Daily news summary
Czech National Bank: Gap in economic development reason behind not yet adopting euro
The unfinished process of long-term convergence between the Czech Republic and advanced eurozone states continues to be an obstacle in the adoption of the euro, according to an analysis published by the Czech National Bank. A further risk factor stems from the difference in Czech and eurozone financial cycles and the issue of maintaining the long-term sustainability of Czech public finances due to population aging and the growth of mandatory budget expenditures. However, when it comes to the Maastricht convergence criteria for adopting the eurozone currency are basically fulfilled.
Pioneer of international audio-visual art Bohuslav Vašulka dies aged 82
One of the pioneers of audio-visual art, Bohuslav "Woody" Vašulka, died on Friday at his home in Santa Fe, New Mexico, the Czech News Agency reports. A student of Prague's renowned film school FAMU, Mr. Vašulka moved to the United States during the 1960s, later co-founding New York's The Kitchen theatre which explored the potential of audio-visual media and human interaction with technologies.
Professor Tomáš Ruller, who heads the Vašulka Kitchen Brno new media research and education facility, said that the death of Mr Vašulka is a major loss and that Mr Vašulka was one of the few international arts personalities to come from the Czech Republic.
Courts register decrease in unfinished cases
Czech courts are ending this year with the lowest amount of unfinished cases since 2008, when relevant statistics began. Among district courts the decrease has been as high as one third in the past six years, Czech Television reports. The number of lawsuits has also gone down by a third in the past five years. However, regional courts have registered more work, particularly folowing the expansion of bankruptcy legislation, which seeks to aleviate the poorest from extreme debt by alowing them to file for bankruptcy.
The high-profile cases, which were successfully ended this year, include the sentencing of forer health minister and regional governor David Rath to seven years for corruption, or the aleviation of charges on former Energy Regulatory Office chief Alena Vitásková.
Two men arrested in connection to Brno street shooting
Czech police have arested two men linked to a shooting in a street in Moravia's capital of Brno, which took place on Friday. Both are foreign nationals, according to police spokesperson Bohumil Malášek. The case is under investigation as disorderly conduct and a sentence should be carried out at the soonest possible opportunity.
David Pastrňák to captain Atlantic Division in NHL All-Stars Game
Czech ice hockey player David Pastrňák of the Boston Bruins, who currently leads the goalscoring rankings in the NHL this season, has been selected to captain the Atlantic Division in the upcoming annual NHL All-Stars Game in January. The 23-year-old forward is the first Czech to bear the honour since Jaromír Jágr. He will lead 11 of the best players from his division this season against teams led by captains such as Alexander Ovechkin and Connor McDavid.
Aside from Pastrňák’s Bruins, the Atlantic Division includes the Florida Panthers, Buffalo Sabres, Toronto Maple Leafs and the Montreal Canadiens.
Nejlepší střelec NHL David Pastrňák z Bostonu bude při lednovém Utkání hvězd zámořské hokejové soutěže v St. Louis kapitánem výběru Atlantické divize. Kapitány dalších týmů budou další hvězdní útočníci Alexandr Ovečkin z Washingtonu (Metropolitní divize), Connor McDavid z Edmontonu (Pacifická) a Nathan MacKinnon z Colorada (Centrální).
Weather
Rain is expected to return on Monday, particularly in the north and east of the country. Temperatures will remain largely the same reaching 8 degrees Celsius in Prague, while dipping to 6 degrees in the mountainous border regions.
