• Pirate MP uses power in official apartment to generate cryptocurrency
    05/24/2018

    Tomáš Vymazal used the power in the apartment he receives as a Pirate Party MP to generate cryptocurrency, the news site Aktualne.cz reported. Mr. Vymazal’s activities were given away by a major rise in electricity consumption at the flat. The lower house deputy, who is 28, said his powerful computers had helped to heat up the cold property on Nerudova St.

    However, Mr. Vymazal also apologised and promised to give the money he had earned from generating the cryptocurrency Zcash to charity.
    Author: Ian Willoughby

  • Government weighs up higher bonuses for nurses
    05/24/2018

    The government is considering increasing nurses’ bonuses for working shifts, Czech Television reported. At present nurses get between CZK 2000 and CZK 3000 a month for doing such work, but that could rise to CZK 7000 under proposals put forward on Thursday by the acting prime minister, Andrej Babiš, and health minister, Adam Vojtěch.

    At the beginning of May cabinet members promised a pay rise of 10 percent for medical workers from next year.

    Around 3000 nursing positions are at present unfilled in the Czech Republic. Roughly half that number of nurses have left the profession since 2010, Czech Television said.
    Author: Ian Willoughby

  • Weather forecast
    05/24/2018

    It should be bright with the chance of storms in the Czech Republic on Friday, with temperatures of up to 25 degrees Celsius expected. Daytime highs are then due to climb to the high 20s Celsius at the start of next week.
    Author: Ian Willoughby

  • Journalism prize goes to presidential debate chair Witowská
    05/24/2018

    The Karel Havlíček Borovský Prize for journalism has gone to Světlana Witowská of public broadcaster Czech Television. The jury praised her ability to conduct interviews with perspective, thoroughness and elegance.

    Ms. Witowská won plaudits for her handling of the final TV debate between presidential candidates Miloš Zeman and Jiří Drahoš in January, which was watched by around a quarter of the population.
    Author: Ian Willoughby

  • Greek court cuts suspended terms for Czechs who photographed army facilities
    05/24/2018

    An appeals court in Greece has reduced the suspended sentences handed down to two Czechs for photographing military facilities in the country, Mladá fronta Dnes reported on Thursday. Martin Pezlar and Ivan Buchta were previously given terms of two and a half years suspended for three years. Now they are facing one and a half year terms, also suspended for three years.

    Mr. Pezlar and Mr. Buchta were arrested on the Greek island of Limnos in 2012. They were reported to have taken photos at a military site near the Turkish border to use in creating a computer game.
    Author: Ian Willoughby

  • Czechs Republic drops to 29th place on IMD world competitiveness list
    05/24/2018

    An annual competitiveness report compiled by the IMD Business School in Switzerland puts the Czech Republic at 29th place on its world rankings, a drop of one place compared with last year. Nevertheless, the Czech Republic keeps its top position among the countries that joined the EU in 2004.

    At the top of the chart of 63 states are the United States, followed by Hong Kong and Singapore. The rankings measure how well countries manage their economic and human resources to increase their prosperity.
    Author: Ruth Fraňková

  • Tennis star Petra Kvitová’s attacker reportedly arrested
    05/24/2018

    Police have reportedly arrested a man suspected of attacking tennis star Petra Kvitová in December 2016, Czech television reported on Wednesday. Police have confirmed that the case had been reopened a few months ago but didn’t provide any further details on grounds that it could threaten the ongoing proceedings.

    Kvitová was attacked in her home in Prostějov, sustaining severe injuries to her left hand as she grappled with her attacker. After undergoing surgery and rehabilitation she made her comeback at the French Open last year.

    The investigation into the attack was shelved in November last year due to lack of evidence.
    Author: Ruth Fraňková

  • Zeman says will appoint Babiš PM whatever referendum outcome
    05/23/2018

    President Miloš Zeman says he will appoint Andrej Babiš prime minister no matter what the outcome of the Social Democrat’s referendum on whether to take part in a coalition government with ANO.

    The Czech president made the statement on Wednesday at the Žofín economic forum in Prague. He also repeated that he didn’t favour early elections and said he believed that a government will be formed by the summer.

    Andrej Babiš’s ANO party won 78 mandates in the 200-member Chamber of Deputies in October elections last year but has so far failed to create a majority administration.
    Author: Ruth Fraňková

  • Weather
    05/23/2018

    Thursday is expected to be mostly overcast with scattered rain showers and storms. Daytime highs are expected to reach up to 26 degrees Celsius.
    Author: Ruth Fraňková

  • Heavy storms to hit Czech Republic on Wednesday afternoon
    05/23/2018

    Meteorologists have issued a severe storm warning for most parts of the Czech Republic, which could be accompanied by hail and torrential rain. The storms are expected to hit the country on Wednesday afternoon and move towards the south-west during Thursday and Friday.

    Rivers and streams in the affected areas are likely to swell and possibly flood roads, streets and houses, the Czech Hydrometeorological Institute said on Wednesday.
    Author: Ruth Fraňková

Pages