Czech news in brief for November 5: Sunday's top headlines

Czechia is in communication with 11 individuals attempting to evacuate the Gaza Strip, with eight of them confirmed as Czech citizens, Foreign Minister Jan Lipavský told journalists today. The process of leaving the area requires Egypt's approval, and – as of recent reports – four Czech passport holders have received it, although their exact departure date remains uncertain. 

The Rafah crossing on the Palestine-Israel border is currently the only official route out of Gaza, where the Israeli army is escalating military operations to destroy the Hamas movement. On Saturday, Gaza authorities temporarily halted foreign-passport holders from exiting Egypt, demanding a coordinated evacuation of injured Palestinians from the Gaza Stip.

The northern lights (or aurora borealis) visual phenomenon was partially visible in the Czech Republic after dark this afternoon and will be in the early evening, according to the Czech Hydrometeorological Institute (ČHMÚ). A solar eruption earlier in the day disrupted Earth's geomagnetic field, raising hopes for aurora sightings. 

However, widespread cloud cover hindered the ability to see the lights, with better visibility prospects in the southern regions of Bohemia, the Highlands, and southern Moravia. To observe this natural spectacle, an open northern horizon in dark, mountainous areas is recommended, the ČHMÚ says. In February and April this year, people could view the aurora borealis from large cities.

Around 200 to 300 people gathered in Prague's Lesser Town Square in the late afternoon to express support for Palestinians, waving banners and pro-Palestine flags. The demonstrators marched through the center of the capital, calling for an end to violence and highlighting the plight of Palestinian children. Many also criticized the Czech government – and the West more broadly – for its pro-Israel stance.

Speakers emphasized the need to stop the ongoing conflict and address the humanitarian crisis, citing shortages of medicine and food. The crowd chanted slogans advocating for Palestinian liberation as they proceeded to Wenceslas Square. Prague police reported no violence.

During a Czech Medical Chamber convention Sunday, Minister of Health Vlastimil Válek revealed that most Czech hospitals allocate about 60 percent of their total revenue toward employees’ salaries and related costs. Válek said this was 10 percentage points more than the west European average. 

However, president of the Czech Medical Chamber Milan Kubek said that doctors were still worse off compared to western Europe. Kubek said that out of the lower amount of revenue that goes to the healthcare sector compared to other Western countries, devices and medicines are paid for at the same prices, so there is less left for staff remuneration.

Strong winds disrupted the upper section of the cable car running from Pec pod Sněžkou to the top of the Sněžka mountain peak late Sunday morning. The cable car, designed to handle wind speeds up to 60 kilometers (km/h) per hour, had to be suspended due to gusts of 70 to 80 km/h. 

Despite a 15-centimeter snowfall in the highest Krkonoše areas on Saturday night, no additional snow has fallen since. The temperature at Sněžka was just below freezing but felt like minus 9 degrees Celsius due to the strong wind. The cable car's operation may resume when the wind subsides.

Czech javelin thrower Jakub Vadlejch has been named the Czech Athlete of the Year for the third consecutive time, following impressive accomplishments in 2023. Claiming a bronze medal at the Athletic World Championships, a victory in the Diamond League athletic series, and recording the longest throw of the season (89.51 meters) helped him claim the title.

Tomáš Staněk, a shot putter and silver medallist at the European Indoor Championships, took second place. Third position went to the 4x400m Czech relay team, which won bronze at the World Championships this year and triumphed at the 2023 European Athletics Team Championships.

A fire that broke out on the roof of a furniture store in Prague's Zličín resulted in damages totaling CZK 15 million, according to Prague fire department spokesperson Daniel Fík. The fire, which started Saturday morning, led to the collapse of the store's ceiling structure, but no injuries were reported. 

Firefighters responded to the incident around 11.30 a.m. and managed to control the fire within half an hour. Initially estimated at CZK 1 million, the damage assessment was later revised to CZK 6 million and eventually increased to CZK 15 million. The cause will be investigated today.

According to measurements by the Regional Organizer of Prague Integrated Transport (ROPID), trams in central Prague are, on average, one minute behind schedule due to traffic congestion. While this delay may appear minor, it significantly affects the reliability of urban transport, explains head of ROPID's technical development and projects department Zbyňka Jiráček in Deník N.

He emphasizes that the real issue is the instability this delay introduces. The one-minute delay can't be resolved simply by extending timetables, especially in areas where the city is considering limiting car traffic, such as the passage between Národní divadlo and Karmelitská Street, and between the Újezd ​​and Malostranská stops near Petřín. ROPID's measurements between June and September highlighted significant variations in tram transit times throughout the day.

The Sparta Prague football team beat Bohemians 1905 (2:0) in Saturday’s Prague derby, leading to Sparta regaining top spot in the Czech First League. It is now two points ahead of city rivals, Slavia Prague, who will face Pilsen at home on Sunday. Veljko Birmančevič and substitute Lukáš Sadílek sealed Sparta's victory.

This was Sparta's second victory over Bohemians in a week, as they previously beat the Kangaroos in the Czech Cup. Saturday’s league win helped Sparta partially recover from its 1:3 loss in the previous league round against Mladá Boleslav; Sparta's first league defeat of the season. Sparta is dominant at home, securing its seventh home victory this year. Bohemians 1905 has only won one of their its last five matches and currently hold the eighth position in the league standings.

According to statistics from the Association of Automobile Importers released Saturday, the Czech Republic saw 10,108 newly registered purely electric cars in the first 10 months of this year, constituting 5 percent of the new passenger car market. This is a 156-percent increase from October 2022. 

Overall, interest in emissions-free vehicles increased by almost 70 percent compared to the previous year. In the competition for top electric vehicle brands in the Czech Republic, Škoda leads with 1,242 registered purely electric cars, closely followed by Tesla. Škoda also added 912 plug-in hybrids, and Volkswagen surpassed 1,000 electric cars. 

Government coalition parties have agreed to allocate around CZK 12 million in the 2024 state budget for organizations dedicated to preserving Czech democratic traditions, including the Czechoslovak Legionary Community and the Jewish Šoa Memorial, Czech Television reports. 

Although the initial budget parameters were approved in October, deputies can still request money transfers in the second reading. Finance Minister Zbyněk Stanjura anticipates adjustments based on deputies' preferences, but hopes to minimize transfers. The coalition has agreed to restore funding to institutions that had originally been omitted from the draft state budget.