News in brief for Aug. 22: Top headlines for Czechia on Tuesday

Czech Health Minister Vlastimil Válek has reassured the public that there will be an ample supply of penicillin antibiotics in the autumn. Manufacturers have committed to delivering 130,000 packs of tablet antibiotics by September's end and an additional 170,000 packs by mid-November. This quantity surpasses last year's demand, which saw 45,000 packs of tablets and 14,000 packs of syrups prescribed in September.

Concerns arose on social media regarding penicillin shortages, forcing doctors to prescribe broader antibiotics unnecessarily. Minister Valek confirmed that negotiations with manufacturers will ensure sufficient stock for the upcoming season, even in the event of higher consumption.

Environment Minister Petr Hladík has proposed replacing the protection of plant and animal specimens with the protection of biotopes to better safeguard endangered species. The Ministry of the Environment is preparing an amendment to the law on nature protection, which will undergo a comment procedure among ministries in the autumn.

The amendment aims to base the protection of specially protected species on the preservation of their habitats and local populations. The amendment will establish three categories of protection, with the highest category defending all individuals of the most endangered species. Additionally, care for species and habitats will be based on regularly updated Red Lists published by the Nature Conservation Agency.

An accident that occurred at the 71st kilometer around 7:45 a.m. near Tábor prompted the closure of both lanes on the České Budějovice highway section. The accident happened when a semi-trailer truck carrying firewood overturned; a replacement truck to transport the wood arrived at the site before 10 a.m.

Meanwhile, in Jičín, a 46-year-old motorcyclist lost his life when he collided with a tree late last night on the I/32 road, en route from Budčeves to Kopidlno in the Jičín District. Preliminary reports suggest the motorcyclist failed to adjust his speed during descent and then took a left-hand turn, veering into a pine tree and bushes. Investigations are ongoing.

The Czech Hydrometeorological Institute (ČHMÚ) has issued a warning about strong thunderstorms expected in the eastern part of the country. The storms are anticipated to be most intense in the evening and will be accompanied by torrential rain and gusts of wind. The warning is valid from 3 p.m. until midnight for several regions, including Olomouc, Moravia-Silesia, and Zlín.

The storms will be local in nature and may bring heavy rainfall of around 40 millimeters, as well as hail and wind gusts of up to 70 km/h. The ČHMÚ also reiterated its warning about high temperatures throughout the country, which could exceed 34 degrees Celsius in the south of Moravia.

A survey by the CVVM Institute in the Czech Republic indicates that the public sees President Petr Pavel's mandate more positively than his predecessor Miloš Zeman's. Pavel took office in March 2023 and the survey was conducted in May, June, and July; the respondents rated Pavel mostly positively in all six areas included in the survey. 

For instance, 78 percent of respondents thought Pavel effectively maintained the dignity of the presidential office, whereas Zeman received a positive rating from a maximum of 48 percent in this area during his presidency. Pavel's presidency received particularly positive feedback regarding dignity, representing the country abroad, and performing constitutional functions well.

Former Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babiš met Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán in Budapest at the 2023 World Championships in Athletics. Babiš thanked Orbán for the invitation yesterday on social media, adding that he had also met Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić, Qatari Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Sani, and other statesmen.

The Hungarian prime minister has recently criticized Czechia for aligning with "European federalists" in a speech made to the Hungarian minority in Romania. Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala responded to those comments by emphasizing Czech sovereignty.

The Czech Republic experienced a record-breaking hot day on Aug. 21, with temperatures soaring to unprecedented levels at 39 of the 163 weather stations that have recorded data for over three decades, according to the Czech Hydrometeorological Institute (ČHMÚ). Strážnice in South Moravia set a new record with a temperature of 35.5 degrees Celsius, breaking an 80-year-old record.

Numerous other stations also recorded exceeding records set in 2000, ČHMÚ's Pavel Borovička told ČTK. These tropical temperatures are expected to persist in the coming days, with cooling forecasted for the weekend, along with isolated showers and thunderstorms throughout the week. A heat warning is in effect for numerous regions of Czechia until Aug. 26 at 6 p.m.

Czech athletes made their mark at the World Athletics Championships: Nikoleta Jíchová progressed to the 400-meter hurdles semi-finals, while pole vaulter Amálie Švábíková secured a spot in the finals with a 465 cm vault, improving her outdoor personal record by a centimeter.

In contrast, the quarter-finalists didn't replicate their heats' performance, with Lada Vondrová clocking 51.50 seconds and Tereza Petržilková 51.94 seconds, falling short of the finals. The highlight was the women's 100 final, dominated by U.S. athlete Sha'Carri Richardson, who set a championship record of 10.65, ending the Jamaican winning streak.

Defense Minister Jana Černochová and Culture Minister Martin Baxa unveiled yesterday an art exhibition in Prague called "Invasion 1968," which was created by artist Jiří Sozanský to commemorate the 137 victims who lost their lives in the months following the 1968 Soviet-led invasion of Czechoslovakia.

The exhibition, which runs until early November at the Army Museum, includes large oil paintings and a five-meter-high bronze sculpture called "One Hundred and Thirty-Seven" bearing the names of the victims. Sozanský created this memorial to bring attention to these mostly anonymous victims and their historical significance. The memorial will eventually be placed in a public space, possibly in Prague's central Wenceslas Square.