News

Restricting mobile phone use in schools has improved communication and relationships among pupils, according to principals in Brno. Several schools report that students interact more during breaks and are less distracted in class. However, researchers from Masaryk University caution that such bans do not automatically lead to better academic results. They argue that overall teaching quality and classroom atmosphere play a greater role. Czech schools set their own rules on phone use, with more than half already applying some restrictions. Debate over broader regulation continues among both government and opposition politicians.

Czech forward David Pastrňák scored a goal and added two assists, but the Boston Bruins lost 3–4 to the Buffalo Sabres in their opening playoff game. Buffalo staged a late comeback with four goals in the final minutes, overturning a 0–2 deficit. Pastrňák cut the lead with a late power-play goal, but it was not enough. Czech goalie Jakub Dobeš made 20 saves as the Montreal Canadiens beat the Tampa Bay Lightning 4–3 in overtime, with Slovak player Juraj Slafkovský scoring a hat-trick.

Opposition parties Civic Democratic Party and Mayors and Independents are pushing to postpone a parliamentary vote on new members of the Czech Television Council amid allegations of bribery. STAN leader Vít Rakušan and ODS chairman Martin Kupka said the vote should not proceed until suspicions that some candidates accepted payments in connection with the election of Czech Television’s director are clarified. The allegations stem from a recording published by the news website Forum 24, reportedly capturing a discussion between council members about an unpaid sum linked to a vote. One of the figures involved has questioned the authenticity of the recording, while another denies the conversation took place. Lawmakers are expected to debate whether to remove the vote from the parliamentary agenda until the matter is investigated.

Some jars of baby food produced by HiPP in Austria, Czechia and Slovakia have been found to contain rat poison, the company said, adding that all products have been withdrawn from sale by retailers. Authorities suspect the case is linked to an extortion attempt, with police in all three countries searching for a possible perpetrator. In Czechia, two contaminated jars were discovered in a shop in Brno. Officials say the overall risk remains low but urge caution. Suspicious jars can be identified by tampered lids, missing seals, unusual smells or a white sticker with a red circle on the bottom.