Czech news in brief for December 25: Monday's top headlines

Prague has activated preventive measures this afternoon as rising water levels pose flood risks. The city's flood authority has implemented safety measures, closing floodplains and activating barriers along the Vltava and Sázava rivers. With the Berounka river already peaking, ongoing elevated flow is expected.

Floodgates, including Čertovka in the city center, have been closed, and ferry services in specific Prague areas are suspended as a precaution. Public safety measures include closed jetties in designated zones, with potential towing of parked vehicles. The city will monitor the situation, emphasizing these steps are preventive until further notice.

Adverse weather has left 3,700 Czech households without electricity this morning, primarily impacting the Pardubice and Ústí Regions. Fallen trees and branches on power lines caused most disruptions, with energy workers addressing the issues. The Czech Hydrometeorological Institute predicts improved conditions as the wind weakens later in the day.

Earlier, at 4:00 a.m., 12,000 households were affected, mainly in Vysočina, Central Bohemia, and the Pilsen Region. Although many faults have been resolved, new ones continue to pop up. By 9:00 a.m., 28 high-voltage faults affected 3,700 locations, with technicians actively working to restore power. Flood warnings of various degrees remain in effect throughout the country.

The Key of St. Peter (Klíč svatého Petra) on Czech Television was a Christmas hit on December 24, watched by 2.32 million viewers in the Czech Republic aged 15 and above, 60 percent of post-7 p.m. viewers. Despite a slight dip from last year, it outshone other Czech TV options, with Christmas classic Three Nuts for Cinderella securing second place (1.9 million viewers), followed by Pelíšky (1.6 million viewers).

The new fairy tale also achieved a 52 percent audience share among viewers aged four to 12. This success maintains Czech Television's three-decade tradition of delivering enchanting Christmas tales since 1993.

Most Czech Christmas traditions take place on December 24, but Christians worldwide celebrate Christmas today, marking the birth of Jesus Christ. Churches host nativity scenes and traditional plays depicting scenes from the story of Jesus' birth. Pope Francis will deliver a Christmas message from the Vatican at noon.

In Prague, the Sant'Egidio community will organize a Christmas lunch for 200 marginalized individuals at the Archbishop's Palace on Hradčany Square. It will be led by Prague Archbishop Jan Graubner. Elsewhere in Czechia, a special Christmas program will take place at the Cathedral of St. Peter and Paul in Brno.

Heavy rain and melting snow intensify flooding across the Czech Republic, with over 160 locations experiencing flood activity. The third and highest level of flood risk threatens lives and property in 15 places, including the Ohře in Karlovy Vary-Drahovice, the Elbe in various stations, the Žejbro, Sázava, Svratka, Želivka, Jihlava, Nežárka, and Moravská Sázava rivers.

The Czech Hydrometeorological Institute has issued warnings for rising river and stream levels across the country, excluding the southern part of the South Bohemian Region. Cloudy and rainy weather is forecasted on today's Christmas holiday, with temperatures ranging from 5 to 13 degrees Celsius.

Prague's city center saw people gathering at memorials dedicated to the victims of Thursday's tragic shooting at Charles University's Faculty of Arts throughout the Christmas holidays. Thousands of candles adorned the university's main seat in Prague and the Faculty of Arts building, as mourners paid respects.

Police officers, armed with submachine guns, have patrolled the city since the shooting. Collections for the bereaved and survivors reached around 45 million crowns. Despite the somber atmosphere, Christmas activities continued in the city. The shooting, which claimed 14 lives and injured 25, led to solidarity and fundraisers, with the most significant contribution being to the Charles University Endowment Fund.

A 64-year-old man from Žilina, Slovakia, was swiftly arrested after threatening to replicate the recent Prague murder in a phone call to the integrated rescue system's operation center. The man's ominous statement, "I will do what happened in Prague," prompted an immediate police response.

The emergency motorized unit of the regional police headquarters in Žilina apprehended the suspect in the Žilinská Lehota district. The Slovak police have initiated criminal proceedings for spreading an alarm message. The incident occurred on the day of national mourning in the Czech Republic, marked by symbolic gestures of solidarity in Slovakia.

Czech football captain Tomáš Souček, currently playing for West Ham in London, is bringing Czech Christmas traditions to the British capital. Souček, spending his fourth Christmas in London, received the traditional Czech carp from the club cook and looks forward to enjoying Czech dishes like potato salad.

Despite the busy football schedule, Souček and his fellow Czech teammate, Vladimír Coufal, aim to infuse Czech customs into their celebrations. Last year, Souček shared Czech sweets with teammates, introducing them to unique Czech holiday traditions. The footballer, committed to keeping his cultural heritage alive, values the importance of celebrating Christmas in a Czech way.

In the festive tradition of Bear Christmas at Český Krumlov Castle, hundreds of spectators gathered to watch bearkeeper Jan Černý and his team prepare Christmas trees adorned with various snacks for the resident bears. The event, organized since 1988, draws visitors from all over the Czech Republic and beyond.

The bears, including the oldest, Maria Theresa, and the younger ones, Vilém and Polyxena, enjoyed a winter feast, with ham and fruit being particularly attractive. Bears have been a historical attraction at Český Krumlov Castle for centuries, with the Christmas feeding event being a beloved annual tradition.

The Podještědské muzeum in Český Dub will showcase its captivating hand-carved nativity scene, a unique creation that has evolved since 2004, through the Christmas holidays. Comprising 60 figures, each added annually, the nativity scene features real individuals connected to the area, blending historical and contemporary characters.

The exhibit, typically displayed for two days, has been extended to five days this year due to relocation within the museum for planned reconstruction at its traditional venue. The free exhibition attracts around 1,000 annual visitors annually, fostering local curiosity and regional pride.

Starting in 2025, the Czech Social Security Administration (ČSSZ) is expected to assume responsibility for processing and disbursing care allowances and benefits for the disabled, according to the government's legislative plan for the coming year.

The Ministry of Labor aims to submit a draft amendment to laws on social services and disability benefits in May, seeking to centralize the management of these non-insurance benefits under the ČSSZ. The move is intended to streamline and expedite benefit awards, enhance the assessment service, and promote digitization and online communication. The proposed changes are slated to take effect from January 2025.