News in brief for June 10: Muchová to compete for first Grand Slam title today

The Czech Social Democratic Party, formerly known as ČSSD, has rebranded as "Sociální demokracie" with a new logo featuring a brick-colored rose petal and the abbreviation SOCDEM. The party hopes to find a path back to political prominence with a new slogan, "Humanity against selfishness."

The change was approved by a large majority of delegates at the party congress in Plzeň on Saturday, although there was some opposition to the new name. Former ČSSD vice-chairman Zdeněk Škromach was among those who spoke out against the rebranding. The party also unveiled a new visual identity at the congress. "The Czech Republic can be happier than it is today," said party leader Michal Šmarda said.

The second day of the Rock for People music festival in Hradec Kralove featured an exciting lineup that included performances by Billy Talent and Machine Gun Kelly. However, the festival was marred by a strange incident before the Thursday night performance by Slipknot. Hackers managed to breach the festival's network and projected a strange symbol of a cross and a triangle onto the main stage screens.

Despite the disruption, Slipknot managed to perform their set, which was well-received by the audience. The festival organizers have apologized for the incident and are investigating the security breach. They have also assured festival-goers that they are taking steps to prevent similar incidents from happening in the future

Two groups of people gathered outside the Russian embassy in Prague on Saturday, with one group expressing support for Ukraine and the other claiming to be protesting against Russophobia. The two groups stood far apart from each other, and a brief verbal altercation broke out between them around 2:30 p.m. Many police officers were present, both in uniform and in plainclothes. The number of participants in both groups was approximately the same, at around 40 people.

The pro-Russian activists were led by convicted disinformation agent Tomáš Čermák, who organized the protest under the banner "Russia is not an enemy." The group waved flags and chanted pro-Russian slogans on Boris Nemtsov Square. Former journalist Jana Peterková, who was recently given a suspended sentence for spreading disinformation, also joined the pro-Russian activists

The Czech Republic's opposition ANO party, led by former Prime Minister Andrej Babiš, has announced its intention to seek a vote of no confidence in the government due to its support for the EU's migration reform plan. The move comes after Czech Interior Minister Vít Rakušan voted in favor of the reform at a meeting of EU ministers on Thursday. Babiš called the decision "incomprehensible" and accused Rakušan of betraying the country.

Czech parliament will hold an extraordinary session on Wednesday to discuss the EU migration reform. The meeting was called at the request of ANO, and was supported TOP 09. Babiš has described the proposed migration reform as "unacceptable" and has called for a vote of no confidence in the government.

Prague zoo employees released over a hundred crucian carp in the renovated Salvátor Pond in Přerov nad Labem today to help save the population of this once common but now practically extinct fish species, zoo spokesperson Filip Mašek has told Czech News Agency. The zoo launched cooperation on the project of crucian carp salvation with the Czech Academy of Sciences in 2021. They have released the fish in several ponds since.

"We seek the return of a fish that was common until the last century and is now almost extinct in Czech nature because it can be referred to as an 'umbrella species'," Mašek said. "This means that if we protect this species, we will be protecting almost the entire ecosystem, where newts, frogs, and other creatures can then breed."

Two men aged 37 and 43 were caught by Zlín Municipal Police officers after they were reported damaging a vending machine on Gahurova Street in the early morning hours of Friday. The police received a call at 1:15 am reporting the two men damaging the machine. The officers arrived at the scene and caught the two men in the act.

The vending machine in question was selling CBD-based products. The police found the stolen items on the suspects and returned them to the vending machine owner. The two men were arrested and taken into custody, and will be charged with theft and vandalism. Police confirmed that both men were intoxicated at the time of their arrest.

Czech tennis player Karolína Muchová will face Poland's Iga Świątek in the Roland Garros tennis final in Paris today. Muchová's is competing fo her first Grand Slam title. The match will take place on the main court at 3 p.m. CET. Muchová told reporters that she will need to play her best and fight hard to win.

The Czech player has a perfect record against players in the Top 3 world rankings. Świątek, the defending champion and world number one, will be aiming for her third Roland Garros title. The winner of the match will receive EUR 2.3 million.

A memorial service will be held in Lidice today to mark the 81st anniversary of the Nazi annihilation of the village. Witnesses and politicians, including President Petr Pavel and Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies Markéta Pekarová Adamová, are slated to attend the commemoration.

The event will begin with a service at the foundations of St. Martin's Church, officiated by Prague Archbishop Jan Graubner. The ceremony will include prayers for the victims of the Lidice tragedy, as well as a commemoration of the child victims of the war. Lidice serves as a symbol of Nazi terror, with 340 residents losing their lives during the Nazi annihilation of the village.

The Czech government may discuss the ratification of the Istanbul Convention, the Council of Europe's Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence, during its meeting on Wednesday. The convention, which the Czech Republic signed in 2016, requires ratification by the Chamber of Deputies, the Senate, and the president for it to come into effect.

The country belongs to a minority of EU member states that have not yet adopted the convention, despite the recent vote by member states in favor of joining. The document has sparked strong emotions in the country, with conservatives and Christian churches opposing it. Proponents argue that it will enhance support for victims and symbolize the Czech Republic's commitment against violence.

More than half of Czechs are planning to go on vacation abroad during the summer months, with the majority opting for destinations within Europe, according to a recent survey by ČPP Servis. The survey also revealed that 13 percent of respondents plan to include adrenaline experiences in their vacation plans, with 25 percent of those opting for a special insurance policy for such activities.

However, it was concerning to find that 14 percent of those participating in adrenaline sports did not have any travel insurance at all. The survey highlights the need for travelers to carefully review their insurance coverage before engaging in high-risk activities.

Firefighters are working to extinguish a fire that broke out in an industrial hall in Žďánice, Hodonínsko. The high-altitude equipment has been removed, and the focus is now on extinguishing the fires inside the hall. Around four fire brigades, consisting of approximately 130 to 140 firefighters, are on the scene. Several firefighters sustained minor injuries, and the cause of the fire will be investigated.

The extent of the damage is expected to be significant. Firefighters have also been dealing with leaked chemical substances and have set up a decontamination station. Environmental authorities are working to address the contamination of firefighting water that leaked into a watercourse.