• Clean-up of oil lagoons in Ostrava resumes
    11/14/2017

    Another phase of a clean-up of the sludge oil lagoons left by the former chemical plant Ostramo in Ostrava got underway on Tuesday. Some 200,000 tonnes of waste was removed in the past but thousands more were unexpectedly uncovered.

    The tender to remove an additional 90,000 tonnes of the chemical dredge was won by the company AVE CZ in 2015. The oil and chemical lagoon in Ostrava is considered a major ecological disaster for the Czech Republic.
    Author: Ruth Fraňková

  • Holocaust victims remembered by ‘Stolperschwelle’ in Olomouc
    11/14/2017

    A large brass plaque was set into the pavement in Olomouc on Tuesday to honour the memory of more than 3,500 Jews, who were transported from the city to extermination camps during WWII. The ‘Stolperschwelle’, literally a ‘stumbling threshold’, has been placed outside the elementary school in the centre of the city, from where four transports left for the Terezín in 1942. Only about 295 people returned.

    Another 25 smaller plaques were placed into pavements in front of apartment blocks and houses, reminding the city’s residents of the victims of the Nazis who lived there.
    Author: Ruth Fraňková

  • Economic growth accelerates to five percent
    11/14/2017

    The Czech Republic’s economic growth accelerated to an annual five percent rate in the third quarter of this year form 4.7 percent in the previous quarter, according to preliminary figures published by the Czech Statistical Office.

    It is the fastest growth over the past two years. Compared to the previous quarter, GDP growth contracted from 2.5 to 0.5 percent. Analysts expect an overall annual economic growth by around 4.4 percent.
    Author: Ruth Fraňková

  • Weather
    11/14/2017

    Wednesday is going to be partly ovecast with sunny intervals and daytime temperatures ranging between four and eight degrees Celsius.
    Author: Ruth Fraňková

  • Czechs dressed in Borat swimsuit arrested in Astana
    11/14/2017

    A group of Czech tourists were arrested in the Kazakh capital of Astana last week for disorderly conduct, the news site aktualne.cz reported on Tuesday.

    The six men changed into black wigs and neon-green thong swimsuits, similar to those worn by the actor Sasha Baron Cohen in the film Borat, attempting to take a picture in front of a panel saying ‘I love Astana.’ They were released after paying a fine of 22,500 tenge (approximately 60 euros).
    Author: Ruth Fraňková

  • Confiscated farm returns to Mašín family
    11/14/2017

    Zdena Mašínová and her brother Josef, one of the two brothers who dramatically escaped from Czechoslovakia in the early 1950s, have officially become owners of the family farm in Lošany in Central Bohemia, which was confiscated by the Communists in 1948. After the fall of the Communist regime, Zdena Mašínová was given back two-eighths of the farm, but the rest was kept in state hands since her brothers didn’t live in the Czech Republic. In March this year, a district court in Kolín issued a new inheritance ruling saying that the family was entitled to the whole estate.
    Author: Ruth Fraňková

  • Czech president to meet with Mikhail Gorbachev during Russia visit
    11/14/2017

    Czech president Miloš Zeman is set to meet with former Russian president Mikhail Gorbachev during his visit to Russia in the second half of November, his spokesman Jiří Ovčáček said at a press conference on Tuesday. He will also meet with Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medveded.

    The Czech head of state is scheduled to start his visit to Russia by meeting his counterpart Vladimir Putin in Sochi. Mr Zeman and his delegation will be accompanied by a record strong group of businessmen.
    Author: Ruth Fraňková

  • NHL: Jágr picks up assist in Calgary win over St. Louis
    11/14/2017

    Czech forward Jaromír Jágr picked up his second point in two games while Michael Frolík scored an empty-net goal in the Calgary Flames’ 7:4 win over St. Louis. Calgary are currently fourth in the Pacific Division with 10 wins and 7 losses.
    Author: Jan Velinger

  • Prague taxi drivers to protest against Uber
    11/14/2017

    Prague’s taxi drivers are planning to protest against the ride-sharing service Uber by blocking traffic in the city on Wednesday. The protest, organised by the Prague taxi drivers association, will go ahead despite a call from Prague Mayor Adriana Krnáčová to revoke it.

    Last month, taxi drivers staged a similar protest, blocking traffic to Prague’s International Airport. The association is vehemently opposed to the Uber service arguing that it is unfair competition since Uber drivers do not have to meet any of the demands levelled on the Prague taxi service.
    Author: Ruth Fraňková

  • Head of state meets with Social Democrats
    11/14/2017

    President Miloš Zeman has expressed support for the speaker of the lower house Jan Hamáček to be deputy speaker in the new Chamber of Deputies. On Monday, the head of state met with the politician as well and the acting head of the Social Democratic Party Milan Chovanec.

    The president was reportedly interested in the situation in the party following its poor showing in the recent election.

    The president is gradually meeting with the leaders of all the parties which won seats. He has already met with representatives from the Pirate Party, Civic Democrats, Freedom and Direct Democracy, and the Communists.
    Author: Jan Velinger

Pages