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Calling the president of a country that has been resisting aggression from a neighboring nuclear power for three years a dictator shows a great deal of cynicism, said President Petr Pavel today on the X network. He was responding to comments made by US President Donald Trump, who referred to the Ukrainian president as a "dictator without elections" and criticized his performance.
Europe needs to eliminate unnecessary regulations and increase investment in defense. This was the conclusion of Wednesday's meeting in Paris on Ukraine and European security, according to Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala. "To be taken seriously, we must be stronger both economically and militarily," Fiala told Czech Television after the meeting.
French President Emmanuel Macron had previously hosted a similar meeting on Monday, but it was limited to a few European leaders. Wednesday's meeting included a broader group of EU and NATO countries, including Czechia, the Baltic states, and Canada. Fiala participated in the meeting via video call.
Two women were fatally stabbed on Thursday morning in the shopping area on Akademika Bedrny Street in the eastern Bohemian city of Hradec Králové. One victim was attacked inside one of the stores, while the other was assaulted in the store’s backroom. Police quickly secured the scene.
A 16‑year‑old Czech suspect was arrested about ten minutes later, less than a kilometre from the scene, by a special police unit. Authorities confirmed that both victims, who worked as shop assistants, died on the spot, and the motive behind the attack is under investigation.
Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala and Interior Minister Vít Rakušan expressed their condolences to the families of the two women killed in today’s attack in Hradec Králové.
Mr. Fiala described the incident, carried out by a 16‑year‑old in a shopping area on Akademika Bedrny Street, as “incomprehensible and horrific,” adding that his thoughts were with the victims’ families.
Interior Minister Rakušan said the police had detained the suspect and are investigating his motive. He also assured the public that the situation is now under control and there is no further danger.
Following the stabbing in Hradec Králové, police released data on Thursday showing a 25% increase in violent crimes committed by children over the past two years. In 2023, minors were responsible for 947 violent offenses, including 9 murders, up from 701 crimes and 7 murders in 2022. The total reached 1,080 violent crimes last year. Authorities are concerned about the rise in youth violence and are investigating its causes.
The Czech economy is expected to grow by 2.1% this year and 2.4% in 2026, according to a new forecast published on Thursday by the Czech Banking Association. This is a slight downgrade from its previous forecast of 2.3% growth in 2024. Inflation is projected to stay at 2.4% this year before easing to 2.2% next year. However, trade conflicts could slow growth by 0.3 percentage points annually.
Household consumption remains the main driving force of the recovery, with investment also expected to rebound. Wage growth will slow from 6.9% last year to 5.8% in 2024, and real wages are unlikely to reach pre-pandemic levels until 2026. Unemployment is forecast to rise to 4.1% before dipping to 4% next year, with labour demand in other sectors helping offset job losses in industry.
Last week’s freezing weather sharply increased energy consumption in Czechia. Natural gas consumption surged by 58 percent above the heating season average, while heat usage jumped by up to 20 percent and electricity use climbed over five percent compared to the previous week.
Cooler, sunny conditions also helped renewable electricity generation rise by as much as 30 percent. ČEZ and GasNet confirm that energy supply remains stable, with GasNet recording over 33.3 million cubic metres of gas on Monday—well above the seasonal daily average of 21 million cubic metres.
Dozens of observant Jews will visit the south Moravian town of Holešov in the coming days to honor Rabbi Shabtai ha-Kohen, known as Shach, buried in the town’s Jewish cemetery. This year marks the 363rd anniversary of his death, commemorated according to the lunar calendar. The Yahrzeit, the anniversary of death in Judaism, will take place between Thursday, February 27, and Sunday, March 2.
Born in 1621 in Vilnius, Rabbi Shach served as a rabbi in Holešov before his death, now believed to have occurred in 1662. His writings on Jewish law remain influential. Holešov’s Jewish heritage includes the rare 16th-century Shach Synagogue and a historic cemetery with 1,500 tombstones. The town’s Jewish community, dating back to the 15th century, was destroyed during World War II.
Czechia’s leaders have responded to statements by US President Donald Trump, in which the president called Ukrainian head of state Volodymyr Zelenskyy a “dictator without elections”. President Petr Pavel said that to hold such a view “requires a dose of cynicism”.
Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Czech humanitarian organizations have supported at least 3.6 million Ukrainians with aid worth over CZK 6.9 billion. The estimate includes donations from Czech donors and international institutions.
Work is underway to reconstruct the roof of the Basilica of St. Peter and Paul in Vyšehrad, one of the most significant landmarks of Prague. The new slate tiles are being imported specially for this purpose from the US and Spain and will be laid according to the original design by the building’s chief architect Josef Mocker.
Strahov Stadium is an imposing relic of the past. Once the largest stadium in the world by area, it has seen a remarkable evolution—from a stage for nationalistic gymnastics festivals to a propaganda tool of communist mass exercises, from a rock concert venue to its current uncertain fate. Despite numerous proposals to repurpose it, Strahov remains an enigmatic and largely forgotten part of the city.
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