News: Tuesday, November 12th, 2024

Fiala on phone with Trump discusses Ukraine, the Middle East, and Ivana Trump

Prime Minister Petr Fiala (ODS) had a phone conversation with US President-elect Donald Trump, congratulating him on his election victory. They discussed topics including Ukraine and the Middle East, Fiala shared on the X network on Monday evening.

Fiala stated that their shared goal is to maintain relations between their countries despite the change in administration and to continue strengthening these ties for the benefit of their citizens. Fiala previously met with US President Joe Biden at the White House in April, describing the meeting as a testament to the excellent state of Czech-American relations.

PM Fiala secures release of Czech citizen imprisoned in Azerbaijan

Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala successfully intervened to secure the release of a Czech citizen imprisoned in Azerbaijan earlier this year, following a diplomatic appeal to Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev. The incident took place amid ongoing tensions between Azerbaijan and Armenia, which have yet to establish a formal peace deal after their 2020 conflict.

The Czech mountaineer reportedly entered Azerbaijan from Armenia outside an official border crossing, navigating snow-covered minefields on skis and carrying two passports along with a telephoto camera. Detained by a military patrol, he was sentenced to 18 months in prison, though similar cases typically result in fines.

Fiala briefly referenced the case before departing for the COP29 climate conference in Baku, with additional details provided to the Czech News Agency by an anonymous source.

Election models shows ANO win October elections, with Motorists and Communists also in lower house

According to an election model by the Median agency, the ANO movement leads the October parliamentary elections with 33.5% of the vote, followed by the Civic Democrats with 12% and Mayors and Independents with 11%. Support for the Pirates and Freedom and Direct Democracy has declined, while both the Motorists and the Communist Party have gained enough votes to enter the lower house. The Christian Democrats and TOP 09, however, fell short of the five-percent threshold required for entry, though their leaders signed a memorandum with the Civic Democrats in late October to run together as the "Together" coalition.

CzechTrade to open new office in Malaysia in 2024, expanding focus on Southeast Asia

CzechTrade, the Czech government's trade promotion agency, plans to open a new office in Malaysia next year, its director Radomil Doležal said at the Future of Export Summit 2024 in Prague on Tuesday. The initiative is part of CzechTrade's strategy to strengthen the Czech export presence in Southeast Asia, one of six priority regions for expanding Czech exports. The agency aims to further build its network in the region by 2026.

According to Mr. Doležal, the strategic shift is already yielding results. While exports to the European Union grew by 0.2% last year, exports to countries outside the EU rose nearly 3%. This trend has accelerated in 2023, with non-EU exports up 16.5% in the first three quarters. Some 22% of Czech exports are currently destined for markets outside the EU, with the remaining 78% directed to EU member states.

Czech eighth-graders rank second globally in digital literacy study

Czech eighth-grade students ranked second out of 34 countries in the latest International Computer and Information Literacy Study (ICILS), with an average score of 525 points. They trailed only South Korea (540 points) and surpassed the EU average of 497.

The study assessed students' skills in technology use, information evaluation, creation, and safe sharing. Czech students also placed third in computational thinking, demonstrating strong digital literacy. Tomáš Zatloukal, Director of the Czech School Inspectorate, credited the success to the country's effective efforts in fostering digital skills from an early age.

Patti Smith’s Prague concert to mark 50th anniversary of debut album Horses

Legendary American musician Patti Smith is set to perform in Prague's Forum Karlín next July, marking the 50th anniversary of her debut album, Horses. The concert, which is part of her European tour, marks Smith's first Prague appearance in three years. Tickets go on sale on November 13.

Released in December 1975, Horses is regarded as a landmark punk rock album, with Smith’s unique style influencing countless artists. The album was recorded at Electric Lady Studios and produced by John Cale of The Velvet Underground, featuring Czech-American guitarist Ivan Král, Smith’s collaborator and friend who passed away in 2020.

Weather forecast

Wednesday will be mostly overcast with occasional fog and day temperatures ranging between 1 and 5 degrees Celsius.