• 11/24/2024

    Email-based cyber threats surged by 73% in Czechia during the third quarter, marking the second-largest global increase after Turkey's 80%. Colombia ranked third with a 59% rise, according to antivirus company Gen Digital's quarterly report.

    Gen analysts attributed this sharp increase to cybercriminals' improved ability to evade spam filters. Additionally, attacks aimed at stealing sensitive information, known as infostealers, grew in Czechia, alongside a proliferation of traditional dating scams.

    In mobile communications, a new spyware called NGate surfaced in Czechia. This malware accesses sensitive data and can clone NFC information from credit cards, enabling theft during ATM withdrawals or contactless payments.

    Author: Jakub Ferenčík
  • 11/24/2024

    Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavský met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv on Saturday, following the conclusion of a food security summit. Their discussions focused primarily on the Czech initiative to supply ammunition and the enhancement of bilateral cooperation. President Zelensky hosted the third summit of the Grain from Ukraine initiative in Kyiv, a program he launched in 2022 to support humanitarian grain shipments to vulnerable countries while also bolstering Ukraine's agricultural sector.

    State Department spokesperson Drake informed reporters that Lipavský and Zelensky discussed the potential for future negotiations in more integrated formats, the continuation of Czech-led efforts to supply artillery ammunition through both EU and non-EU sources, and ways to strengthen Ukrainian civil society. After meeting with his counterparts Andriy Sybiha and Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal on Friday, Lipavský noted that the Ukrainian representatives expressed appreciation for the Czech ammunition initiative and expressed a desire for its continuation in the coming year.

    Author: Jakub Ferenčík
  • 11/23/2024

    Sunday should be mostly cloudy with occasional rain and early morning isolated snow. Temperatures will range between 0 and 5 °C.

    Author: Jakub Ferenčík
  • 11/23/2024

    Physicist Tomáš Jungwirth from the Institute of Physics at the Czech Academy of Sciences has been honored with the Czech Head, the country's most prestigious scientific award. He received the accolade for his lifelong contributions to scientific research and his groundbreaking work in the field of spintronics.

    Other awardees include Jan Dobeš from Charles University for his research on autoimmune diseases and Jakub Podgorný for his studies on black holes in the universe. The laureates were announced at a press conference in Prague by the Czech Head project board. The award ceremony for the 23rd edition of the Czech Head Awards is scheduled for Sunday, November 24.

    Author: Jakub Ferenčík
  • 11/23/2024

    State funding for domestic food banks will increase to CZK 104 million next year, up from approximately CZK 95 million this year. The Czech Federation of Food Banks plans to allocate the funds toward improving individual branches and warehouses. Agriculture Minister Marek Výborný announced the increase during a press conference held in conjunction with the autumn round of the national food collection.

    Author: Jakub Ferenčík
  • 11/23/2024

    The Edvard Beneš Primary School in Opava received an unexpected and heartfelt gesture of flood relief. Ninth graders from Staňkov, a town in the Pilsen region on the opposite side of the country, organized a fundraiser to help with the aftermath of the flooding. They contributed part of their class savings and enlisted the support of their teachers and parents in the effort.

    The collection raised nearly 18,000 crowns, which will be used to rebuild the school’s completely destroyed gym. The flooding not only damaged classroom furniture, such as desks, but also wiped out all the equipment needed for gymnastics and physical education.

    Author: Jakub Ferenčík
  • 11/23/2024

    Czech Defence Minister Jana Černochová defended her use of the term "morons" in a mid-September statement on the social network X, arguing that it is not a vulgarity but a strong expression describing someone acting unreasonably or foolishly. Her remarks came in response to a written query from ANO MP Martin Kolovratník, who criticized the language as "offensive and unworthy of a minister," accusing her of dehumanizing citizens with differing opinions.

    Černochová's comment, "Please tell the idiots who still have not come to terms with our aid to Ukraine that we have enough helicopters," was made in response to a military announcement on X regarding the deployment of helicopters during the severe floods in the Moravian-Silesian and Olomouc regions.

    Author: Jakub Ferenčík
  • 11/23/2024

    This week, ANO senators submitted to the upper chamber a proposal identical to the one presented by the movement's leader, Andrej Babiš, in the Chamber of Deputies, seeking to freeze the salaries of constitutional officials. Both proposals suggest maintaining the current year's salary calculation. ANO senators, like Babiš, are urging the House to fast-track the approval process so the measure can take effect at the start of next year. However, given parliamentary timelines and the current balance of power, this scenario is highly unlikely. The government already rejected Babiš's proposal last week.

    Meanwhile, despite criticism from the opposition, the coalition government is advancing an amendment that would raise top officials' salaries by approximately 6.9 to 6.98 percent year-on-year, depending on their position. Under the amendment, a regular MP or senator's monthly salary would increase by CZK 7,100 to CZK 109,500, while the president's salary would rise by CZK 23,800 to CZK 365,000. Without the amendment, salaries could double from January compared to the government's proposal.

    Author: Jakub Ferenčík
  • 11/23/2024

    Revenue from the sale of emission allowances must now exclusively fund measures aimed at mitigating or counteracting the impacts of climate change. This requirement is outlined in a legislative amendment passed by the Chamber of Deputies on Friday. Previously, only half of the proceeds were mandated for such use, with the remainder serving as a non-binding recommendation. The bill will now move to the Senate for review.

    Author: Jakub Ferenčík
  • 11/22/2024

    Rail traffic on the route from Prague to Brno was disrupted by an accident on Friday morning when a train, which was not carrying passengers, derailed during a shunting operation in the early hours of the day. The accident happened in Česká Třebová, No one was injured, but the accident damaged the track. Trains, including international fast trains between Prague and Brno, were diverted, connections between Prague and Olomouc passed through the station at reduced speed, and several regional connections had to be cancelled, according to information from Czech Railways.

Pages