• 07/11/2026

    Amateur metal detectorists found what appeared to be unexploded munition beneath the surface of the Brno reservoir on Saturday – and carried it onto a crowded beach. The discovery was made near Sokolské koupaliště, one of the reservoir's most popular beaches, with dozens of people nearby. Police evacuated part of the area and temporarily closed a boat stop before a bomb disposal expert detonated the munition on site. A similar incident occurred at the reservoir last year, when a child found an unexploded grenade while swimming.

    Author: Vít Pohanka
  • 07/11/2026

    Czech President Petr Pavel says he believes relations with Prime Minister Andrej Babiš (ANO) will calm after disputes over his attendance at the latest NATO summit. Speaking at Slovakia’s Pohoda festival, Pavel said cooperation was essential because the president and prime minister share several constitutional powers. He added that disagreements with the government were making him more inclined to seek re-election in 2028. Pavel also dismissed as absurd a proposal by the governing Freedom and Direct Democracy party to strip Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of the Czech Republic’s highest state honour.

    Author: Vít Pohanka
  • 07/11/2026

    The Czech Environment Ministry has reduced the number of areas designated for fast-track construction of wind and solar power plants from 94 to 61. The zones could still provide more than 3,000 megawatts of installed capacity. Czechia currently lags far behind its neighbours in wind energy: wind produces only around one percent of its electricity, compared with about 12 percent in Austria, 14 percent in Poland and 27 percent in Germany. The ministry says additional environmental conditions will limit the impact of new projects.

    Author: Vít Pohanka
  • 07/11/2026

    A growing number of Czech employees are interested in their colleagues' salaries, according to a new survey. Some 62 percent want to know how much co-workers earn, up five percentage points year-on-year. Interest is highest among employees under 26, with 80 percent keen to compare salaries. Around 70 percent believe greater pay transparency could contribute to fairer remuneration. Czech law already prevents employers from banning workers from discussing their own wages. A further amendment implementing the EU pay transparency directive is awaiting approval by Parliament.

    Author: Vít Pohanka
  • 07/11/2026

    A historic industrial building in the former Baťa factory complex in Zlín cannot be saved following a major fire, according to a structural engineer. The blaze broke out on Thursday morning and caused two sections of Building 34 to collapse. Mayor Jiří Korec (ANO) said further collapse remained possible as the structure cools. If the building does not fall on its own, its owner will be ordered to demolish it. Police are investigating the fire on suspicion of negligent endangerment. The total damage has not yet been assessed.

    Author: Vít Pohanka
  • 07/11/2026

    The 60th Karlovy Vary International Film Festival concludes on Saturday with further awards and a closing film. French actress Juliette Binoche will receive the Crystal Globe for outstanding artistic contribution to world cinema, while Magda Vášáryová and US actor Jeffrey Wright will be presented with the festival president's award. The closing film, The Last Pickpocket in New York, starring John Turturro and Steve Buscemi, will have its Czech premiere. The festival opened on July 3, when American actor Dustin Hoffman received a Crystal Globe.

    Author: Vít Pohanka
  • 07/11/2026

    The Czech ombudsman's office for children handled 8,285 complaints last year, up from around 7,450 in 2024, according to its annual report. The office identified errors by public authorities in 549 cases. The report highlights persistent shortcomings in the protection of vulnerable children, including fragmented responsibilities across ministries and delays in reforming care for children with disabilities or mental illnesses. The children's ombudsman agenda received 1,345 complaints in 2025, including 161 directly from children. The institution says creating a children's ombudsman was an important milestone, but systemic reforms are still urgently needed.

    Author: Vít Pohanka
  • 07/11/2026

    Wimbledon will stage the first all-Czech Grand Slam final in history on Saturday. Linda Nosková, 21, will face 29-year-old Karolína Muchová on Centre Court at 5 pm CEST, with both seeking their first major title. Muchová won their only previous meeting at last year's US Open in three sets. The winner will become the third Czech Wimbledon champion in four years, following Markéta Vondroušová in 2023 and Barbora Krejčíková in 2024. It is the first Wimbledon final between players from the same country since Serena and Venus Williams met in 2009.

    Author: Vít Pohanka
  • 07/10/2026

    Czech police and the Interior Ministry are warning that children face increased risks online during the summer holidays, when many spend more time on the internet because of loneliness or a lack of structured activities.

    A new prevention campaign highlights the dangers of cyber grooming, showing how online manipulation, coercion and exploitation can develop. Research also suggests that some schoolchildren would agree to meet strangers they first encountered online.

    The Interior Ministry has allocated around CZK 40 million this year to support child protection measures, including helplines, assistance for vulnerable children and violence prevention programs. Experts also continue to advise parents against posting photographs of their children on social media.

  • 07/10/2026

    The Czech Chamber of Deputies on Friday approved an amendment to the Building Act despite criticism from the opposition. The ruling coalition of ANO, SPD and the Motorists party says the reform will speed up and simplify construction permitting in the country.

    The legislation introduces a centralized state building authority and declares the planning, preparation, construction and operation of public infrastructure and designated projects to be in the public interest. The provision could play a role in any future decisions on expropriation.

    Designated projects will also include large-scale housing developments. Under the new rules, construction projects will require only a single permit instead of multiple approvals.

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