• 09/21/2024

    Sunday should be bright and clear and dry around the country with daytime highs between 20 and 24 degrees Celsius.

  • 09/21/2024

    A Czech national disrupted the opening of the exhibition Who I Am? by Chinese artist Ai Weiwei in Bologna, Italy, when he smashed one of the exhibited works. The man reportedly destroyed a porcelain cube placed at the entrance to the exhibition. According to the Italian press, the perpetrator is a well-known provocateur who lives in Florence and has in the past similarly damaged artworks and monuments by famous artists. He was apprehended by the organizers and handed over to the police. According to the Corriere della Sera newspaper, he will be investigated for destroying a work of art. In Italy, this carries a penalty of between two and five years in prison and a fine of between 2,500 and 15,000 euros.  The man is known, especially in Florence, for his eccentric acts. In 2012, he covered the walls of the former convent of St Ursula in the city centre with fake dollar bills. In 2018, he destroyed a painting of Serbian artist Marina Abramovic and in 2022, he painted a statue in the centre of Florence in the Ukrainian national colours.

  • 09/21/2024

    Czech Railways (ČD) will resume train services between Prague and Ostrava on Saturday following recent floods. Initially, three trains to Žilina will operate over the weekend, with two more added on Monday, including a service to Košice. By Tuesday, as the Ostrava-Svinov station reopens, ČD plans to gradually add five more services, including Pendolino high speed trains.  Currently, trains will not stop at Ostrava’s main stations due to flood damage. Instead, they will be rerouted via Ostrava-Vítkovice and Kunčice. RegioJet already resumed its Prague-Ostrava services on Friday, with additional routes starting on Saturday.  ČD CEO Michal Krapinac stated that more regional and long-distance trains will be added as rail infrastructure is restored, particularly in the flood-damaged Bohumín depot, where many locomotives and train sets remain stranded.

    Author: Vít Pohanka
  • 09/21/2024

    In the flood-affected Jesenicko region, voter turnout has been sporadic on Friday, with many residents voting only in the evening after finishing cleanup efforts at home. In Kobylá nad Vidnavkou, just 5% of voters had cast their ballots by 8 p.m., while nearby Velká Kraš saw 6%. In Bělá pod Pradědem, participation ranged from 8% to 12%, significantly lower than the 30% turnout in these areas four years ago. Opava, also severely impacted by floods, recorded around 20% voter turnout, while districts where polling stations were relocated saw only 10%. In Bohumín, Karviná, and other affected towns, participation ranged from 13% to 16%, with no full data available for the entire region due to the floods.

    Author: Vít Pohanka
  • 09/21/2024

    Czechs are heading to polling stations in a second and final day of voting in regional elections, excluding Prague, as well as the first round of Senate elections in some areas. Voting stations, including those in flood-affected regions, are open from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. for those who were unable to vote on Friday.

    Some 40 parties and movements have nominated over 8,000 candidates for 675 seats on regional councils. In the Senate elections, 169 candidates are contesting 27 seats in the upper chamber.

    The regional elections, in which opposition party ANO seeks to defend its victory from four years ago, are seen as a key test of the party's popularity ahead of next year’s general elections. Meanwhile, Senate elections see the governing Civic Democratic Party aiming to retain its position as the strongest faction, securing the leadership of Miloš Vystrčil.

    In fifteen municipalities, people are also voting in referendums on local issues, most often on the planned construction of wind and photovoltaic power plants. Other issues include the construction of a home for the elderly, a community centre, a bypass road or approval for mining in the area.

    Author: Vít Pohanka
  • 09/21/2024

    Around 135 locations across Czechia are hosting this year’s "Experience the City Differently" street festivals today. Organized by the AutoMat association and hundreds of volunteers, the event aims to strengthen local communities and highlight the value of public spaces in cities. This year’s theme, "Slow Down," encourages people to take a break from their hectic lives. The festivals will transform streets, courtyards, parks, and squares into hubs of neighborhood gatherings, home-cooked food, culture, and children’s games in over 100 spots in Prague and 35 other towns. The event invites people to experience their streets as places for community, not just traffic.

    Author: Vít Pohanka
  • 09/20/2024

    The Czech koruna strengthened against both the euro and the US dollar by the end of the workweek. It gained five hellers against the euro, trading at 25.06 CZK/EUR, and rose by seven hellers against the dollar to 22.49 CZK/USD, according to data from Patria Online. Analyst Jaroslav Tupý from Purple Trading noted that the koruna remains steady around 25.10 CZK/EUR due to continued positive sentiment in financial markets. He added that the Czech National Bank (ČNB) is expected to cut its base interest rate by 25 basis points next week, from 4.5% to 4.25%. The ČNB last reduced the rate in early August, slowing its monetary policy easing after four half-point cuts earlier this year.

    Author: Vít Pohanka
  • 09/20/2024

    President Petr Pavel acknowledged that complications due to the recent floods will impact the elections, but assured that everyone who wishes to vote will have the opportunity. Speaking after casting his vote alongside his wife Eva in the Senate and regional elections, Pavel emphasized that while some areas face difficulties, alternative voting stations or merged districts are in place in the worst-affected municipalities. He also highlighted the importance of voting, stating that elections are the only way to drive change, and stressed the Senate's role as a democratic safeguard. Despite the floods, the government chose not to delay the elections, which Pavel considers a reasonable decision. While some logistical issues may arise, he believes they are a smaller concern compared to the potential constitutional disputes over election legality.

    Author: Vít Pohanka
  • 09/20/2024

    Expect clear to partly cloudy skies over Czechia, with occasional morning fog or low clouds. Daytime temperatures will range from 19 to 23°C.

    Author: Vít Pohanka
  • 09/20/2024

    The Olomouc region has restricted access to the flood-devastated area of Jeseník and surrounding villages as of noon today. The measure, issued by regional governor Josef Suchánek, aims to prevent an uncontrolled influx of volunteers and onlookers that could hinder rescue and cleanup operations over the weekend. Only registered volunteers, local residents, their relatives, hotel guests, emergency responders, soldiers, employees of local companies, and those involved in organizing elections will be allowed into the area. Police checkpoints have been set up on access roads, and violators face fines.

    Author: Vít Pohanka

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