Czech news in brief for August 15: Thursday's top headlines

Czech Senate Speaker Miloš Vystrčil stated that the Czech Republic and Japan agree on supporting Ukraine against Russian aggression and aim to enhance their strategic partnership and economic cooperation. Following a meeting with Japanese parliamentary leaders, both sides discussed the Indo-Pacific situation and relations with China and Taiwan. Vystrčil announced plans for the Czech Senate Speaker to visit Japan in 2025, a long-awaited trip delayed due to scheduling issues.

A spokeswoman for the Moravian-Silesian fire department said this afternoon that it took more than 30 hours for firefighters to extinguish a fire at an industrial company hall in Vítkovice, Ostrava. The extent of the damage and the cause of the fire are still being investigated. Thick black smoke was visible from miles away and nearby buildings were evacuated as a precaution. Twelve people were treated at the scene, but no serious injuries were reported. The police have initiated criminal proceedings for public endangerment due to negligence and are investigating the cause of the fire.

According to the Supreme Administrative Court, the Czech Medical Chamber (CLK) has been fined CZK 15,000 for discriminating against men in a job advertisement for a female assistant. A regional court canceled the fine, but the NSS ruled that the technical elements of the offense were still fulfilled. The case will be reviewed again by the Olomouc branch of the regional court in Ostrava. The CLK posted on Facebook looking for a "female administrative assistant" at its Prague 5 office, which the labor inspectorate deemed discriminatory.

According to Czech Health Ministry spokesman Ondřej Jakob, there are enough vaccines against mpox (formerly monkeypox) in the country as Czechia faces higher incidence rates. The ministry recommends vaccination before traveling to risky African countries. The World Health Organization has declared a state of emergency due to the epidemic in Africa. In 2024 so far, there have been 11 cases of mpox in the Czech Republic and 71 cases in Europe. In late June, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control described the risk of the new mpox variant as very low.

According to the Czech Hydrometeorological Institute (CHMU), Southern Moravia recorded its hottest day of the year on Wednesday, with temperatures reaching 37.1 degrees Celsius in Strážnice. Only a few stations set new temperature records, as many previous highs from past years remained unbroken. The extreme heat has prompted a fire warning in southern Moravia and much of Bohemia, with thunderstorms expected to provide some relief.

The Czech Education Ministry will again fund Czech language courses for Ukrainian students to ease their access to Czech university programs. Now in its second year, the initiative offers three courses totaling at least 660 hours each. Starting in October, the courses will run through August 2025, with participants receiving a CZK 16,000 monthly scholarship. Fourteen million crowns have been allocated for this project.

The French ensemble Akoreacro kicked off the Letní Letná new circus festival with an open-air performance near the Prague metronome, drawing thousands of spectators. The festival, running until Sept. 1 in Letenské sady, will feature over 250 performances from artists across nine countries. Highlights include acts from France and Taiwan and a range of workshops and concerts. Last year’s festival saw a record attendance of over 80,000 visitors.

Czech Airlines (ČSA) will operate its final commercial flight, OK767, from Paris to Prague on October 26 before transitioning to a new business model. From Oct. 27, all flights will be managed by Smartwings under a unified QS code. Despite the change, ČSA will remain the managing company with a major stake in Smartwings. ČSA branding will continue on select aircraft, including two Airbus A320s and four Airbus A220-300s.

The final phase of the Barrandov Bridge reconstruction in Prague begins Monday. Traffic signs will be updated from Saturday, potentially causing delays, especially for drivers from Jižní spojka to Smíchov and Modřanská. The project, which started in 2022, faced delays due to unexpected issues with the northern bridge section. Repairs are now shifting to the southern part, with completion expected by year-end. The total cost is projected to exceed the initial estimate of CZK 594.5 million.