News: Friday, February 14th, 2025

Lower House postpones vote on radio and TV fees to March 5th

The lower house has postponed its vote on increasing radio and television fees to Wednesday, March 5th. The decision, supported by MPs from the coalition parties and the formerly ruling Pirates, was made on Friday following prolonged obstructions by the opposition.

The fixed date was proposed by the deputy chairman of Mayors and Independents, Josef Cogan, who argued that the opposition, particularly representatives from ANO and Freedom and Direct Democracy parties, had overused procedural rights to delay the final debate. The coalition had originally planned to approve the amendment at noon on Friday.

Over 300 Czech soldiers recognised for service abroad

The Czech Army honoured over 300 soldiers on Friday for their service in international missions with the EU, NATO, and the UN. The soldiers, who served in regions including Slovakia, Poland, Greece, Kosovo, the Central African Republic, the Golan Heights, and the India-Pakistan border, were recognised at a ceremony at Prague’s Vítkov Memorial.

Three soldiers received the Minister of Defence’s Award for Merit, and six were honoured with the Badge of Merit. Some soldiers were also given gifts or commemorative coins, and two received awards for saving lives.

Deputy Chief of the General Staff Miloslav Lafek praised the soldiers' professionalism, while Deputy Minister of Defence Daniel Blažkovec acknowledged their efforts in challenging regions.

Gen Digital: Czechia ranks third in global cyber fraud risk

Czechia has the third-highest risk of cyber fraud globally, according to security firm Gen Digital, which owns Avast, AVG, and Norton. Dating scams are common, with both the Czechia and Slovakia among the top ten countries at risk. Social engineering attacks made up 86% of blocked threats.

According to the report, social networks, particularly Facebook, remain major platforms for fraud. Facebook accounted for 56% of threats, followed by YouTube at 24%, X at 10%, and Reddit and Instagram at 3%. In messaging apps, Telegram faces six times more threats than WhatsApp due to its privacy features.

The top fraud types include misleading ads (27%), fake e-shops (23%), and phishing (18%). From October to December, Gen Digital blocked 2.55 billion cyberattacks, a nine percent increase from the previous year.

Twenty Czech students set to take part in ESA’s Zero-G Mission

Twenty Czech students will take part in a parabolic flight as part of the Zero-G mission aboard a specially modified Airbus A310, provided by the European Space Agency (ESA). During the hour-long flight, pilots will guide the aircraft along a parabolic path, creating brief periods of weightlessness—the closest simulation of spaceflight possible on Earth.

The students were selected from 861 applicants through a rigorous process testing communication, memory, reaction speed, and teamwork. The flight is scheduled to take place in March 2025, departing from Prague Airport’s Terminal 3. The students will be joined by astronaut-in-training Aleš Svoboda and other notable figures.

Most businesses expect to be full on Valentine's Day, chocolate sales growing in stores

Even though it is not a traditional Czech holiday, many restaurants in Czechia expect to be fully today on Valentine's Day, February 14th, according to the responses of restaurants collated by ČTK and the Association of Hotels and Restaurants of the Czech Republic. According to the association, special menus associated with an accompanying programme or perhaps a tasting will be offered mainly by businesses with a more intimate atmosphere, while typical beer restaurants expect less interest.

Some will prepare their Valentine's Day dinner at home themselves, and supermarkets have stated that sales of premium foods and higher-quality ingredients are increasing in the period before Valentine's Day. According to Košík spokesman František Brož, people buy foreign cheeses, dried hams or olives in the period before Valentine's Day, but also higher-quality ingredients such as organic meat from local farms, fresh fish and seafood. The Billa supermarket chain also records larger purchases of small gifts, mainly chocolates and flowers, leading up to Valentine's Day, up to a third compared with normal days.

Prague hosts second European sport bridge championship with 88 teams

Prague is hosting the second European Open Sport Bridge Championship, starting on Friday with 88 teams and 434 players from 32 countries. This is nearly double the number of teams from the first tournament in France, which had around 40 teams. The competition will run until February 20.

Bridge is a card game where two pairs compete to predict and win the most rounds. Milan Macura, vice president of the Czech Bridge Federation, highlighted the success of hosting the event in Czechia despite having less financial support compared to other countries.

Unlike traditional championships, international teams are allowed, with Czech teams also including foreign players. Six Czech teams are competing, two of which are fully Czech, along with two youth teams made up of players under 21.

Weather forecast

Friday will be cloudy with light snow showers, especially in the mountains. Temperatures will range from -3 to +1 °C, dipping to around -8 °C in higher elevations.