• 09/05/2024

    Karolína Muchová reached the semifinals of the US Open for the second consecutive year, defeating Brazil’s Beatriz Haddad Maia 6:1, 6:4 in just 85 minutes. The 28-year-old Czech player, who has returned from a lengthy wrist injury, will face Jessica Pegula in the semifinals. Muchová praised her improved health, contrasting it with last year's pain. This is her fourth Grand Slam semifinal, having previously reached the final of Roland Garros. Haddad Maia acknowledged Muchová's superior performance and expressed dissatisfaction with her own level of play.

    Author: Vít Pohanka
  • 09/05/2024

    The Czech government approved nearly CZK 500 million in compensation for fruit growers affected by spring frosts, Minister of Agriculture Marek Výborný (Christian Democrats) announced. Growers can apply for the aid in October with payments expected in December. The compensation includes CZK 378 million from the EU and CZK 100 million from the Czech budget. Growers who suffered at least 50% damage will receive compensation, with priority given to those with insurance. Various fruit types will have different payout rates, depending on their cultivation costs. The final rates will be determined in November.

    Author: Vít Pohanka
  • 09/05/2024

    Police are investigating multiple leads following recent bomb threats targeting schools in Czechia, Interior Minister Vít Rakušan (Mayors and Independents Party) said. Threats were made against 600 schools on Tuesday and 400 more on Wednesday, affecting both public and private institutions. The police are collaborating with Slovak authorities, who faced similar threats. A task force including representatives from the Ministries of Education, Interior, and Police has been formed to address safety concerns. Rakušan assured school leaders that the threats aim to create fear, but safety measures are being prioritized. An ongoing investigation is being led by the National Center for Terrorism and Cybercrime.

    Author: Vít Pohanka
  • 09/04/2024

    A new campaign, "Je to OK!", led by former national anti-drug coordinator Jindřich Vobořil, highlights the preventive and financial benefits of a regulated cannabis market. The campaign focuses on patient protection, decriminalization, and child safety, with videos distributed mainly on social media. Health Minister Vlastimil Válek (TOP 09) expressed support for a regulated market but emphasized the importance of ensuring access to medical cannabis for patients. Vobořil has proposed legislation for legal cannabis cultivation and sale. The government aims to align substance regulations with their harm levels, though opposition remains from some parties.

    Author: Vít Pohanka
  • 09/04/2024

    A farmer in Bohušov, North Moravia, unearthed an unexploded World War II artillery mine and alerted the police. When bomb disposal experts arrived, they found an additional 20 mines in a nearby forest. The site was secured without the need for evacuation due to its remote location. The Bruntál, Opava, and Ostrava areas frequently experience similar discoveries due to the historical significance of battles fought there during WWII, particularly during the Ostrava-Opava operation in 1945.

    Author: Vít Pohanka
  • 09/04/2024

    Despite economic stabilization after high inflation, two-thirds of Czechs still perceive the situation as an economic crisis. This is the main result of a survey by Ipsos for Generali Investments CEE. Rising housing costs and energy prices are the top concerns, along with lingering fears of inflation. Nearly on-fifth cited housing costs as their biggest financial worry, followed by energy prices and inflation. The survey, conducted in August also showed that 60% of Czechs are reducing energy and water consumption, and a significant portion has adjusted their savings strategies.

    Author: Vít Pohanka
  • 09/04/2024

    Thursday will be mostly clear or partly cloudy, with isolated showers possible in some areas and temperatures reaching 28 to 32°C.

    Author: Vít Pohanka
  • 09/04/2024

    The Czech Constitutional Court has ruled that authorities can no longer deduct unpaid fines from social benefits, responding to a petition by 17 senators. The court deemed the practice, which affected entire households, as collective punishment and unconstitutional. The law had allowed deductions from benefits like living allowances and housing supplements for unpaid fines, including public order violations. The court emphasized that this could lower people’s living standards below the subsistence level and violate the principle of individual responsibility. The senators who initiated the petition stressed the need for prevention and support, rather than punitive measures, to address such issues.

    Author: Vít Pohanka
  • 09/04/2024

    The Supreme Court rejected the appeals of former Prime Minister Petr Nečas and former Deputy Minister of Agriculture Roman Boček. The case, which led to the fall of the government in 2013 and caused a political earthquake, has been in and out of courts for years. It involved offering positions in exchange for dissenting MPs stepping down from parliament in order to pass a tax bill. Both Nečas and Boček received suspended sentences and financial penalties. Nečas was sentenced to 2.5 years and fined CZK 1 million, while Boček received a two-year sentence and a CZK 300,000 fine. Their last legal option is to file a constitutional complaint.

    Author: Vít Pohanka
  • 09/04/2024

    Prague has a street named after Nicholas Winton. It is dedicated to pedestrians and cyclists, and was ceremonially opened by city representatives on Tuesday to honor Winton’s efforts during World War II, when the British stockbroker and humanitarian organized the rescue of nearly 700 children, mostly Jewish, from Nazi-occupied Czechoslovakia. The opening date commemorated the start of the war and the last Winton train from Prague on September 1, 1939. This new street symbolizes both the tragic history of Jewish transports from the nearby Bubny station and and the heroism of Winton.

    Author: Vít Pohanka

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