Czech news in brief for July 7: Sunday's top headlines

Barbora Krejčíková is set to compete for her first Wimbledon quarterfinal spot on Monday against American Danielle Collins. Krejčíková, the last Czech player remaining in the singles tournament, will face the 11th seed on Monday. The 28-year-old, seeded 31st in the tournament, previously reached the round of 16 three years ago. Collins, retiring this year, is having a strong season and has not lost a set at Wimbledon so far.

A record-breaking 50,000 spectators attended the Beats for Love festival in Ostrava on Saturday, drawn by headliner DJ David Guetta. Over the four-day electronic and dance music festival, more than 162,000 people participated, surpassing the previous record of 160,000 set in 2022. The festival featured 512 artists across 18 stages and introduced innovations like a cashless payment system this year.

The Czech women's volleyball team have qualified for the Nations League for the very first time after defeating Puerto Rico 3-1 in the Challenger Cup final in Manila. The Czechs previously beat Argentina and Vietnam to reach the final. The victory comes during their third attempt to win the Challenger Cup, having previously lost to Canada in 2019 and Belgium in 2022.

Analysts project June inflation in the Czech Republic to remain near May's 2.6 percent. Czech Statistical Office data, due Wednesday, is expected to confirm this range, with forecasts between 2.5 to 2.7 percent. The Czech National Bank predicts a slight decrease to 2.4 percent. Factors include lower fuel and possibly clothing costs month-on-month, countered by rises in housing and food prices, with services expected to maintain a five percent growth rate.

Czech brewer Budějovický Budvar has reported robust financial results for last year, with a remarkable 55 percent increase in pre-tax profit to CZK 396.4 million. The brewery achieved a record production of 1.865 million hectoliters of beer, marking its highest output to date. Despite challenges in the Russian market, Budvar successfully expanded exports to new markets such as the United Arab Emirates and Albania, achieving substantial growth. Domestically, the brewery also saw a 3.8 percent increase in sales.

Slovak rescuers undertook a night mission in the Tatras on Saturday to aid two Czech climbers who found themselves in trouble while ascending. The Czechs initially sought navigation assistance due to worsening weather conditions and fading light. Ultimately, they required direct rescue due to their lack of appropriate climbing gear. Rescuers located them halfway through the Tatarko trail and escorted them to safety.

Temperature records were broken at 11 out of the 165 long-term measuring stations in the Czech Republic on Saturday, with Prague’s Libuš recording the highest at 34.3 degrees Celsius. Following the intense heat, strong storms moved in from the west. The storms caused fallen tree falls, disrupting railway lines in several regions. Cooler temperatures are expected throughout Sunday and into the week.

During a strong storm in Prague's Braník neighborhood on Saturday evening, a tree fell on two people, seriously injuring a man in his thirties with a severe head injury. A woman sustained a minor facial injury. The man was placed in an induced coma and transported to a trauma center. The storm also disrupted train services and cable car operations at Prague Zoo, with firefighters responding to 12 weather-related incidents, mainly fallen trees and branches.

Seven people were injured during a stampede at the entrance to an inflatable tent at the Vysočina Fest music festival in Jihlava last night. Attendees panicked as the tent's roof sagged due to heavy rain, causing a rush to the exit. Minor injuries were treated at a local hospital. The incident, initially reported to have 12 injuries, occurred after organizers cut the program short due to storm forecasts, concluding before midnight.

A judge has remanded a 55-year-old man accused of fatally shooting a 52-year-old man in Teplice on Wednesday evening. The victim succumbed to gunshot wounds, and the police arrested the shooter. Both the prosecutor and the court agreed to the investigator's request for custody, placing the accused in prison. If found guilty, the shooter faces up to 18 years in prison.

The Bohemian Switzerland National Park Administration is planting less diverse meadows with seeds collected from richer ones. Surplus seeds will be offered to local farmers to diversify their fields. This initiative aims to enhance meadow biodiversity. The park is recovering from past bark beetle damage and a significant fire, showing signs of regeneration with emerging birch and other species.