• 04/02/2025

    Thursday’s weather will be clear or almost clear. Highest temperatures will be from 14 to 18 °C.

  • 04/02/2025

    Czechia, within the framework of the EU’s Ukraine Facility instrument, is investing 100 million euros (2.5 billion crowns) into the renovation of Ukrainian hospitals, as announced on Wednesday by Ukrainian Minister of Health Viktor Liashko. The minister attended a business forum in Kyiv with his Czech counterpart Vlastimil Válek.

    "The Czech Republic is potentially ready to finance the modernisation of thirteen hospitals in seven regions of Ukraine,” Mr. Liashko wrote on Facebook. Medical facilities in the country have been also affected by the ongoing and targeted by Russian forces. Last week, the Ukrainian army reported that Russia had hit a military hospital in Kharkiv.

    The Czech Ministry of Health announced on Monday that Mr. Válek will be visiting Ukraine from Sunday to Thursday. His work programme includes visits to several hospitals that Czechia is helping to reconstruct with EU support, as well as meetings with Ukrainian officials.

    Author: Danny Bate
  • 04/02/2025

    Some of the Prague employees of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) will be staying home with salary compensation as of Wednesday, due to work disruption, RFE/RL informed ČTK in a press release. This is due to the fact that the station has still not received the funds allocated by the US Congress for April. President Donald Trump's administration wants to end funding for RFE/RL, and the radio station is now defending itself in court.

    The US Congress has allocated approximately $77 million (1.8 billion crowns) to fund the station until the end of September this year. US lawmakers have not reversed their decision, so efforts to end RFE/RL's funding are based on Mr. Trump's executive orders. However, according to the radio station, it is Congress that decides such a step.

    The United States Agency for Global Media, through which the radio station normally receives money, informed the station last Wednesday that it was reversing its previous decision to end funding, and the grant agreement for this fiscal year is now in effect. However, no money allocated by Congress has been received by the radio station since then, RFE/RL has stated.

    Author: Danny Bate
  • 04/02/2025

    Tennis player Jakub Menšík enjoyed returning to his hometown of Prostějov after his triumph at the Masters tournament in Miami, and told reporters at a press conference that by moving to twenty-fourth place in the ATP rankings, he has already fulfilled his pre-season goal. “As soon as everything calms down a bit and I return to the court, I will set new goals,” said Mr. Menšík.

    The nineteen-year-old native of Prostějov, who became the first Czech to win a Masters tournament since Tomáš Berdych's success in Paris in 2005, watched a commemorative video at the beginning of the press conference that showed highlights from his 7:6, 7:6 win over Novak Djokovic. He has decided to withdraw from an upcoming tournament in Monte Carlo, which starts at the end of the week, and to take a few days’ rest instead.

    Author: Danny Bate
  • 04/02/2025

    The Constitutional Court on Wednesday unanimously rejected a proposal by opposition MPs, according to which current government regulation disadvantages collectively engaged farmers, such as cooperatives, when distributing state support. In their view, it benefits farmers who farm independently. The Constitutional Court will not intervene in the matter, and the setting of subsidies to farmers will remain unchanged.

    The chairman of the Farmers' Defenders Association, Jaroslav Lád, said that the current rules are destroying the countryside and that farmers will look for other ways to defend their interests, for example in elections. Minister of Agriculture Marek Výborný welcomed the verdict. "The setting of subsidies is a political matter, not a constitutional one," court reporter Tomáš Langášek told journalists.

    Author: Danny Bate
  • 04/02/2025

    The amendment increasing recruitment allowance and other benefits for soldiers creates a competitive advantage when recruiting into the army, Czech Minister of the Interior Vít Rakušan told senators on Wednesday at a meeting of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Security.

    The amendment to the Act on Professional Soldiers will enter into force on July 1st, and according to the government, its aim is to support the replenishment of the army and the retention of current personnel. The amendment increases the recruitment allowance up to four times the current maximum of 250,000 crowns. Other benefits include a stabilisation allowance, a housing allowance and a supplement for service abroad. The additional costs for the state budget were estimated by the Ministry of Defence at 375 million crowns per year.

    Author: Danny Bate
  • 04/02/2025

    Charles University has announced it will gradually depart from the social network X, choosing to focus on other communication channels. The university's management stated that recent changes to X’s algorithms and policies have increasingly conflicted with its core values, including freedom of speech, critical thinking, and open discussion.

    The departure from X will be gradual and coordinated. The university will continue engaging with the public through Facebook, Instagram, Bluesky, Threads, and LinkedIn. As the largest and oldest university in Czechia, Charles University operates seventeen faculties across Prague, Plzeň, and Hradec Králové, with approximately 8,800 staff members and around 53,000 students.

    Author: Ruth Fraňková
  • 04/02/2025

    Two carriages of a RegioJet express train derailed at Ostrava's main station this morning, with dozens of passengers on board. Fortunately, no injuries were reported. Firefighters, in collaboration with police, evacuated 61 people from the train. The damage has been estimated at around four million crowns.

    The incident occurred around 7 AM, but the cause is still under investigation. The train was traveling from Návsí in the Frýdek-Místek region, en route to Prague via Olomouc. Emergency teams from the Railway Administration and local fire services are on-site.

    Author: Ruth Fraňková
  • 04/02/2025

    Actor and dubbing artist Alois Švehlík has passed away at the age of 85. A prominent member of the National Theatre ensemble for over 35 years, he also appeared in around 60 film and television roles. Švehlík was best known for his distinctive raspy voice, which brought to life stars like Jack Nicholson and Pierce Brosnan. In 2014, he received the František Filipovský award for his lifetime contributions to dubbing and was also honoured with a Thalia Award for his exceptional acting career.

    Author: Ruth Fraňková
  • 04/01/2025

    Wednesday will be mostly cloudy with isolated showers in the mountains, clearing gradually from the northeast throughout the day. Maximum temperatures will range from 12 to 17°C, with around 6°C at 1,000 meters in the mountains.

    Author: Ruth Fraňková

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