• 10/11/2024

    Prague prosecutors' offices will be closed from October 11 until October 15 due to a strike by employees over low pay. Prosecutors will only accept hand-delivered submissions in urgent cases, such as submissions from the courts or the police. People will be able to file criminal complaints at police stations during the strike. Around 94 percent of employees are expected to join the strike action. The strike comes hard on the heels of a three-day strike by courts employees earlier this week.

  • 10/11/2024

    The Czech authorities should strengthen their efforts to prevent and combat trafficking in human beings, in particular as regards labour exploitation, improve the identification of victims, and take further action to prevent child trafficking, according to a new report released today by the Council of Europe’s Group of Experts on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings (GRETA).

    According to official statistics, 90 adult victims of trafficking were identified in 2019-2023. The majority were foreign nationals exploited in the sectors of construction, agriculture, forestry, manufacturing, food processing and domestic work. There is no data available on child victims of trafficking.

  • 10/11/2024

    David Pastrňák, the reigning world champion, has reached a significant career milestone, becoming the fourth Czech player in NHL history to score 350 goals. The Boston Bruins star forward has joined the elite company of legends Jaromír Jágr, Patrik Eliáš, and Milan Hejduk.

    Pastrňák’s landmark goal came during Boston’s game against Montreal Canadiens, where he extended his team's lead to 4-2 late in the second period.

    Author: Ruth Fraňková
  • 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

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