Czech news in brief for June 27: Saturday's top morning headlines

Good morning, and welcome to your Saturday news roundup.

Czechia is in the middle of a prolonged heatwave, with tropical nights now recorded across a fifth of weather stations and temperatures in central Prague staying above 23 degrees Celsius overnight. The Czech Hydrometeorological Institute says the heat is expected to continue into the weekend, with conditions challenging long-standing temperature records.

In Prague, a hotel fire briefly disrupted traffic in the city center on Thursday evening, and the capital also saw a new diplomatic milestone with the arrival of Russia’s new ambassador.

Here’s your morning mix of headlines.

Meteorologists recorded so-called tropical nights (over 20 degrees Celsius) at about one fifth of weather stations across Czechia, with temperatures not dropping below the threshold in multiple regions. The warmest conditions were measured in central Prague, where the Klementinum station saw a low of 23.7 degrees during an ongoing heatwave affecting the country.

Getting even hotter: The Czech Hydrometeorological Institute said tropical nights are expected to continue into Sunday and Monday, with rising temperatures driven by warm air from the southwest. Forecasters warned that the national record for highest minimum temperature, 27.2 degrees, could be challenged early next week amid the persistent heatwave.

Former Czech president Václav Klaus and lower house Speaker Tomio Okamura spoke at a conference hosted by Germany’s Alternative for Germany (AfD) in the Bundestag on Thursday, expressing support for the party and wishing it electoral success. Both criticized what they described as discrimination against the AfD in German politics and media.

Czech support: Klaus called the “demonization” of the AfD harmful and criticized EU policies, while Okamura said the party is unfairly excluded from parliamentary leadership roles. Germany’s domestic intelligence service has previously labelled the AfD as a right-wing extremist organization, a designation currently under legal challenge.

A fire broke out on a hotel rooftop terrace in Hybernská Street in central Prague on Thursday evening, prompting the evacuation of more than 200 people and the closure of surrounding streets. Firefighters brought the blaze under control, with police securing the area during the emergency response.

Key details: Fire crews said the flames were confined mainly to the roof terrace, with the interior only lightly affected and no injuries reported. Several nearby streets, including Opletalova and Hybernská, were temporarily closed while firefighters searched for remaining hotspots and reduced their presence on site.

President Petr Pavel received credentials from new Russian Ambassador Anna Ponomareva at Prague Castle on Friday, officially marking the start of her diplomatic mission in Czechia. The ceremony was held without media participation, according to the Office of the President.

Key details: Ponomareva replaces Alexander Zmeyevsky, who served as ambassador since 2016. Diplomatic relations between Czechia and Russia have been strained since 2021 following the Vrbětice explosions case and worsened after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, with embassies in both capitals operating at reduced capacity.

The Czech Committee for UNICEF has launched a fundraising campaign to support children and families in Venezuela after this week’s earthquake. Donations can be made through the Earthquake in Venezuela project, a designated account, or by purchasing a first-aid kit, while other aid groups in Czechia have also opened collections.

What aid supports: UNICEF and partner organizations say they are providing water, hygiene supplies, medical care, education support, and psychosocial assistance on the ground as needs remain urgent following the disaster. Earthquakes measuring 7.2 and 7.5 killed 589 people and injured nearly 3,000, according to Venezuelan authorities.