Czech news in brief for June 8: Saturday's top headlines

Voting in the Czech elections to the European Parliament concluded at 2:00 p.m. this afternoon. The ANO party is expected to take the highest number of seats over the governing Together coalition. Results will be published Sunday before midnight after voting ends in most EU countries. Turnout exceeded 30 percent in many areas, with over 40 percent in Prague. The official results will be confirmed by the State Election Commission on Monday.

Czech athletes Gabriela Satková and Jiří Prskavec triumphed at the Canoe Slalom World Cup in Prague today. Satková, a European vice-champion, secured victory despite a penalty, defeating Australian star Jessica Fox by 1.59 seconds. Prskavec, an Olympic kayak champion, won his first World Cup race in the canoe category, leaving behind Tokyo Olympic champion Benjamin Savšek by 0.82 seconds. The event saw high participation and enthusiastic crowds, including President Petr Pavel.

The Czech Hydrometeorological Institute has issued a warning for very strong storms accompanied by hail, gusts of wind, and torrential rains throughout most of the Czech Republic on Saturday evening from 6:00 p.m. and into the early hours of Sunday morning. A low-level warning is in effect for Prague and other areas across in the middle of the country, with a high-level warning for locations in Moravia and Silesia.

Defense Minister Jana Černochová tells Czech News Agency that the country is receiving ongoing interest from countries wanting to participate in its ammunition initiative for Ukraine. Prime Minister Petr Fiala reported that 15 EU countries and NATO have contributed over EUR 1.6 billion. Ukraine is expected to receive the first tens of thousands of 155 mm ammunition in June, with a total of half a million pieces by the end of the year.

The European Commission plans to launch a probe into the sale of Czech company PPF Group's telecom assets in Bulgaria, Hungary, Serbia, and Slovakia to Emirates Telecommunications Group. Concerns arise over potential state subsidies, marking the first scrutiny under new EU rules on foreign subsidies in acquisitions. The investigation aims to ensure fairness in acquisitions, particularly regarding non-EU entities like China.

Czechs and other EU citizens residing in the Czech Republic have their last chance to vote in the European Parliament elections today, with polling stations open from 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. This election is viewed as a test of satisfaction with both the government and opposition. Results will be available late Sunday night. President Petr Pavel and party leaders voted on Friday, pushing for a turnout of at least 30 percent. Key issues include migration, the environment, and economic competitiveness.

Police obtained the final Czech suspect from Ukraine in the Czech-Ukrainian fake bankers case on Thursday. The 29-year-old, evading arrest since April, was captured by Ukrainian police working with Czech detectives. The gang, responsible for phone scams causing tens of millions in damages, faces charges of fraud and unauthorized computer access. The group includes 24 defendants, with 10 in custody facing up to 13.5 years in prison each if convicted.

A new memorial in Jihlava, designed by architect Zdeněk Sendler, honors victims of the communist regime's judicial killings from the early 1950s. Located at a former execution ground, the memorial features a metal railing at a staircase leading to the basement. On May 9, another memorial designed by local students was unveiled, symbolizing the imprisoned and executed and their families with interlocking life-size figures.

The Czech Foreign Ministry announced on Friday that Jan Šnaidauf will be the new ambassador to Iraq starting in September, while Martin Košatka will assume his role as ambassador to Romania in August. Šnaidauf, currently the director of the Foreign Policy Analysis and Planning Department, joined the ministry in 2008 and has significant experience in Middle East affairs. Košatka, with 30 years in Czech diplomacy, has served as ambassador to Spain and Croatia and currently directs the Department of South and Southeast Europe.

Mendel University in Brno has launched a new Food Waste Institute to provide reliable information on food waste, offer practical prevention tips, and organize educational programs. Pavel Kosorin, director of the Food Bank for Brno and the South Moravian Region, noted that up to one-third of food produced globally is wasted every year. The institute will also host debates on food waste, with the first scheduled for autumn.