Daily news summary
Czech Republic ratifies Strategic Partnership Agreement between the EU and Canada
The Czech Republic has ratified the Strategic Partnership Agreement (SPA) between the EU and Canada, which includes cooperation of the fight against terrorism and weapons of mass destruction.
The SPA is to strengthen bilateral cooperation in the field of foreign policy, sustainable development, research and innovations, education and culture," the Czech Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
It will also involve cooperation in the area of security, fight against terrorism, organised crime and cyber-crime.
In the Czech Republic it won approval from all parties with the exception of the Communist Party.
Czech household debt rises to 1.5 trillion crowns
Czech household debt rose in the month of July to 1.5 trillion crowns, according to figures released by the Czech National Bank on Thursday.
The amount owed by Czech households to banks and financial institutions therefore rose by nine billion crowns in comparison with the previous month and by 113.6 billion crowns compared with the same period in 2016.
Company debt for the same period has increased as well, by around 10 billion to over one trillion crowns.
Nurse acquitted of murder demands compensation
Former nurse Věra Marešová, who was acquitted in the murders of six patients, is demanding compensation of nearly five million crowns, news site iRozhlas.cz reported on Thursday. Marešová had been accused of injecting patients with overdoses of potassium at a hospital in the North Bohemian town of Rumburk between 2010 and 2014 and spent nearly a year in custody.
Marešová is suing for compensation for alleged damage to her health and her prospects on the labour market, as well as for her time in custody. She has already been granted more than one million crowns by the Justice Ministry.
Czech band Mňága a Žďorp to perform near Chernobyl
Czech band Mňága a Žďorp is set to perform at the Chernobyling festival in Ukraine on Thursday. The event takes place in Slavutych, a town that was built for the evacuated personnel of the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant after the 1986 disaster that occurred near the city of Pripyat.
The festival got underway on Wednesday and will continue until Friday. The profits will be dedicated to the inhabitants of the Chernobyl zone to improve their living conditions and restore some of the houses.
Transtech to provide 20 rail vehicles to Finland
Finnish Transtech, a subsidiary of Škoda Transportation, will deliver a total of 20 double deck electric carriages to Finland. The price of the contract amounts to nearly 1.4 billion crowns.
The first double deck coaches were introduced in the Finnish railways in June 1998, and now a total of 152 coaches carry passengers on all main routes in Finland.
Plzeň-based transport company Škoda Transportation acquired a controlling stake in Finland’s sole manufacturer of rail vehicles and trams in August 2015.
Petra Kvitová reaches third round of US Open
13th seed Petra Kvitová has reached the third round of the US Open after beating Alizé Cornet 6-1, 6-2 in just 59 minutes.
“I don’t have any expectations here in the US Open or in the American hard court season,” Kvitová said afterwards. “I’m just taking every match one day at a time.
Up next, the two-time Wimbledon champion will take on the winner between No.18 seed Caroline Garcia and Ekaterina Alexandrova.
Weather
Meteorologists have warned of heavy storms due to hit the central and southern parts of the Czech Republic on Thursday evening. Friday will see persistent rain in most parts of the country. Daytime temperatures will range between 13 and 18 degrees Celsius.
