• 04/11/2024

    Czech President Petr Pavel is attending a summit of the Three Seas Initiative in Vilnius, Lithuania on Thursday. The Czech head of state, who is being accompanied by a business and academic delegation, also plans to hold several bilateral meetings, for example with his Estonian counterpart Alar Karis.

    The Three Seas initiative was launched in the Croatian city of Dubrovnik in 2016 with a view to creating a regional dialogue on matters affecting member states. The last summit was held in Bucharest last September, when it was joined by Greece, Moldova and Ukraine.

    Author: Ruth Fraňková
  • 04/10/2024

    Thursday is expected to be mostly sunny with day temperatures ranging between 16 and 20 degrees Celsius.

    Author: Ruth Fraňková
  • 04/10/2024

    Heat consumption from central heating plants in Czechia fell by 9.4 percent year-on-year in 2024, according to data released by the Energy Regulatory Office on Wednesday. A total of 67.8 petajoules of heat was consumed, which is the lowest figure in seven years.

    In addition to heat, the use of other energies also fell last year. Electricity consumption dropped by over four percent and consumption of gas decreased by over ten percent.

    In all cases, consumption fell for the second year in a row as a result of warm weather and energy saving measures.

    Author: Ruth Fraňková
  • 04/10/2024

    British singer-songwriter Raye will be the main star of Prague’s Metronome festival, which is to take place in the Czech capital in June, the festival’s organizers announced on Wednesday. The pop singer, who won a record six Brit Awards this year, will perform in Czechia for the first time.

    The seventh edition of Metronome, which takes place at the Výstaviště exhibition grounds, will feature 80 different artists. Appearing at the event on June 21 and 22 will be the German duo Milky Chance, British soul musician Michael Kiwanuka and London indie rock band The Last Dinner Party.

    Author: Ruth Fraňková
  • 04/10/2024

    In addition to whooping cough, the State Institute of Health has recorded a year-on-year increase in other infections, such as measles, legionella, scabies and diphtheria, the Czech News Agency reported on Wednesday.

    The number of various types of hepatitis or tropical disease such as dengue fever and malaria also increased year-on-year during the first three months of 2024.

    The Association of Health Insurance Companies has warned that the increase concerns even diseases against which vaccination is compulsory,

    Among the factors behind the trend is the declining immunity with increasing age, migration as well as the fact that about seven percent of the Czech population refuses to be vaccinated.

    Author: Ruth Fraňková
  • 04/10/2024

    Slovak writer and journalist Martin Milan Šimečka is to receive the František Kriegel Award for civic courage, handed out annually by the Charter 77 Foundation. The Czech-born journalist was selected for his longstanding advocacy of democratic principles and for his critical, independent journalism.

    František Kriegel, a Charter 77 signatory, was the only Czechoslovak politician who refused to sign a document “legitimising” the Soviet-led invasion of Czechoslovakia in August 1968. The award ceremony is due to take place in June.

    According to representatives of the Charter 77 Foundation, Mr. Šimečka found himself in opposition to the current Slovak government following Peter Pellegrini's victory in the presidential elections.

    Author: Ruth Fraňková
  • 04/10/2024

    Czech MPs have voted to change the definition of rape in the country’s statute books. Instead of the hitherto forcible sexual intercourse the crime will in future be defined as non-consensual intercourse. The minister of defence, Pavel Blažek, told the lower house the new understanding of rape was based on the concept of no means no.

    The bill found support from both the government parties and the opposition. It must now go before the Senate.

    The amendment passed on Wednesday will also redefine sexual interaction with children under 12 as rape or sexual assault, not as sexual abuse as at present.

    Author: Ian Willoughby
  • 04/10/2024

    The Czech industrial-technology company Czechoslovak Group saw its net profit increase by 49 percent year-on-year to around CZK 5 billion in 2023, it said on Wednesday.

    Revenues rose by 71 percent to almost CZK 42 billion, with deals in the defence industry accounting for more than 70 per cent of the group’s sales.

    The war in Ukraine has contributed to the jump in Czechoslovak Group’s turnover, a pattern also seen in some other major players in the Czech defence industry sector.

    Author: Ian Willoughby
  • 04/09/2024

    Seven people, including children, were injured when a car ran into them outside a supermarket in the town of Police nad Metují, East Bohemia just before 4 pm on Tuesday afternoon. One of the children hurt in the incident was taken to hospital by helicopter but none of the victims had life-threatening injuries.

    The police are investigating the matter but say the driver of the car passed a breathalyser test.

    Author: Ian Willoughby
  • 04/09/2024

    It should be mainly overcast in Czechia on Wednesday, with an average high temperature of 12 degrees Celsius. Higher temperatures are expected on the following days.

    Author: Ian Willoughby

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