News in brief for Oct. 9: Top headlines in Czechia for Monday

Czech forward David Pastrňák, who is the right winger and alternate captain for the Boston Bruins, will be the second-highest-paid player in the NHL this season, earning $13 million. The only player ahead of him is Canadian forward Nathan MacKinnon with an income of $16.5 million.

Pastrňák's new contract, worth $90 million, begins this season. Jaromir Jágr held the record for the highest-paid Czech player in history, but Pastrňák, nicknamed "Pasta," now claims that title.

Only a few Czechs have sought repatriation from the Czech embassy in Tel Aviv following the Hamas attack on Israel, Foreign Ministry spokesman Daniel Drake said, without specifying their exact number. The Foreign Ministry is coordinating with European Union partners for possible evacuation flights.

Foreign Minister Jan Lipavský and Defense Minister Jana Černochová are considering a separate repatriation flight to the Czech Republic. Currently, there are 162 Czechs registered in Israel, but the numbers are decreasing as some of them are flying back on commercial flights.

Czech PM Petr Fiala said that his government has reversed the debt trend and slowed down inflation during the first half of their term, which started two years ago. Fiala made the statements in a video posted today on the social network X. Despite challenges such as the COVID-19 epidemic and the energy crisis, Fiala remains confident in the government's progress during the second half of the government's term.

However, opposition leaders criticized the government's performance, with ANO's Alena Schillerová accusing them of demolishing without providing solutions. Tomio Okamura of SPD goes further, describing the government as incompetent.

The Old Town Astronomical Clock was first mentioned in official documents on Oct. 9, 1410. The Prague landmark recently went through a poor reconstruction that was completed in 2018, leading the City of Prague to announce that it will replace its calendar wheel.

It took four years for somebody to realize that artist Stanislav Jirčík’s replica did not accurately reflect the original work of Josef Mánes on the lower part of the 15th-century clock. A sharp-eyed conservationist spotted the inaccuracies and lodged a complaint with the Ministry of Culture. 

Unemployment in the Czech Republic remained at 3.6 percent in September, the same level as in August, according to data published by the Labor Office of the Czech Republic The number of job applicants reached 263,000, while vacancies increased to approximately 282,000. The Minister of Labor and Social Affairs stated that unemployment is still at a very low level.

The highest unemployment rates were in the Ústí nad Labem and Moravian-Silesian regions, while the lowest rates were in the South Bohemian, Zlín, and Vysočina regions. Employers are seeking building construction workers, forklift operators, warehouse workers, and more. The Labor Office reported that 313,881 refugees from Ukraine found work in the country, with 118,552 currently employed.

Nature conservationists found a nest of Asian hornets in Pilsen, which they will destroy due to its invasive nature and bee-hunting behavior. The nest was found near previous hornet sightings. Experts suspect the hornet was transported on a truck, potentially from Spain.

Asian hornets, smaller and darker than common hornets, have spread across Western Europe since their introduction in France two decades ago. Sightings can be reported to invaznidruhy@nature.cz with photos and accurate descriptions to avoid confusion with other species.

Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavský spoke with Israeli diplomat Eli Cohen by phone on Saturday and assured Israel of the Czech Republic's support during the ongoing attacks from Palestinian radicals. "We will support Israel both directly and on the international stage," Lipavský said.

On Saturday, Hamas launched rocket attacks from Gaza, while Palestinian gunmen breached security barriers in Israel. Israel has responded with airstrikes on Gaza. The conflict has caused hundreds of casualties on both sides. Lipavský and other Czech officials have strongly condemned the attacks on Israel.

A ten-year-old bay gelding Sacamiro won the 133rd Grand Pardubice Steeplechase Sunday in East Bohemia's Pardubice. Jockey Jan Faltejsek guided Sacamiro to victory in 9 minutes, 28.27 seconds over the 6,900-meter course, edging out Talent in second and Star in third.

Only eight of the 18 starters finished the grueling race, which saw many horses, including defending champ Mr Spex, fail to clear the daunting Taxis ditch obstacle. The victory was Faltejsek's sixth at the Grand Pardubice, putting him all-time second behind Josef Vana's eight wins. The total purse for the race was CZK 5 million.

Around 60 animal rights activists protested alleged inhumane breeding practices today at a dairy farm in Dolany in the Pardubice region. Protesters sat by outdoor sheds where young calves are raised, holding signs before departing around 2 p.m. The activists initially refused requests from farm management to leave the property but obeyed after police arrived.

Police spokeswoman Andrea Muzikantová said officers are working to identify the activists. A protest spokeswoman told ČTK the demonstration aimed to draw attention to practices like separating calves from mothers within half an hour to 12 hours of birth, calling it traumatic for the animals being bred for food production.

Drizzle and sunny days are expected across the Czech Republic this week according to meteorologists. Summer temperatures will be reached on Wednesday with highs forecast around 25 degrees Celsius. However, it will cool in the second half of the week.

Rain or drizzle is likely for most areas on Monday under cloudy to overcast skies. Tuesday highs could reach 20 degrees. Wednesday will also be the sunniest day with partly clear skies. Cloudy conditions will persist for the rest of the week but temperatures will remain around 20 degrees.

The voice of Jan Vondráček, known for his role as Vočko in The Simpsons, now announces stops for Prague buses daily. He replaces Dagmar Hazdrová, who provided stops for over 30 years. Vondráček's voice has been in trams for eight months after being chosen in a 2021 public vote. He recorded stops in three phases, starting with 2,000 for trams in January.

Another 2,000 are for buses in Prague with 7,000 more for urban and suburban lines to follow gradually. Prague Public Transit aims to avoid mixing old and new announcements. Vondráček received over 124,000 votes, or 62 percent, beating out other finalists in the ballot.