Czech morning news in brief: top stories for Jan. 19, 2021

Crime in the Czech Republic dropped by nearly 17 percent in 2020. with around 34,000 fewer registered offenses than the year previous. The pandemic was a key reason behind the drop. Director of the Office of the Criminal Police and Investigation Service of the Police Presidium of the Czech Republic, Col. Mgr. Luděk Fiala states: "The main reasons for the decline in the idea of crime can, of course, be seen in the restrictive measures that caused less mobility of people in the Czech Republic, in restricting the entry of citizens of other countries and also in the amendment to the Criminal Code. The number of simple thefts fell by more than 14,200 offenses, a decrease of more than 23 percent in relative terms. while economic crime fell by around 25 percent. Meanwhile, violent crimes, according to the police statistics, fell by about 10 percent.

Czech Foreign Minister Tomas Petricek (Social Democrats, CSSD) has caught coronavirus, he feels unwell and tired but has no serious symptoms, he said in a press statement. "I was positive in the antigen testing yesterday, the PCR test confirmed it today," Petricek, 39, said. He said he has cancelled his programme, apart from some video conferences, such as the online meeting of the government on Monday. "I'm not well, I'm tired, but so far (I have to knock) I don't have any more serious symptoms. With the exception of some video conferences (eg government meetings), I canceled the program, and I will complete it in the coming days, depending on how I feel. Take care of yourself, take care of yourself and your loved ones. I wish everyone good health," said Petříček. Read more here.

The Czech economy fell by seven percent in 2020, but in 2021 it should grow by 2.8 percent according to research from Deloitte. The average wage will grow by 3.4 percent this year, similar to last year, and the unemployment rate should rise to 3.5 percent. According to the analysis, the Czech economy will be significantly affected by a global pandemic in 2021 as well. This year, there should also be a significant decline in inflation, which should be in the range of 0.5 to 2.3 percent. See the full story here.

Prague zoo has raised a rare Pesquet's parrot, the first such success in continental Europe, zoo spokeswoman Lucie Dosedelova said, adding that the bird hatched two months ago and weighs 600 grams. Prague zoo is the only one in the Czech Republic to keep Pesquets parrots, a 50-cm long species whose habitat are New Guinean rainforests and that is typical of its black-red color and a shape reminding of a vulture. The zoo acquired the first one in 2014 from Czech expert Cestmir Drozdek, who has been the world's most successful breeder of this species in the past decade. In the zoo, the parrots can be seen in the Rakos Pavilion along with about 100 specimens of 40 parrot and exotic bird species.

An exhibition of photographs by Roman Vondrous, the winner of Czech Press Photo 2020 and a Czech News Agency (CTK) photojournalist, has opened online in the Czech Photo Centre in Prague. The gallery will open to the public if the lockdown restrictions are loosened. The exhibition Fragments of the Metropolis shows Prague during the coronavirus epidemic and its inhabitants affected by the restrictions. Vondrous said at the online opening that there is a single global theme that photographers deal with after a long time, the coronavirus. Some go to the streets, like him, while others show the situation in hospitals. He said he preferred pictures with at least some sign of optimism and that he admired his colleagues who were strong enough to be in the hospitals.