• 09/28/2024

    Police officers are increasing their presence at the Jewish sites across Czechia following reports of the death of Hassan Nasrallah, the leader of the Shiite militant group Hezbollah. The announcement was made on the social media platform X on Saturday.

    Interior Minister Vít Rakušan confirmed that security measures in the country are being heightened in response to developments in the Middle East. He also emphasised that there is information indicating any specific or immediate threat to our country and that the measures are preventive.

    The Czech National Centre for Combating Terrorism, Extremism, and Cybercrime is currently assessing potential risks in coordination with intelligence services and international partners.

    The Israeli military announced on Saturday it has killed Hezbollah’s leader  in an air attack on Lebanon’s capital Beirut.

    Author: Ruth Fraňková
  • 09/28/2024

    Czech President Petr Pavel and his Slovak counterpart Peter Pellegrini on Friday jointly unveiled a restored clock tower in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, inspired by Prague's Astronomical Clock. They also visited the nearby National Czech & Slovak Museum and Library, which is marking its 50th anniversary this year.

    The last occasion when both Czech and Slovak presidents visited the museum together was in 1995, when Václav Havel and Michal Kováč met with then-US President Bill Clinton. This time, the US was represented by Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds.

    In his speech President Pavel congratulated the museum on its milestone anniversary, calling the Astronomical Clock a symbol of the enduring cultural ties between the Czech and Slovak nations.

    The Buresh Immigration Clock Tower, which features twelve rotating wooden figures by Slovak sculptor Andrej Haršány, honors the Czechs and Slovaks, who immigrated to Iowa in the late 19th century and founded the Czech Village.

    Author: Ruth Fraňková
  • 09/28/2024

    The opposition ANO party will seek a seat in the Senate leadership if it secures enough support in the final round of the Senate elections, Andrej Babiš told reporters on Saturday.

    Speaking after casting his vote for ANO candidate Helena Válková, who is challenging incumbent Senator Zdeněk Hraba of the Together coalition made up of the Civic Democrats, the Christian Democrats, and TOP 09, Mr Babiš said the party would pursue the role of deputy Senate president if entitled by election results.

    Currently, the Senate leadership comprises five members, with the chair held by Miloš Vystrčil of the Civic Democrats. The vice-chairs represent the Mayors and Independents, Christian Democrats, Civic Democrats and TOP09.

    Author: Ruth Fraňková
  • 09/28/2024

    Czech tennis player Tomáš Macháč reached the quarterfinals in Tokyo, after defeating the world number 13 and the fifth seeded American Tommy Paul 2:6, 6:3 and 7:6. Their first match lasted over two and a half hours. The 23-year-old Czech, who has a world ranking of 34, will next face American Alex Michelsen.

    Another Czech, Jiří Lehečka reached the quarter-finals in Beijing after his first victory over Roberto Bautista. He beat the Spanish qualifier 3:6, 6:2, 6:1. The Czech world number 37 will next face the winner of the match between the top seed Jannik Sinner of Italy and Russian lucky loser Roman Safiullin.

    In women’s singles, Karolina Muchová advanced to the third round of the China Open by beating Chinese Yue Yuan 6-3, 6-1. Muchova, ranked No 49, will play the winner of the match between Romanian Jaqueline Cristian and Barbora Krejčíková next.

    Author: Ruth Fraňková
  • 09/28/2024

    The opposition ANO Party has marked a significant victory in the 2024 Senate elections. The party, led by former Prime Minister Andrej Babiš, secured eight of the 27 seats available, claiming its first ever win in the elections to the upper house of Czech parliament. Two ANO candidates were successful in the first round, with six more winning in run-offs.

    Candidates from the ruling coalition secured victories in 15 districts. The Mayors and Independents emerged as the most successful among the government parties, winning six seats, while the Civic Democrats only defended five of ten seats. The Christian Democrats and TOP 09 Party each won in two districts. Among the newcomers in the Senate will be the anti-government Oath party, whose leader Robert Šlachta won both rounds in the Břeclav region.

    Just 17.5 percent of eligible voters chose to vote in the second round of the 2024 Senate elections, after an attendance of 30.82 percent in the first round. It is one of the lowest turnouts since the establishment of the independent Czech Republic.

    Author: Ruth Fraňková
  • 09/27/2024

    Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavský will cut short his official trip to the United States and return to Czechia on Sunday due to the current government crisis. In an interview with Czech Television, Mr. Lipavský said that he will meet Prime Minister Petr Fiala for talks on Monday, and will offer his resignation.

    Lipavský, a member of the Pirate Party, stated his disagreement with the party's recent decision to withdraw from the government following the Prime Minister’s decision to dismiss Deputy Prime Minister and Regional Development Minister Ivan Bartoš. He also revealed his intention to quit the party altogether and said he had no plans to join another political organisation.

    Prime Minister Fiala made it clear he did not want to lose Lipavský as foreign minister and President Pavel also said it would be unfortunate to have a change-of-guard at the top foreign ministry post.

    Author: Ruth Fraňková
  • 09/27/2024

    Around two-thirds of Ukrainian refugees in Czechia plan to stay in the country after their temporary protection status expires, according to a recent survey. This marks a rise of approximately 20 percent compared to last year.

    The study, conducted by the Centre for Public Opinion Research of the Czech Academy of Science’s Institute of Sociology, also found that one-fifth of refugees aim to return to Ukraine once the war ends.

    According to data released by the Czech Ministry of the Interior on Friday, over 320,000 Ukrainian refugees registered to extend their temporary protection this year, with women making up three-fifths of the total.

    Most of the refugees settle in the country's three largest cities – Prague, Brno, and Ostrava, with more than a quarter living in the capital. The majority, 75 percent, are living in flats or houses, while 17 percent are staying in other accommodation facilities.

    Author: Ruth Fraňková
  • 09/27/2024

    Saturday will be partly overcast with occasional rain showers. Temperatures in the south-eastern parts of the country are expected to be the warmest, reaching up to 19 degrees Celsius, while elsewhere they will hover between 12 to 16 degrees.

    Author: Ruth Fraňková
  • 09/27/2024

    The population of Czechia fell by 21,500 to 10.9 million in the first half of the year, according to data published by the Czech Statistics Office on Friday.

    The downward trend is largely due to the excess of deaths over births. The office registered 41,600 newborns, which represents a year-on-year drop of 10 percent, while over 55,500 people died.

    Roughly 62,700 people immigrated to the country between January and July, while around 70,200 emigrated.

    Author: Ruth Fraňková
  • 09/27/2024

    The mayor of the flood-devastated town of Krnov, Tomáš Hradil, has said the recent floods in the town caused damage worth several billion crowns to both municipal and private property.

    In a letter addressed to the government, he urged the state to provide financial assistance as soon as possible, warning that insurance will cover only a fraction of the losses.

    According to him, some local business owners, whose homes and livelihoods were devastated, may not reopen. Mr. Hradil plans to meet Finance Minister Zbyněk Stanjura in Krnov on Monday to discuss the situation.

    Author: Ruth Fraňková

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