Daily news summary

Czech Republic asks Poland to reopen further border crossings

Foreign Minister Tomáš Petříček has asked Poland to consider opening further border crossings in the Liberec and Hradec Kralove regions after a meeting with his Polish counterpart Jacek Czaputowicz on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, Mr Czaputowicz asked that the Czech Republic allow transit for Polish workers through Czech territory into other countries. The Czech foreign minister said he will discuss the request at the next government meeting.

Czech scientists to take part in worldwide COVID-19 study

Czech scientists from the National Institute of Mental Health will take part in a study exploring the mental and physical effects of the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic. In total 100,000 anonymous individuals, including medical personnel, from 110 countries across the world will be examined, the Czech News Agency reported on Wednesday.

Researchers are hoping that the findings will help better prepare for future pandemics.

Public commemorates sacrifice of paratroopers in WWII Operation Anthropoid

Several dozen people gathered in Prague’s Libeň neighbourhood this Wednesday, commemorating Czechoslovak paratroopers Jan Kubiš and Jozef Gabčík who assassinated Reichsprotektor Reinhard Heydrich in this part of the capital 78 years ago.

The commemoration was started by the playing of Scotland the Brave, a reminder that the paratroopers undertook their training in Scotland before being sent back to Czechoslovakia to carry out their mission.

Gabčík, Kubiš and five other paratroopers would die three weeks later after they were discovered the Germans while they were hiding in the Church of St. Cyril and Methodius. The assasination also led to a severe crackdown on the wider protectorate population.

Christian Democrat MP wants spreading of Nazi symbols be criminally prosecuted

The Deputy Chairman of the Christian Democratic Party, Jan Bartošek, tweeted on Wednesday that he is planning to propose amendment to criminal law which would allow the prosecution of individuals spreading Nazi symbols or related propaganda material. The amendment would make such an act an offence punishable by up to three years in jail, or through a fine.

The initiative comes after it was found earlier this week that a Czech publisher was selling a calendar featuring the faces of leading men of the Third Reich.

Czech scientists successfully test potential lyme disease vaccine

Scientists from the Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences in Ceske Budejovice have successfully tested a potential new vaccine which could be used to treat lyme disease. The treatment, developed by American pharmaceutical researcher Sanofi, currently holds a 100 percent success rate in treating the illness. The results of the tests were published earlier this month in the NPJ Vaccines journal.

Lyme disease is an illness transferred by ticks. Only in the Czech Republic, around 4,000 people a year are diagnosed with the sickness.

David Pastrňák to receive Maurice Richard Trophy as this NHL season’s top goal scorer

Forward David Pastrňák from the Boston Bruins finished top in the goal scoring rankings in this year’s season of the NHL. Pastrňák shares the top spot with Alexander Ovechkin from the Washington capitals. Both players scored 48 goals. Pastrňák in 70 games, Ovechkin in just 68.

The play-off round will now decide which of the 24 teams that progressed into the next stage will win this year’s Stanley Cup.

Weather

Temperatures are expected to fall on Thursday ranging between 13-17 degrees Celsius, with frequent rains and cloudy skies.