• 12/05/2023

    It should be mainly overcast in Czechia on Wednesday, with an average high temperature of 2 degrees Celsius. The following days are expected to see similar weather.

    Author: Ian Willoughby
  • 12/05/2023

    Czech Television on Monday evening presented the seven participants in a national competition to choose the country’s entrant for next year’s Eurovision Song Contest. The public now have one week to vote for a winner from among Aiko, Elly, Gianna Lei, Lenny, MYDY, Tom Sean and Tomas Robin.

    The final of next year’s Eurovision will be held in Sweden’s Malmo in May, following two semi-finals earlier that week.

    Author: Ian Willoughby
  • 12/05/2023

    The Supreme Court has rejected an appeal from ex-MP Lubomír Volný, who was fighting a suspended sentence for spreading false alarm over comments he made on the drug ivermectin, Czech Television reported on Tuesday.

    During the Covid crisis Mr. Volný said on social media that people would die because of a plot to discredit ivermectin. At the time some believed the drug could help combat Covid, despite a lack of scientific evidence.

    Mr. Volný was elected as a member of the anti-EU Freedom and Direct Democracy before leaving the grouping. He is no longer in high politics.

    Author: Ian Willoughby
  • 12/05/2023

    The black redstart has been named Bird of the Year 2024 by the Czech Ornithological Society, replacing last year's winner, the common pochard. Originally a high-altitude species, the black redstart has gradually migrated to urban environments over the course of several centuries. While the nesting population used to be strictly migratory, in recent years the bird has been spotted in cities even during winter, which the Czech Ornithological Society says is probably related to global warming and climate change.

    The Bird of the Year campaign, which has been taking place in the Czech Republic since 1992, aims to raise awareness of endangered bird species.

    Author: Anna Fodor
  • 12/05/2023

    The final agreement between the Health Ministry, hospital staff and health insurance companies should be signed on Friday, after which doctors will call off the protest that began on December 1 and begin working overtime again. Due to almost half of doctors refusing to work overtime in December, hospitals have been operating in a limited capacity to varying degrees since the start of the month.

    The Czech Medical Chamber and doctors' unions have agreed to a salary increase of CZK 5,000 to 15,000 per month depending on seniority and an increase of five percent for other hospital employees, including non-medical staff.

    Author: Anna Fodor
  • 12/04/2023

    Houses, cemeteries and plots of land that have been abandoned, mainly due to the post-war displacement of German residents in the former Sudetenland, will belong to the state from January, the Ombudsman's Office announced on its website on Monday. The ten-year period during which the displaced owners could request that their property be returned to them will expire at the end of this year.

    In 2014, the rules regarding abandoned real estate changed, with ownership being transferred from local governments to the state. However, a ten-year grace period was instated, before which the property could not be considered truly abandoned.

    Author: Anna Fodor
  • 12/04/2023

    Tuesday should be partly overcast with a chance of some light snow in the morning. Temperatures are expected to range between -2 and -6 degrees Celsius.

    Author: Anna Fodor
  • 12/04/2023

    The Environment Ministry is planning to introduce mandatory separate textile waste collection from 2025, with the associated costs to be paid in part by the manufacturers of the material. The Environment Minister Petr Hladík announced at a press conference on Monday that the aim is to increase the amount of textile waste that is reused or recycled. At the moment, separate textile waste collection is not compulsory and so a lot of discarded clothing that could be reused or recycled ends up in landfill, the minister said.

    Author: Anna Fodor
  • 12/04/2023

    The speakers of both houses of the Czech parliament arrived in Israel on Monday morning for a one-day visit in order to express their support for the country in its fight against Hamas. Miloš Vystrčil of the upper house and Markéta Pekarová Adamová of the lower house are visiting the areas in the south of Israel where Hamas launched its attacks on 7 October and also meeting with Amir Ohana, the speaker of the Knesset, at whose invitation they came, and Israeli Foreign Affairs and Defence Committee Chair Yuli Edelstein. They will also meet with wounded soldiers in a local hospital and with employees of the Czech embassy in Tel Aviv.

    Author: Anna Fodor
  • 12/04/2023

    Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala said after meeting with Austrian chancellor Karl Nehammer in Vienna on Monday that Czech-Austrian relations are the best they have ever been. He further stated that the two countries have many common interests and agree on many issues, such as migration policy, with both countries calling for better protection of the EU's external borders, faster deportation procedures and more cooperation with migrants' countries of origin. However, Mr. Fiala added that the migration problem requires an EU-wide solution, which he said was still very far off.

    Author: Anna Fodor

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