• Court confirms hospital not responsible for shooting of patient
    08/19/2026

    The Supreme Court has ruled that Prague’s Vinohrady Hospital was not responsible for the fact a patient shot and killed another patient in 2019. An appeal against the same verdict by the latter patient’s son was rejected, officials said on Wednesday.

    The court found that the hospital was not liable in the matter and that there was no causal link between the actions of its staff and the patient’s death.
    Author: Ian Willoughby

  • Record period of insufficient soil moisture seen in Czechia
    08/19/2026

    2026 has seen a record period of insufficient soil moisture in the Czech Republic, according to the InterSucho website, which is run by researchers from the CzechGlobe Global Change Research Institute, which is part of the Czech Academy of Sciences.

    There has been insufficient soil moisture in 30 percent of the country since the beginning of the year. This particularly concerns southern and central Moravia as well as the leeward side of the Ore Mountains, areas where prolonged soil-moisture deficit has been a long-term problem.

    Some places in Czechia have seen zero rain in the last month.
    Author: Ian Willoughby

  • Interior minister says more police, fire officers to be hired in 2027
    08/19/2026

    The Czech minister of the interior, Lubomír Metnar, says more police and fire officers will be hired next year. He made the comment after talks with the minister of finance, Alena Schillerová, about the Ministry of the Interior’s planned budget for 2027.

    Mr. Metnar said he would discuss IT projects, cybersecurity and investments again on Thursday. He reiterated that his priority is to obtain sufficient funds to ensure the security of the state. The finance minister is holding a round of talks with colleagues over their ministries' budgets.
    Author: Ian Willoughby

  • Weather forecast
    08/19/2026

    It should be mainly overcast in Czechia on Thursday, with an average high temperature of 27 degrees Celsius. More cloudy weather is expected on the following days.
    Author: Ian Willoughby

  • If Pigeons Turned to Gold put forward as Czech submission for Oscar
    08/19/2026

    The documentary If Pigeons Turned to Gold by director Pepa Lubojacki has been selected as the country's submission for the Academy Award for Best International Film. The decision was announced by the Czech Film and Television Academy on Wednesday.

    If Pigeons Turned to Gold, which focuses on the filmmaker’s own family, previously won the Best Documentary prize at this year's Berlin IFF.
    Author: Ian Willoughby

  • Exhibition of Czech crown jewels to open on September 19
    08/19/2026

    An exhibition of the Czech crown jewels will open to the public a day later than originally planned, on Saturday, September 19, the Office of the President announced on its website.

    The change is due to a protocol event taking place at Prague Castle on Friday.

    The crown jewels will be displayed free of charge in Vladislav Hall until Monday, September 28.

    President Petr Pavel decided two years ago that the jewels should be put on public display at Prague Castle every year.
    Author: Daniela Lazarová

  • Archaeologists uncover 6,500-year-old ritual site in central Bohemia
    08/19/2026

    Archaeologists  have uncovered the remains of a sanctuary near the village of Chleby in the Nymburk region, which they claim served as a ritual site linked to the movements of the Sun and Moon more than 6,500 years ago.

    Researchers have now determined that it is one of the oldest finds in Central Europe, around 1,000 years older than Britain’s Stonehenge.

    The circular enclosure features a pit more than 2.5 metres deep and has 12 irregularly spaced entrances.

    Among the relics discovered are bull skulls and horns which are believed to have been used in rituals.
    Author: Daniela Lazarová

  • Senate Constitutional Committee says proposed change to presidential powers is unconstitutional
    08/18/2026

    A government-proposed amendment to the law that would remove the president’s power to appoint and dismiss heads of permanent missions to international organisations is unconstitutional, according to the Senate’s Constitutional Committee.

    The committee issued its opinion on Tuesday on a broader accompanying amendment to a coalition-backed bill on state employees. Seven of the eight senators present supported the opinion.

    The Senate is likely to reject both bills at its upcoming session. The Chamber of Deputies would then reconsider them and would probably override the expected Senate vetoes with its coalition majority.

    President Petr Pavel said in March that he saw no reason to change the current practice for appointing and dismissing heads of permanent missions.

    The dispute could ultimately be referred to the Constitutional Court.
    Author: Daniela Lazarová

  • NASA selects Czech photographer’s image Astronomy Picture of the Day
    08/18/2026

    NASA has featured a photo by a Czech photographer as its Astronomy Picture of the Day. Eighteen-year-old Jakub Kuřák photographed the Perseid meteor shower in Jizerka in the Liberec Region. The image was created as a time-lapse between August 8 and 13.

    The Perseids, a stream of tiny fragments from a comet orbiting the Sun, were unusually visible this year. The Moon did not brighten the night sky because of the total solar eclipse.

    “It’s nice that the whole world will see it and that it won’t end up just on Instagram,” Kuřák said in response to the news.
    Author: Daniela Lazarová

  • Fire risk warning lifted across Czechia
    08/18/2026

    Meteorologists have lifted a nationwide warning against the outbreak and spread of wildfires. The alert had been in place for several weeks due to drought and hot weather. The Czech Hydrometeorological Institute said the risk has been reduced by rainfall that ended the spell of extreme heat on Sunday and more rain is expected in the coming days.

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