions, including the National Gallery Prague, Moravian Gallery in Brno and Museum of Art Olomouc, will be free to visit on the first Sunday of each month starting in April. The first such day will fall on April 5. Culture Minister Oto Klempíř (Motorists) said the move is part of a pilot project aimed at making culture more accessible, in line with a pledge by the government of Andrej Babiš (ANO Party). He added that similar free-entry days are common across Europe.
    Author: Vít Pohanka

  • Skiing continues in Harrachov as Ještěd switches to summer season
    04/02/2026

    The Krkonoše resort Harrachov remains the last ski area operating in the Liberec region and plans to stay open for up to two more weeks, with 30 to 50 centimetres of snow still covering its main slope. Operators said conditions remain good, with hundreds of skiers visiting daily and strong turnout expected over the Easter holidays. In contrast, the Ještěd resort in Liberec has already launched its summer season, offering lift access for hikers as snow levels drop. Elsewhere, lifts in Rokytnice nad Jizerou will run for pedestrians over the holiday weekend, marking a gradual transition to spring operations.
    Author: Vít Pohanka

  • President Pavel questions NATO role in Iran conflict, warns of US exit test
    04/02/2026

    Czech President Petr Pavel said that involving NATO in the conflict with Iran “does not make sense,” stressing the alliance was founded for collective defence, not external military operations. Since the United States has not been attacked and Iran is not a NATO member, such involvement would contradict the alliance’s core principles, he said. Pavel also warned that a potential US withdrawal, floated by Donald Trump, would be a major test for NATO. Foreign Minister Petr Macinka declined to comment directly, saying he would wait for the upcoming NATO summit, while expressing doubt that Washington would seek to dismantle the alliance.
    Author: Vít Pohanka

  • Government reviewing next steps on Vatican treaty after court ruling
    04/02/2026

    The Czech government is assessing its next steps on the Vatican treaty after the Constitutional Court ruled that parts of the agreement conflict with the constitutional order, effectively halting the ratification process. The Foreign Ministry said it is analysing the legal implications of the ruling and will evaluate possible options. Foreign Minister Petr Macinka (Motorists) is expected to raise the issue at a future coalition council meeting. President Petr Pavel has not yet reviewed the full ruling and said it remains unclear whether the government will submit the treaty to him. Former foreign minister Jan Lipavský (Civic Democratic Party) defended the work of ministry experts, saying they aimed to align Czechia with common European legal standards.
    Author: Vít Pohanka

Pages