• Czechs dominate WTA rankings
    08/21/2017

    In tennis, the Czech Republic has for the first time two players at number one positions in the women’s WTA rankings. In the doubles, Lucie Šafářová is in the top position thanks to her semi-final position at the Cincinnati tournament last week alongside fellow Czech Barbora Strýcová. In the singles, Karolína Plišková holds onto her first place after Romanian rival Simona Halep failed to win in the final at the US tournament.
    Author: Chris Johnstone

  • Tax system under fire from watchdog
    08/21/2017

    Frequent changes to taxes for individuals have led to a more complicated system both for payers and the Czech administration, the country’s main watchdog, the Supreme Audit Office, has announced in a report. It said that changes were often made with the finance ministry unaware of the precise impact they would have on the overall budget.

    The watchdog surveyed the changes between 2012 and 2015. It added that some changes, such as obligatory electronic filing of tax returns for some payers, had led to unlawful fines because tax offices could not contact payers if their declaration was faulty and decided just to penalize them.
    Author: Chris Johnstone

  • PM, hundreds of attendees, honour victims of Romani Holocaust at Hodonín memorial
    08/20/2017

    Around 200 people, including Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka, on Sunday honoured the memory of victims of the Romani Holocaust at a memorial at Hodonín near Kunštát. This August marks 74 years since Moravian Roma families, interned at a concentration camp there during the Nazi Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia, were forced into transports and sent to the Auschwitz death camp in Poland where the vast majority died. Honouring the dead, Prime Minister Sobotka said every memorial to the victims of the Holocaust was a memorial against hate.
    Author: Jan Velinger

  • Tennis: Plíšková hangs on to No. 1 spot thanks to Muguruza
    08/20/2017

    Czech tennis player Karolína Plíšková will hang on to the women's world number 1 spot despite losing in the semifinal in Cincinnati this week. She would have been replaced in the top spot in the ATP rankings by Romanian player Simona Halep if the latter had won the final. Instead, Halep lost badly to Spanish-Venezuelan competitor Garbine Muguruza: the final score was 1:6, 0:6.
    Author: Jan Velinger

  • Car manufacture in Czech Republic furthest in Industry 4.0, ČTK reports
    08/20/2017

    Automation and robotics and other elements of Industry 4.0 in the Czech Republic are reportedly being adopted fastest in the fields of car manufacturing and electronics. But the country still stands at the start of the 4th industrial revolution, according to a survey by the Czech News Agency; one problem is a lack of qualified personnel. A number of companies have taken steps to implement 4.0 elements not least during the summer holidays when some assembly lines stand silent. Besides the auto industry, other fields where "smart" elements are being introduced are pharmaceuticals and chemicals, Bohuslav Čížek of the Confederation of Industry in the Czech Republic confirmed.
    Author: Jan Velinger

  • Weather
    08/20/2017

    Monday is expected to be mostly cloudy with a chance of rain and some sunny periods. Daytime temperatures should reach highs of around 20 degrees Celsius.
    Author: Jan Velinger

  • Renovation of Grabštejn Castle complete, says local organizer
    08/20/2017

    Funds from benefit concerts and other events at the site of Grabštejn Castle near the German and Polish borders in the region of Liberec, contributed significantly to its renovation over the last 25 years, opera singer and main organizer Luděk Vele told the Czech News Agency. He stressed that while the castle, described as a ruins years ago, had been saved by the state, benefit events had played a role. The historic site was saved at the cost of some 100 million crowns; 55 million crowns, Mr Vele said, had come from the Culture Ministry. Renovated at the site were statues, lighting, a church organ and chapel; a gallery was also added.
    Author: Jan Velinger

  • Prague Zoo welcomes millionth visitor
    08/20/2017

    Prague Zoo welcomes its millionth visitor this season, three days later than in 2016 the zoo's Alena Šteffelová confirmed. 2016 was a record year for the zoo, with a total of 1,448,353 visitors - the most in its 85-year history. Ms Šteffelová said that good weather had contributed to the high number of visitors this year. The head of Prague Zoo, Miroslav Bobek, said the arrival of the millionth customer was always a special occasion.
    Author: Jan Velinger

  • Government and union reps to meet to discuss wage increases in public sector
    08/20/2017

    Government and union representatives are due to meet on Monday to discuss wage growth. The union umbrella organization ČMKOS is calling on the government to boost wages for teachers by 15 percent as of November and 10 percent for other public servants. The plan has the backing of Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka. The Ministry for Labour and Social Affairs has prepared three variants, including the one sought by labour leaders.
    Author: Jan Velinger

  • American crushes competition in dumpling eating contest
    08/20/2017

    Thirty-two-year old American Patrick Bertoletti, a pro in America's MLE (Major League Eating) known for being able to consume large amounts of ice cream, hot dogs, pizza, meat, and hot peppers was the hand-down winner in a similar competition in Vizovice in the Czech Republic for consuming the most plum dumplings. In an hour, he was able to gobble up 198; second and third place went to Czech competitors Kamil Hamerský and Radim Dvořáček, who ate 166 and 156 dumplings, respectively. Four or six would be considered a normal portion. The dumpling competition has been a tradition at the Trnkobraní festival in Vizovice for 45 years. Sealing his victory, Mr Bertoletti is quoted by news site iDnes as having said "I'm full."
    Author: Jan Velinger

Pages