Czech news in brief for November 8: Friday's top headlines

Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala this afternoon condemned anti-Semitic violence in Amsterdam following Thursday’s Ajax vs. Maccabi Tel Aviv football match, warning against rising anti-Semitism and violence in Europe. Foreign Minister Jan Lipavský also criticized the attacks, which left up to 30 Israelis injured, with five hospitalized. Amsterdam police arrested 62 people. Social media videos show violent exchanges between Maccabi and pro-Palestinian supporters, with inflammatory slogans reportedly shouted on both sides, escalating tensions into violent street clashes.

The Czech Chamber of Deputies today passed a government pension reform, introducing a gradual increase in the retirement age by one month per year, capped at 67 years. Lawmakers also significantly narrowed the list of workers in demanding professions eligible for early retirement without pension reductions, cutting it to about one-tenth of the original proposal. The Chamber rejected key opposition changes, and the draft now moves to the Senate for further debate.

A week-long police protest highlighting low wages and poor conditions ended today, with organizers noting strong public support. Martin Červenka, deputy chairman of the security forces trade union, said he received numerous supportive emails, with many citizens expressing surprise at the challenging conditions officers face. Though police cannot legally strike, they used other methods, such as forgoing fines when possible and responding slowly to outcalls, to raise awareness. Červenka estimated thousands of officers participated.

Minister of Health Vlastimil Válek announced today he has early-stage prostate cancer, discovered through preventive screening. He discloses the information at a press conference on men’s health. Válek, 64, will undergo surgery soon and urged men to get tested for prostate cancer. He urged the importance of men over 40 getting regular prostate screenings, as well as be on the lookout for other cancers.

According to data from the Czech Republic’s Labor Office, October unemployment decreased slightly to 3.8 percent, down from September's 3.9 percent, matching levels seen in July and August. There were 289,003 unemployed individuals and 265,972 job vacancies, with the highest unemployment rate in Ústí nad Labem (6.1 percent) and the lowest in Prague (2.8 percent). Demand for labor has exceeded supply for eleven consecutive months, with an average of 1.1 job seekers per vacancy.

Prague's Florenc metro station on line C will close for repairs this weekend, affecting the Hlavní nádraží-Vltavská section. Operations will halt from Nov. 9 until the end of Nov. 10. Replacement tram XC and line 36 will serve passengers, covering routes through key stops like Masarykovo nádraží, Vltavská, and Florenc. Tram 23 will reroute via Nuselské schody to Náměstí Bratří Synků, according to the Prague transport company.

Czech PM Petr Fiala and UK PM Keir Starmer agreed to enhance nuclear industry cooperation, focusing on small modular reactors between Czech energy firm CEZ and Rolls-Royce, during a meeting at the EPC summit. CEZ recently invested in Rolls-Royce SMR, aiming to build the first Czech modular reactor by the 2030s. Fiala and Starmer also discussed illegal migration and the impact of the U.S. election on NATO.

The fatal 2021 fall of a cable car from Ještěd Mountain was due to a missing automatic brake mechanism, the Czech Railway Inspection Authority reported. The brake had been unlawfully removed, violating regulations. The accident, which killed the sole conductor aboard, occurred after a metal cable broke due to tensile overload and corrosion. Three people face prosecution for suspected negligence related to the crash.

The Czech National Bank (ČNB) has lowered its economic growth forecast for this year and next. The new macroeconomic outlook, published today, projects a 1 percent increase in gross domestic product (GDP) for this year and 2.4 percent for next year, compared to the August forecast of 1.2 percent growth this year and 2.8 percent next year.

Czech online grocer Rohlík will begin delivering groceries for Amazon Prime in Germany, marking a major partnership expansion, founder Tomáš Čupr announced. The agreement grants Rohlík access to millions of Amazon customers through its brand Knuspr.de, aiming to accelerate growth across Germany’s largest cities.

Locals are recalling Donald Trump's quiet presence during his 1990 visit to Zlín for his father-in-law Miloš Zelníček’s funeral, reports Novinky.cz. Though Trump was already a prominent businessman and married to Ivana, a native of this Moravian city, he maintained a low profile, offering support to his family. Photographer Jan Jindra’s rare images from the funeral capture a subdued Trump, whom residents remember as humble and considerate.