• 10/11/2024

    The government has approved an amendment to the Packaging Act, which introduces a deposit system for PET bottles and metal cans. The decision was announced at a press conference on Thursday by Environment Minister Petr Hladík.

    The amendment aims to introduce a four-crown deposit for each bottle or can, though the exact amount will be determined by a decree. The draft legislation will now be submitted to Parliament for further debate.

    The primary objective of the new legislation is to boost the recycling rate and limit the amount of waste that ends up in nature. Additionally, the legislation also aims to introduce a recycling fee for manufacturers and restrict the distribution of leaflets to consumers who do not wish to receive them.

    Author: Ruth Fraňková
  • 10/10/2024

    Czech tennis player Tomáš Macháč advanced to the semi-finals of the Shanghai Masters after defeating world No. 2 Carlos Alcaraz 7-6, 7-5 on Thursday. The 24-year-old Czech, who is ranked No. 33, will face world No. 1 Jannik Sinner of Italy for a spot in the final.

    Author: Ruth Fraňková
  • 10/10/2024

    Over 5,000 new cars made in China were sold in Czechia in the first nine months of this year, a 44 percent increase compared to all of last year, the Car Importers Association announced on Thursday.

    Despite this significant rise, Chinese-made cars still represent less than three percent of total car sales in the country, but their share in the electric vehicle market is much larger, over 30 percent.

    The most popular Chinese-produced brand in Czechia is MG, with almost 3,000 vehicles sold this year. Tesla comes in second with 1,235 cars sold, followed by Honda with 658.

    The European Commission has recently decided to impose countervailing duties of up to 35% on battery-powered vehicles manufactured in China, in addition to the existing 10% import tax, in order to eliminate the fact that the Chinese state is subsidising the local producers.

    Author: Ruth Fraňková
  • 10/10/2024

    Six more Czech citizens have returned home from Lebanon in recent days, as the security situation in the region continues to deteriorate. According to Mariana Wernerová from the Czech Foreign Ministry’s press department, five citizens were evacuated on a Ukrainian flight, while one returned on an Italian flight.

    This follows a Slovak repatriation flight over the weekend, which brought nine more Czechs and three of their Lebanese family members to Bratislava.

    The Czech Foreign Ministry has advised Czechs to leave the country as Lebanon faces escalating violence following intensified Israeli military operations targeting the Shiite militant group Hezbollah.

    Author: Ruth Fraňková
  • 10/10/2024

    Friday will be mostly overcast with occasional rain. Day temperatures are expected to range between 8 and 13 degrees Celsius.

    Author: Ruth Fraňková
  • 10/10/2024

    The Regional Court in Hradec Králové on Thursday formally rehabilitated Josef Toufar, priest tortured to death by the communist secret police in 1950 for allegedly faking a “miracle”. The court ruled that Toufar’s arrest and prosecution were illegal, restoring his honour after decades. The move followed a petition filed by the regional prosecutor.

    Toufar is one of the most prominent victims of the communist regime’s crackdown on the Church. He was arrested following the so-called "Číhošt' miracle," when witnesses claimed to have seen a cross on the altar in Toufar's church moving on its own volition during a mass in December 1949.

    The initiator of Toufar's judicial rehabilitation was Jan Kratochvíl, founder of Brno's Museum of Czech and Slovak Exile of the 20th Century.

    Author: Ruth Fraňková
  • 10/10/2024

    Devices produced by Chinese tech giant Huawei continue to pose a significant security risk, Michal Koudelka, head of the Security Information Service (BIS), said on Thursday.

    Speaking at a parliamentary conference on the risks of economic and technological dependence on China, Mr. Koudelka compared the potential vulnerabilities linked to Huawei technology to Europe’s prior dependence on Russian gas, which became a critical issue following the war in Ukraine.

    He also said the use of Huawei’s equipment in critical infrastructure could lead to dangerous dependencies, especially in the event of future conflicts or geopolitical tensions.

    Czechia’s National Cyber and Security Information Agency issued a formal warning against using hardware and software from Chinese companies Huawei and ZTE in late 2018, citing security concerns.

    Author: Ruth Fraňková
  • 10/10/2024

    Prague Airport Air Commerce has won the prestigious Routes World Award 2024 in the category of airports with 10 to 20 million passengers per year. The award reflects the airport's achievements in the development of air connections, marketing support, and overall cooperation with airlines. In the final airline vote, Prague Airport outperformed international airports from Calgary, Hamburg, Edinburgh, and Budapest in its category. This is the third time Prague Airport has won the prestigious Routes World Award, having previously won in 2015 and 2017.

    Author: Jakub Ferenčík
  • 10/10/2024

    Zdeněk Hřib, deputy mayor of Prague and councillor for transport, will run for chair of the Pirates following the resignation of the former leader of the party, Ivan Bartoš, in September. Hřib said this in a press release for CTK Agency. He wants the Pirates to be a liberal centrist party.

    Author: Jakub Ferenčík
  • 10/09/2024

    The UN General Assembly has once again elected Czechia to be a member of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC), which is tasked with monitoring the human rights situation in all 193 member states of the United Nations. The country’s new term on the Council for the period 2025-2027 was  approved by a majority of 166 votes. The Czech Republic will be a member of the Council for the fifth time in less than 20 years of its existence, and will become a full member again after a one-year break.

    Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky welcomed the news saying it is an affirmation of the priority position of human rights in Czech foreign policy. He said Czechia would continue to support civil societies, NGOs, human rights defenders and journalists. The main focus will be on the human rights situation in Russia and Belarus.

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