• Social housing seen as high priority for new minister
    12/17/2017

    The incoming Minister for Regional Development, Klára Dostálova, has said that constructing social housing should become obligatory for local councils.

    She added, in an interview with Czech Television, that a second attempt to introduce such legislation would be a priority for her.

    Social housing was a priority for the outgoing Social Democrat led government but disagreements between coalition parties about how this should be framed in law meant that it did not get passed in parliament. One of the basic problems were also arguments about which target groups should benefit from such housing.
    Author: Chris Johnstone

  • Czech Christmas likely to be warm and rainy
    12/17/2017

    Christmas in the Czech Republic is likely to be warm with rain or a mix of rain and snow, according to the long term monthly prediction of the national weather office.

    Daytime temperatures are likely to rise to above zero and as high as 5 degrees Celsius in the days running up to Christmas.

    During the first two weeks of January the forecasters say even nighttime temperatures are likely to remain above zero.
    Author: Chris Johnstone

  • Czech clinics lack quality sperm : report
    12/17/2017

    The Czech Republic is beginning to lack quality sperm for donation, according to clinics sounded out by public broadcaster Czech Television.

    Doctors said that the demand for sperm was rising from infertile couples. However, stricter conditions for sperm donors meant fewer and fewer could meet the requirements, they added.

    One clinic in Brno said that only around 10 percent of potential sperm donors could meet the requirements for the total number and quality in an ejaculation.

    In the past soldiers and more recently university students have numbered among the biggest donors. But these are more and more frequently affected by stress and other lifestyle problems that can cut sperm numbers and quality.
    Author: Chris Johnstone

  • Protests at Prague meeting of European anti-immigrant parties
    12/16/2017

    Several hundred people demonstrated in Prague against a meeting of anti-immigrant European parties on Saturday.

    They protested outside the Prague hotel where the meeting was convened and were later scheduled to converge later in the centre of the city.

    The meeting, featuring France’s Marine Le Pen and the Netherland’s Geert Wilders, was held at the invitation of the leader of the Czech Freedom and Direct Democracy Party,

    Tomio Okamura. The Czech leader, whose party gained the third most seats in parliament in October’s elections, said he was a convinced European but did not want to see the continent constructed on an administrative framework out of Brussels.

    Le Pen’s said the direction Europe was now heading in was against the tide of history. Wilders said he hoped the Czech Republic would continue to close its doors to what he described as mass immigration.

    Police said around 300 people took part in a demonstration against the meeting on Friday.
    Author: Chris Johnstone

  • Museum opened at Loděnice where Closely Observed Trains filmed
    12/16/2017

    A museum commemorating the Czech Oscar winning film ʻClosely Observed Trains’ as well as the local railway has opened at the town of Loděnice near Beroun.

    The film based on the book by Bohumil Hrabal was largely shot at the station by director Jiří Menzel. The museum at the station, which includes has been opened to coincide with the 120th anniversary of the rail route linking Prague, Rudná, and Beroun.
    Author: Chris Johnstone

  • Weather
    12/16/2017

    Snow showers with sunny spells are expected Sunday. Top temperatures will range between zero and three degrees Celsius.
    Author: Chris Johnstone

  • Prague flats shortage rises to 22,000: survey
    12/16/2017

    The shortage of flats in Prague has trebled in the last three years to reach around 22,000 according to a survey carried out by the consultancy Deloitte. It highlighted the fact that the number of building permits had dropped from around 8,000 in 2000 to around a quarter of that level. The number of completed flats will probably drop this year to around 4,000 from 6,000 last year.

    Price rises for flats in Prague have been among the highest in the country and in Europe over the last year.
    Author: Chris Johnstone

  • Lucie Šafářová teams up with coach Rob Steckley again
    12/16/2017

    Czech tennis player Lucie Šafářová has reappointed Rob Steckley as her trainer following their split in September.

    Under Steckley’s guidance from April 2013 for almost three years, Šafářová reached the finals of the French Open Grand Slam event losing against Serena Williams. She also reached the finals of five Grand Slam doubles tournaments with the partnership at one stage number one in the rankings.

    Šafářová said that Steckley had no other engagements at the moment and they came to a quick agreement.
    Author: Chris Johnstone

  • Czechs step back from hosting part of women’s European championships in 2019
    12/16/2017

    The Czech Republic has renounced the idea of hosting one of group competitions for the European women’s volleyball championships in 2019.

    The idea of hosting part of the competition had been raised in September by the Czech federation.

    The finals are being hosted by Slovakia. The Czech confederation now has ambitions to host part of the competition two years later in 2021.
    Author: Chris Johnstone

  • Czechs beat Canada in ice hockey after long wait
    12/16/2017

    In ice hockey, the Czech team ended a long series of defeats against Canada with the Channel One Cup tie in Moscow on Friday night. The Czechs won 4:1, ending a series of eight defeats in head to head confrontations.

    The win means the Czechs now head the tournament with five points. The last match will be against Sweden on Sunday.
    Author: Chris Johnstone

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