News

Luboš Kohoutek, renowned Czech astronomer and discoverer of minor planets and comets, passed away on December 30 at the age of 88, the Czech Astronomical Society announced on Friday. He died in Germany, where he had emigrated in 1970 following the occupation of Czechoslovakia by the Warsaw Pact troops.

During his long career, Luboš Kohoutek discovered 75 asteroids, and five comets, including Comet Kohoutek, which was visible to the naked eye in 1973. He also discovered a large number of planetary nebulae.

Water levels on Czechia’s rivers, swollen be several days of heavy rain and melting snow, are gradually subsiding.

The Labe River in Ústí nad Labem, Litoměřice and Děčín is still on the highest, third level flood alert, but its levels should drop to the second level by Sunday noon.

The highest of the three level flood alerts is also reported on the Vltava River in Český Krumlov.

Czechia has won the bronze medal in the ice hockey’s World Junior Championship in Sweden on Friday. The Czechs overcame Finland’s 5-2 lead and scored the only five goals of the third period to defeat the Finnish team 8-5.

Tomáš Hamara scored the winner at 18:19, just 15 seconds after the Czechs had tied the score, and they then added two empty netters. The victory was a shock for Finland which looked dominant in the last half of the second period.

Over 450 people died on Czech roads in 2023, which is the second lowest road death toll since 1961, when police stating keeping track, according to data released on Friday. Traffic police registered 94,945 accidents last year, 3,515 fewer than in 2022. A new road law which took effect with the start of the New Year, aims to improve the record further, by imposing much higher penalties for the most serious transgressions which often result in fatal accidents, such as speeding, drink-driving and using a hand-held mobile.