• Jude Thaddeus Okolo appointed new apostolic nuncio to Czechia
    05/01/2022

    Pope Francis on Sunday appointed Nigerian Archbishop Jude Thaddeus Okolo the new apostolic nuncio to the Czech Republic. He will replace Charles Daniel Balvo, who has served as apostolic nuncio to the Czech Republic for the past four years.

    Mr Okolo, who has already served at the Prague nunciature in the past, will be the sixth papal nuncio to the Czech Republic since 1990. Among his first tasks will be to appoint new seat bishops for Brno and Ostrava.

  • Industry and Trade Minister: Gas storage tanks in Czechia 30 percent full
    05/01/2022

    Gas storage tanks in the Czech Republic are 30 percent full at the moment, the Ministry of Industry and Trade Josef Síkela said in a debate programme on Czech Television on Sunday, adding that the country’s gas reserves have exceeded one billion cubic metres.

    Mr Síkela said the target for 80 per cent of storage capacity to be filled by the start of the next heating season will be fulfilled.

    Some 550 cubic metres of gas were added to the storage tanks during April in order to secure sufficient amount ahead of the heating season and to prevent economic damage in case Russia stops gas flows to the country.
    Author: Ruth Fraňková

  • Czechs defeat Sweden in second match of Czech Hockey Games
    05/01/2022

    The Czech Republic’s national hockey team defeated Sweden 9:3 on Saturday in the second match of the Czech Hockey Games, a preparatory tournament for the upcoming world championships in Finland. The team, led by coach Kari Jalonen, will face Austria in their last game on Sunday.
    Author: Ruth Fraňková

  • Firefighters responded to around ninety witch-burning fires
    05/01/2022

    On Saturday, firefighters responded to around ninety fires throughout the country during the traditional burning of witches, about the same number as last year. According to the Fire and Rescue Service spokesperson, there was no major damage and no serious injuries were reported.

    The burning of rag-and-straw witches on Čarodějnice ceremonially marks the definitive end of winter. The tradition developed from an ancient pagan belief that witches were especially active on the night of April 30.

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    Author: Ruth Fraňková

  • Czechs mark witch-burning night around country
    04/30/2022

    Fire fighters around the Czech Republic are on standby ahead of Saturday night's “witch-burning”, or pálení čarodějnic. The ancient pagan tradition takes place every year on the night of April 30, with people marking the definitive end of winter by the burning of rag and straw witches on bonfires.

    A spokesperson appealed for the public to act responsibly and adhere to basic safety rules. Those planning to light large bonfires have been urged to inform local fire brigades in advance.
    Author: Ruth Fraňková

  • Miloš Zeman calls on union leader Středula to run for president
    04/30/2022

    Speaking at the congress of the Bohemian-Moravian Confederation of Trade Unions on Saturday, President Miloš Zeman asked the delegates to persuade their boss Josef Středula to run for head of state in the upcoming presidential elections, saying that he would be one of the strongest candidates.

    Středula has been mentioned by the media as a possible candidate for president, but the union leader has not officially announced his candidacy. He said he was seriously considering running for the post, if he received the backing of the union members.
    Author: Ruth Fraňková

  • Weather forecast
    04/30/2022

    Sunday is expected to be mostly cloudy with occasional rain showers and day temperatures ranging between 16 and 20 degrees Celsius.
    Author: Ruth Fraňková

  • Czechia only candidate so far to replace Russia on UN Human Rights Council
    04/30/2022

    The Czech Republic is so far the only candidate for the seat on the 47-member United Nations Human Rights Council, from which Russia has been excluded, assembly spokeswoman Paulina Kubiak told the AP agency on Thursday. However, other countries may also express interest in membership before the vote on May 11.

    The UN General Assembly approved the suspension of Russia’s membership in the UNHRC on April 7 following reports that Russian soldiers were killing civilians in Ukraine.

    Seats on the Geneva-based council are divided among regional groups and according to the rules, a replacement for Russia has to come from an Eastern of Central European country.
    Author: Ruth Fraňková

  • Prague refugee centre processed over 3,750 people on Friday
    04/30/2022

    Prague’s assistance centre for Ukrainian refugees in Vysočany district on Friday processed some 3,754 people who had fled to the Czech Republic to escape the Russian invasion. That is around 70 more than on the same day a week ago. Since the start of the invasion in February, the centre has registered more than 80,446 war refugees.

    To date, the Czech Ministry of the Interior has granted over 316,000 special visas to refugees fleeing Russia’s war on Ukraine. The migration police on Friday reported over 2,255 registered refugees.

  • Josef Středula re-elected as trade union leader
    04/30/2022

    Josef Středula has been re-elected head of the Bohemian-Moravian Confederation of Trade Unions, the country's largest trade union organization, at its congress in Prague on Friday evening.

    Středula, who has been heading the organization since 2014, was the only candidate running for the post of chairman and was supported by 153 of 173 delegates who cast their vote.

    President Miloš Zeman is expected to attend the conference on Saturday.
    Author: Ruth Fraňková

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