• 07/22/2024

    A state prosecutor has proposed a six-year jail term for one-time government minister Karel Březina, who faces charges of illegally distributing Prague City Hall sports subsidies.

    Mr. Březina is a former member of the city council and served as minister without portfolio in a Social Democrat government headed by Miloš Zeman while he was still in his 20s.

    He headed the evaluation committee deciding which sports projects in the capital should receive funding at the time of the alleged wrongdoing.

    Five former and two current councilors from various parties are facing indictment in connection with the case.

    Author: Ian Willoughby
  • 07/22/2024

    A new Czech Army programme to promote service among young Czechs got underway on Monday. Some 136 selected secondary school students are taking part in the first, pilot edition, which involves four weeks of military training, iRozhlas.cz reported.

    The head of the Czech Army, Karel Řehka, told the new site that the programme would help the military create a closer bond with the public and would generate reserves that could potentially be drawn on in future.

    Author: Ian Willoughby
  • 07/22/2024

    It should be mainly overcast in Czechia on Tuesday, with an average high temperature of 26 degrees Celsius. Clear skies are expected later in the week.

    Author: Ian Willoughby
  • 07/22/2024

    The Czech minister of foreign affairs, Jan Lipavský, says that 100,000 rounds of ammunition will be delivered to Ukraine during July and August under a Czech-led initiative. Mr. Lipavský made the comment on Monday in Brussels, where he was attending a gathering of EU foreign ministers.

    The Czech foreign policy chief said that 18 countries had signed up to the initiative to date, with 15 having already followed through on their financial pledges. This means there are sufficient funds to deliver 500,000 pieces of artillery to Ukraine by the end of 2024, he told reporters, adding that the scheme would accelerate further after the summer.

    Efforts are already underway to find additional funding to ensure the Czech-led initiative continues next year, Mr. Lipavský said.

    Author: Ian Willoughby
  • 07/22/2024

    Foreign Minister Jan Lipavský is due to attend the EU Foreign Affairs Council in Brussels on Monday. On the agenda will be the ongoing Russian war in Ukraine and the current situation in the Middle East, with an emphasis on the Israeli operation in the Gaza Strip.

    It is the first meeting of EU heads of diplomacy since the beginning of the Hungarian presidency, which has been criticised for Prime Minister Viktor Orbán's trips to Russia and China.

    Author: Ruth Fraňková
  • 07/22/2024

    The withdrawal of US President Joe Biden from US presidential race is the decision of a statesman who has served his country for decades, Prime Minister Petr Fiala said on the X network. Mr. Fiala said it was a responsible and personally difficult step.

    According to Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavský, the outcome of the US presidential election will be crucial for Europe and it must be prepared for the victory of both the Republican and Democratic candidate.

    Joe Biden announced his resignation from the 2024 presidential race via a an official statement released on X on Sunday and endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris as his Democratic candidate of choice.

    Author: Ruth Fraňková
  • 07/21/2024

    Dozens of people gathered on Prague’s Petřín Hill on Sunday to commemorate the 144th anniversary of the birth of Milan Rastislav Štefánik, one of the founding fathers of Czechoslovakia.

    The participants, who included the Slovak Ambassador to Czechia, Ingrid Brocková, and representatives of Sokol, laid flowers at the statue of the Slovak astronomer and politician.

    Štefáni was born on July 21, 1880. He first studied in Prague where he met his professor and future collaborator Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk. He later moved to France and together with Masaryk and Edvard Beneš endeavored to establish an independent Czechoslovak state.

    Author: Ruth Fraňková
  • 07/21/2024

    Monday should be cloudy to overcast with storms in places and day temperatures between 23 and 28 degrees Celsius in Bohemia and as high as 32 degrees in Moravia.

    Author: Ruth Fraňková
  • 07/21/2024

    Firefighters are battling a fire near Domažlice in west Bohemia involving a pile of rubber tyres. The blaze has spread to several surrounding buildings, including a family house.

    Eighteen units are currently trying to prevent the fire from spreading further. A third-degree alert is in place. The rescue service is also at the scene as several fire officers have collapsed due to high temperatures.

    Author: Ruth Fraňková
  • 07/21/2024

    The Czech Hydrometeorological Institute has extended its high temperature warning until Monday for the regions of Moravia and Silesia. People have been warned to stay out of the sun, use sunscreen and increase their intake of liquids.

    Meteorologists have also warned of severe storms that are expected to hit the western parts of the country on Sunday evening, which could bring up to 30 millimetres of rain and be accompanied by strong winds and hail.

    Author: Ruth Fraňková

Pages