Morning news headlines: Action star Jet Li sends Instagram greetings from Karlštejn

The pace of the Covid infections increase has been declining in Czechia, which saw 16,916 new cases in the past seven days, a week-on-week increase of about 2,200, compared with last Thursday's week-on-week increase of 4,400, shows data from the Health Ministry's website. The number of newly detected cases on Thursday was lower not only in a week-on-week comparison but also compared with Wednesday.

Action film star Jet Li posted a photo of himself and his daughter Jada Li in front of Karlštejn, just south of Prague. He said that he was in the Czech Republic to attend a retreat led by a Buddhist monk. “Thank you to everyone who helped make my experience so special,” he added. Li slowed down on his film work in 2013 after disclosing he had a medical condition. He says he has since recovered but is now concentrating on charitable work more than cinema. His most successful Hollywood film was “Lethal Weapon 4.” He is also known for martial arts films such as “Fearless” and “Fist of Legend.”

Seventeen-year-old Czech tennis player Linda Nosková beat fifth-seeded Alize Cornet of France 7-5, 1-6, 7-6 (7) in an exciting upset match at the Prague Open, to reach her first career WTA quarterfinal. Nosková won the junior title at the French Open last year. Top-seeded Estonian player Anett Kontaveit advanced to the quarterfinals at the Prague Open after a 6-4, 6-3 victory over 17-year-old Lucie Havlíčková, and defending champion, second-seeded, Barbara Krejčíková lost to Nao Hibino of Japan.

The Hungarian airline Wizz Air is planning several new connections for its winter flight schedule. The airline will restore some of the connections that operated before the pandemic including flights from London-Luton to Prague, according to Airways.cz.

The operating profit of Škoda Auto for the first six months of this year fell to EUR 676 million (CZK 16.6 billion CZK) from last year's comparable EUR 974 million euros (CZK 23.9 billion). The decrease was mainly due to higher production costs and unfavorable exchange rates. The Russian-Ukrainian conflict also affected earnings which were announced Wednesday by the parent company Volkswagen.

Archeologists have uncovered well-preserved remnants of a medieval kitchen comprised of a stone oven, a fireplace, and pottery during the exploration of a house in the historical center of Nový Jičín. The research was carried out before the planned reconstruction of the house. Apart from the kitchen, the experts also found other valuable items, such as artifacts and architectonic elements, which belonged to the medieval house that was destroyed by fire in the 15th century. Such finds of medieval kitchen remnants are quite exceptional said the National Heritage Institute.

French police found two bodies in the Alps that are believed to be the two Czech tourists from Žďár nad Sázavou who had been missing since last Friday. Their bodies were found at the bottom of a crevasse at Massif des Écrins. Climbing gear believed to have belonged to the couple was found nearby.

Police uncovered the bodies of two missing Czechs in a 30-meters-deep rift on the northern side of Barre des Ecrins in the French Alps today, the French BFM TV broadcaster said. The death couple has been confirmed by the regional prosecutor and by the Czech Foreign Ministry.

The search continued this morning and the couple was found on the bottom of a 30-meter deep rift which reaches an altitude of 3,900 meters. "At the moment of the accident, the couple was tied to ropes," Prosecutor Florent Crouhy told BFM TV.

"We can confirm that two Czech citizens have died in France. With respect to their family, we will not release any details," Mariana Wernerova, from the Czech Foreign Ministry's press department, told ČTK. The two were to return from their holidays last Friday.

The amount set aside in the state budget for film incentives will continue to increase in 2023 and 2024, with the cap of CZK 150 million per film. This will provide a chance for more projects, including Czech films, Culture Minister Martin Baxa said.

The draft amendment to the 2022 state budget raises the Culture Ministry's budget by CZK 1.2 billion to CZK 16.42 billion, of which an additional CZK 600 million will be at the Czech Film Fund's disposal for film incentives.

The Culture Ministry is establishing a working group including filmmakers' representatives with the aim of creating an effective system of film incentives. The current system, according to Baxa, is outdated.

Lockheed Electra and vintage Spartan planes will fly over Prague at 11 a.m. on July 30 as part of a meetup of plane owners and fans. The planes will fly from Točná Airport in Prague 12, north along the Vltava to Vyšehrad, Holešovice, and Žižkov, and then back to Točná. The Lockheed Electra is the same type of plane that Amelia Earheart flew on her final trip in 1939.

Restoring the information systems of the Road and Motorway Directorate (ŘSD) after a cyberattack in May and improving their security will cost CZK 30 million. The costs could rise higher due to the legal fees during the investigation. The ŘSD in May was attacked by a sophisticated extortion program. It paralyzed about 1,000 ŘSD servers and all applications. During August or September, the ŘSD should fully return to normal operations. Transport Minister Martin Kupka said no ransom money was paid.

Strong thunderstorms and strong wind will occur in the Czech Republic on Friday afternoon and Saturday, the Czech Hydrometeorological Institute (ČHMÚ) said. Residents of all regions in the western half of the Czech Republic should expect storms from noon on Friday until at least 1 a.m. on Saturday. The warning for Friday's storms also applies to the Ústí nad Labem region, where firefighters have been extinguishing an extensive fire in the Czech Switzerland National Park. Heavy rain is also expected on Saturday in the northeast of the Czech Republic. The warning concerning the danger of fire remains in force across Bohemia.  

Agriculture Minister Zdeněk Nekula called on supermarket chains in the Czech Republic to carry more Czech-made food, especially fruits and vegetables. On Twitter, he complained that onions from New Zealand traveled 18,000 kilometers, while at the same time onions are grown locally in sufficient numbers. In his letter, he said that a common EU goal is to achieve sustainable food production with the lowest possible carbon footprint.