Czech news in brief for July 20: Saturday's top headlines

Generali Česká pojišťovna's systems are fully operational following Friday's IT service outage caused by a faulty antivirus update from CrowdStrike. Company spokesman Jan Marek confirmed there was no cybersecurity breach. The outage impacted online services, systems, and the client line, but these were restored by Friday evening. Other affected Czech entities included BENU pharmacies and Prague Airport. The Czech National Bank and the Prague Stock Exchange reported no issues from the global IT disruption.

Czech firefighting helicopters helped save the Bulgarian village of Strandzha from a massive forest fire near the Bulgarian-Turkish border. The fire had already destroyed buildings in Voden and threatened Strandzha and Kraynovo. Czech crews dropped water from bambi buckets, while Bulgarian and Turkish firefighters created protective belts with heavy equipment, preventing further destruction. A collaborative effort continues to combat fires in the region.

Thunderstorms with heavy rain and hail are in the forecast for West Bohemia this afternoon, reports the Czech Hydrometeorological Institute. The storms, expected to bring up to 30 liters of rain per square meter, could also include hail and strong winds. A weather alert for severe storms is in effect from 3 p.m. today through the evening for parts of the Pilsen, Ústí, and Karlovy Vary regions. On Sunday, temperatures are expected 31 degrees Celsius throughout much of Czechia.

The body of Czech climber Milan Sedláček, who perished in the Himalayas in 2012, has been recovered during a recent clean-up operation organized by Nepalese authorities, BBC News reports. Sedláček's identity documents were found with his remains on Lhoka, the world’s fourth-highest mountain. The operation, which concluded in early June, also retrieved three other bodies and one skeleton from the “death zone” above 8,000 meters.

The Czech Republic has received the initial components of the new Spyder air defense system from Israel, reports iROZHLAS.cz. The equipment is currently being assembled at the Military Technical Institute. The Czech Defence Ministry signed a contract in 2021 for four Spyder batteries, each comprising around nine vehicles. The Spyder system is designed for targeting aircraft, helicopters, and drones, but not for missile defense.

Prague Airport announced that all air carriers impacted by Friday's global GoNow check-in system outage are now operating normally. Communications Director Eva Krejčí advised passengers to monitor their flights on the airport's website. The outage had caused significant disruptions, including 12 canceled arrivals, 13 canceled departures, and delays averaging 111 minutes for 83 flights. The GoNow system is used by airlines such as Eurowings, Flynas, Ryanair, Transavia, Volotea, Vueling, and Wizz Air.

The government will announce its nominee for EU Commissioner at "a convenient time," likely during the summer, according to spokeswoman Lucie Jesatková. Prime Minister Petr Fiala is in contact with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, who will call on EU member states to propose candidates for her new team. The Czech cabinet will meet for the last time before recess on July 25. Current Industry and Trade Minister Jozef Síkela is reportedly a candidate.

Czech tennis star Karolína Muchová has advanced to the semifinals at the Palermo Ladies Open, marking her first such achievement since the 2023 US Open. The second-seeded Czech defeated Australia's Astra Sharma 7-6, 7-6 in the quarterfinals. Muchová, who had wrist surgery in February, is competing in her third tournament this year. She will face Romania's Irina-Camelia Begu in the semifinals.

On the D35 highway near Nákla in Olomouc, a truck crashed into an empty parked bus early Friday evening, causing one minor injury. The highway was closed for over two hours in the direction of Olomouc, with traffic diverted to secondary roads near Unčovice. By 7:30 p.m., traffic resumed. The truck severely damaged the rear of the bus and its cab, scattering debris. Firefighters and a specialized company are clearing the site.

The four-day Colors of Ostrava music festival will wrap up with its final day in Ostrava today. Headliners include British electronic musician James Blake and Swedish pop star Zara Larsson. Blake will present songs from his latest album, Playing Robots into Heaven. Iranian-Dutch singer Sevdaliza, whose performance was delayed due to yesterday's global IT outage, will also perform today.