News

The 17th Czechoslovak Genealogical Society International (CGSI) Conference will take place from October 15-19 in Lincoln, Nebraska.

The focus of the biennial conference is to learn techniques for genealogical research in both the Czech Republic and Slovakia, and to explore the region’s history and culture.

Mila Šašková-Pierce, professor emerita at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, will present the keynote address "Czech Immigration and Language Influence in Lincoln."

The lower house of Parliament is expected to approve a government tax package at its session starting on Tuesday. It includes a proposal to raise taxes on alcohol and tobacco products, and an increase in parental allowance.

The basic parental allowance could rise from 80,000 crowns to 300,000 crowns. MPs are also due to start discuss the draft state budget for 2020, which counts on a 40 billion crown deficit.

In the initial round, MPs will approve the budget’s basic parameters, i.e. revenue, expenditure and deficit. MPs have tabled dozens of amendments to the tax package, only some of which the Committee on Budgets has supported thus far.

On Friday, Prime Minister Andrei Babiš (ANO) and Communist party leader Vojtěch Filip agreed to allocate an additional 4.9 billion crowns for the health sector. Originally, 334 billion crowns was earmarked for the sector.

The funeral of singer Karel Gott took place this Saturday at St. Vitus Cathedral in Prague Castle, a day after tens of thousands paid their last respects to him. Cardinal Dominik Duka officiated over the mass.

Gott, who died aged 80 on October 1, was given a funeral with state honours. Apart from his family and friends, also present were President Miloš Zeman, Prime Minister Andrej Babiš (ANO), Senate chairman Jaroslav Kubera (ODS).

Gott sold tens of millions of albums in a career spanning six decades and was voted the nation’s most popular singer 42 times in an annual contest. Celebrities on hand included pop singers Michal David and Helena Vondráčková.

In all, there were more than two hundred invited guests. The general public was able to follow the private ceremony inside on large screens installed around the St. Vitus Cathedral. Thousands did so.

After the funeral mass, Prague Castle guards carried a coffin with Gott’s remains to the sound of the country’s largest bell, which is rung only on special occasions. His body is to be cremated in a private ceremony.

One-fifth of seniors who contracted pneumococcus last year succumbed to the disease, according to the National Institute of Public Health data.

Pneumococcus can lead to severe pneumonia and dangerous inflammations, including meningitis. Of 481 people who contracted it last year, 256 were over 65 in age. In total, 84 people died, including one child.