Czech news in brief for January 2: Tuesday's top headlines

Brno judge Karl Knaifl has received an 18-month suspended sentence for sexually coercing an underage girl. The  District Court of Frýdek-Místek set a two-year probationary period for him. Judge Sandra Vareninová announced the verdict – she confirmed that the victim was a girl whom the judge met during a separate, past hearing.

Knaifl was found guilty of coercion, endangering the upbringing of a child, abuse of authority, and possession and production of child pornography. The court determined that Knaifl had wanted to help the girl, but also wanted something in return. The victim saw him as an authority figure and felt pressured to comply with his requests.

In 2023, Prague's Klementinum experienced its joint-warmest year since 1775 (along with 2018), according to the Czech Hydrometeorological Institute (ČHMÚ). The average temperature throughout was 12.8 degrees Celsius, 1.5 degrees higher than the 1991-2020 average and 3.2 degrees higher than the 1775-2014 average.

Additionally, last year’s December in Prague registered an average monthly temperature of 5.1 degrees Celsius, which ranks it among the five percent of warmest Decembers since records began. In the capital, the top five warmest years over the past two and a half centuries have all occurred in this millennium. The third-warmest year was 2019, with 2014 and 2014 completing the top five.

A campaign to raise funds for drones in Ukraine has received over CZK 11 million from Czech citizens, according to the fundraiser organizers. The goal is to purchase 10,000 FPV drones for use against Russian forces. The campaign is supported by the Group D association, under the patronage of Czech Chief of Staff Karel Řehka and President's Military Office chief Radek Hasala.

The drones will allow operators to monitor real-time images using special glasses and have been specifically designed for Ukrainian defense. Russia has already recognized the importance of drones in combat and has begun mass production, giving them an advantage on the battlefield, Řehka says.

Interior Minister Vít Rakušan plans to propose a 30-day extension of random checks at the Czech border with Slovakia to prevent illegal migration. The checks, initiated in October, were set to end on Jan. 3. Czechia, along with Poland, began border controls on October 4 for ten days, later extended.

Poland extended its checks until Feb. 1. If approved, the Czech measures will last about four months. Minister Rakusan emphasized the improved situation compared to the previous year and stated the controls aim to prevent migration flows following neighboring countries' actions. Controls were last implemented from September 2022 to February 2023.

The Czech Embassy in Tokyo reported no Czech citizens among the victims or injured in the 7.6-magnitude earthquake that hit Japan's Ishikawa region. Ambassador Martin Klucar confirmed the absence of Czech casualties as the death toll reached 48, with 16 serious injuries, according to Japanese authorities. Thousands of homes, cars, and boats suffered damage.

The AFP noted 155 aftershocks, heightening concerns. Klucar stated that the embassy, monitoring rescue efforts, had received no requests for assistance from the 54 Czech citizens registered in the Drozd traveler system in Japan. The situation in affected regions is unfortunately escalating.

Police are investigating a burglary at the residence of the Charles University shooter in Hostoun, Kladensko. The break-in occurred at the family home, where the shooter killed his father. There were two incidents, one completed and one attempted break-in, prompting increased police patrols in the area.

Authorities have not confirmed if charges will be filed or if anything is missing from the house. Police officers at the scene are equipped with long weapons as a precaution. The investigation follows the shooting incident at the university faculty.

New Year's celebrations in Czechia were relatively calm, with emergency services reporting fewer incidents compared to previous years. Rescuers attended to injuries caused by alcohol consumption and fireworks, while firefighters responded to 260 fires, mostly ignited by fireworks damaging trees, shrubs, containers, cars, and garages.

Police addressed minor skirmishes and issued fines for unauthorized fireworks in Prague's city center. The overall situation was deemed unexceptional, except for a tragic incident in southern Bohemia, where a drunk man operating an excavator overturned and lost his life. Authorities noted a decrease in the number of fires compared to the previous year.

Czech tennis star Petra Kvitová, a two-time Wimbledon champion, announced her pregnancy on social media on New Year's Day. The 33-year-old, married to coach Jiří Vaněk since July, anticipates their first child in the summer.

Kvitová, who faced career-threatening injuries in 2016 after a knife attack on her hand, did not confirm if the pregnancy signals the end of her tennis career. The left-handed player finished 14th in the WTA standings last season.

On New Year's Eve in Czechia, the tradition of conveying wishes via social networks and apps persisted, with a significant increase in data transfer, according to mobile operators. O2 observed a 24.1 percent surge in data traffic, reaching 3,670 terabytes, while call volume decreased by 2.1 percent, and SMS sent were down by 6.8 percent.

T-Mobile noted a 19 percent rise in data traffic to 2,900 TB, with a peak between 5:30 p.m. and 5:45 p.m. Vodafone reported a 38 percent YoY increase in data services to 2,100 TB, with 14.5 million calls, 5 percent less than the previous year. Foreign SIM cards and calls in Vodafone were dominated by Ukrainian users.

Slovak President Zuzana Čaputová emphasized in her New Year's speech that elections should not compromise fundamental democratic values, urging any changes to be implemented after thorough analysis and honest discussion. She highlighted the September parliamentary elections as a significant shift, bringing the Smer-Social Democrats back to power with Robert Fico as Prime Minister.

Čaputová called for protecting institutions crucial to democracy, including law enforcement, free media, and NGOs. Concerns arise as the new government proposes changes to criminal law, such as abolishing the Special Prosecutor's Office. Čaputová also addressed the need for cultural improvement and reducing societal conflicts. She declared not seeking re-election.

The Czech Hydrometeorological Institute forecasts a predominantly cloudy start to the new year with rain, snow in the mountains, and temperatures reaching 10°C during the day. Night temperatures dip below zero on Tuesday and Friday. Weekend and early next week anticipate possible all-day frosts. By mid-January, a slight warming trend is expected. Rainfall is set to decrease gradually. Today, partly cloudy with rain and snow above 700 meters is expected with the temperature reaching 8°C.

Wednesday brings heavier rain with temperatures up to 11°C. Thursday and Friday see lighter rain with daily highs around 10°C and 8°C, respectively. The monthly outlook suggests below-zero night temperatures after mid-January. Variable precipitation is expected, ranging from above-average to minimal amounts in successive weeks, with the possibility of snow in the mountains.