• Kaprálová wins EU Prize for Literature for The Maribor Hypnosis
    05/30/2026

    Czech writer Dora Kaprálová has won the European Union Prize for Literature for her novel The Maribor Hypnosis. The winner was announced at the Warsaw International Book Fair on Friday. Kaprálová’s novel was chosen from among 14 nominated works.

    The Maribor Hypnosis previously won in the main category of Magnesia Litera, a leading Czech domestic literary award.

    Kaprálová was born in Brno and now lives in Berlin.
    Author: Ian Willoughby

  • Addiction and social inclusion experts to strike Monday over govt. move
    05/30/2026

    Czech specialists working in the fields of addiction and social inclusion are set to go on a symbolic two-hour strike on Monday in protest at a shake-up under which some responsibilities are being transferred from the Office of the Government to individual ministries.

    Union officials at the Agency for Social Inclusion will put forward their demands on Monday afternoon, according to a statement.

    The government decided last week to transfer the human rights and drug policy agenda, under which addiction issues fall, to four different ministries starting in July. Drug policy will newly fall under the authority of the Ministry of Health.

    Experts working in the field fear that the change will jeopardize the availability, quality and continuity of care for their clients.
    Author: Ian Willoughby

  • Menšík, 20, into round of 16 at French Open for first time
    05/30/2026

    Czech tennis player Jakub Menšík has reached the round of 16 at the French Open for the first time. The 20-year-old defeated Alex de Minaur of Australia 0-6 6-2 6-2 6-3 to reach the fourth round of a Grand Slam for the second time in 2026. He will now face Andrey Rublev of Russia for a place in the quarter-finals at Roland Garros.

    In the women’s competition, Karolína Muchová and Marie Bouzková were knocked out on Friday.

  • Weather forecast
    05/30/2026

    It should be mainly overcast in Czechia on Sunday, with an average high temperature of 25 degrees Celsius. More cloudy weather and some rain are expected on the following days.
    Author: Ian Willoughby

  • Czech footballers readying for last friendly before World Cup
    05/30/2026

    The Czech Republic’s footballers are preparing for their final warm-up game before the World Cup, against Kosovo in Prague on Sunday. Coach Miroslav Koubek is expected to field a number of fringe players in the match, after which he will announce the final, 26-man squad for the tournament, which takes place in North America.

    The Czechs’ opening game at their first World Cup in two decades will be against South Korea on June 11. They then face South Africa and co-hosts Mexico.
    Author: Ian Willoughby

  • Weather forecast
    05/29/2026

    Saturday will be mostly cloudy to overcast, with occasional rain or showers. Daytime highs will range between 24 and 28 degrees Celsius.

  • Terezín to begin repairs on two historic fortress buildings
    05/29/2026

    Work is set to begin on the repair of the former armoury and military storehouse in the fortress town of Terezín. The plans were presented on Friday at the recently restored Wieser House. Heritage experts and specialists from the Czech Technical University will help oversee the reconstruction.

    The project is part of a broader effort to save some of Terezín’s most endangered historic buildings. The town has secured funding from the state and the Ústí nad Labem Region, though officials say finding designers and contractors remains a challenge.

    Terezín was built in the 18th century as a fortress commissioned by Emperor Joseph II. During World War II, it was used by the Nazis as a ghetto and transit camp for Jews, through which around 155,000 people from across Europe passed.
    Author: Ruth Fraňková

  • Madrid unveils monument to Czech who preserved ashes of Nazi victims
    05/29/2026

    A monument to František Suchý, the Czech crematorium director who secretly preserved the ashes of victims of Nazi and communist repression, was unveiled in Madrid on Friday.

    During World War II, Suchý hid the remains of hundreds of victims so they could one day receive a dignified burial. Among them were several Spaniards who died at the Hradištko concentration camp near Prague.

    The bronze statue, created by sculptor Jakub Vlček and funded by private donors, stands in Madrid Río Park near the Prague Bridge. It was unveiled by Czech and Spanish representatives.
    Author: Ruth Fraňková

  • Survey: Nearly 40 percent of young Czechs use nicotine products
    05/29/2026

    Nearly 40 percent of Czechs aged 15 to 24 use some form of nicotine, and a quarter do so daily, according to a new survey by the National Institute of Public Health. Electronic cigarettes are the most popular product among young users.

    Across the population as a whole, 29.5 percent of people use nicotine products. While the share of smokers has fallen slightly in recent years, the use of e-cigarettes has more than doubled over the past five years.

    The survey also found that alcohol consumption and harmful drinking continue to decline, although alcohol use in Czechia remains high by international standards.

  • Czech economy grows by 2.2 percent in first quarter
    05/29/2026

    The Czech economy grew by 2.2 percent year on year in the first quarter of 2026, according to revised figures from the Czech Statistical Office. That is slightly higher than its initial estimate released in April. Compared with the previous quarter, GDP rose by 0.2 percent.

    Growth was driven mainly by higher household spending and investment, while foreign trade weighed on the result. Exports increased by 5.8 percent and imports by 8.2 percent.

    Employment also rose, with the number of people in work up 1.1 percent year on year.
    Author: Ruth Fraňková

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