• 09/14/2024

    According to a survey by investment company Atris, almost 70 percent of adult Czechs are actively saving for retirement. An additional six percent rely on inheritance, while three percent have already saved enough. However, 22 percent do not save at all, believing the state will take care of them. The survey also highlighted that people are saving more than before, driven by changes in supplementary pension savings and tax deductions. The most common method is supplementary pension savings, chosen by 51 percent of respondents, followed by investments in funds or real estate (33 percent).

    Author: Vít Pohanka
  • 09/14/2024

    Flood barriers are continued to be erected in various parts of Prague, including Holešovice and Stromovka, in response to severe warnings issued due to heavy rainfall and strong winds. The Vltava River embakments have already been closed and boat traffic was suspended. The Prague ZOO which is close to the river and was flooded ion the past stays closed for the weekend.

    One of the entries to the Muzeum Metro in central Prague had to be closed on Friday night after rain water seeped to the entrance hall through the ceiling. However, operation of trains has not been affected.

    Author: Ruth Fraňková
  • 09/14/2024

    More than 63,000 households in Czechia were left without electricity on Saturday morning primarily due to fallen trees and branches caused by heavy rain and wind, spokesmen for CEZ and E.ON told the Czech News Agency. The situation is particularly bad in north Bohemia.

    Extreme weather conditions are also disrupting traffic around the country. On Saturday morning, around a dozen railway lines were out of service due to fallen trees or as a precautionary measure.

    Author: Ruth Fraňková
  • 09/14/2024

    Extreme rains continue to battle Czechia, raising water levels in the country's rivers and streams. By 6am on Saturday, a total of 145 locations reached some flood activity level. The highest, extreme, flood alert was declared at 27 places. The fastest rising streams were in the Jizera Mountains and Jeseníky in the north-east of the country.

    Jeseníky and Krkonoše mountains saw the heaviest rainfall over the last 24 hours, with precipitation reaching over 160 litres per square metre in some places. Extreme rainfall was also recorded in the regions of Liberec, South Bohemia and North Moravia.

    Author: Ruth Fraňková
  • 09/14/2024

    Persistent heavy rains continue across most of Czechia, with warnings of extreme flooding in dozens of locations. According to meteorologists, the situation is expected to worsen, with strong winds reaching up to 100 km/h. Water management authorities have been releasing water from reservoirs, and sandbags are being prepared across affected areas. Tens of thousands of households were without electricity on Saturday morning and trains were halted on several lines due to fallen trees during the nigh. Most Czech political parties, both from the ruling coalition and the opposition, are suspending or limiting their election campaigns due to the looming flood threat. Events and meetings with citizens have been canceled, including a planned trip by opposition leader Andrej Babiš and his ANO party. Most political leaders say they aim to focus on managing the crisis rather than campaigning.

    Author: Vít Pohanka
  • 09/14/2024

    The world is no longer based on the competition between the West and the East, but increasingly on the competition between democracy and various kinds of autocracy, President Petr Pavel said in his speech at the NATO Military Committee meeting in Prague today on Saturday. The Czech head of state has also urged the chiefs of staff of NATO countries to be bold and open in making their conclusions and recommendations so that they are understood at the political level.

    Also addressing the meeting was Chief of the Czech General Staff Karel Řehka, who said the allies must provide Ukraine with all the necessary assistance, whether it concerns training or the supply of weapons and other military equipment.

    It is the first time the chiefs of general staff from NATO member countries have met in the Czech Republic, with around 350 foreign delegates attending. On the agenda is the current security situation in Europe, defense plans, and implementing decisions from NATO's July summit in Washington.

    Author: Ruth Fraňková
  • 09/13/2024

    On Saturday morning, flood barriers will continue to be erected in various parts of Prague, including Holešovice and Stromovka. Additionally, boat traffic on the Vltava will be suspended, and some vessels will be moved to safe harbors. According to Prague City Hall spokesperson Tadeáš Provazník, these measures are part of the city's response to severe flood warnings issued due to heavy rainfall and strong winds. Authorities have already halted ferries and closed floodgates on Čertovka. The flood commission will reconvene at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday to assess the situation.

    Author: Vít Pohanka
  • 09/13/2024

    Due to heavy rainfall and the threat of floods, three games in the Czech first hockey league scheduled for Saturday have been postponed. These include matches between Vsetín and Frýdek-Místek, Zlín and Slavia Prague, and Přerov and Jihlava. Clubs agreed on the postponement to free up emergency services, such as police and firefighters, who are critical during such extreme weather. Vsetín club official Petr Neumann emphasized the need for these services to focus on potential flood emergencies. Other scheduled matches will proceed as planned depending on local conditions.

    Author: Vít Pohanka
  • 09/13/2024

    Cities across Czechia are preparing for evacuations due to extreme rainfall and expected flooding. Thousands of households have already lost power, primarily due to fallen trees and branches caused by heavy rain and wind. As of Friday evening, warnings of extreme flood risks have been issued for large parts of Moravia, Silesia, and other regions. Authorities are constructing flood barriers in vulnerable areas, including Brno, where the risk of fifty-year or even century-high waters looms. Emergency services are on high alert as the situation is expected to worsen over the weekend.

    Author: Vít Pohanka
  • 09/13/2024

    Bird flu has been confirmed in a poultry farm in Martinice u Březnice, central Bohemia. Agriculture Minister Marek Výborný stated that 700 geese and 300 hens will need to be culled due to the outbreak. The Veterinary Administration will establish a three-kilometer protection zone and a ten-kilometer surveillance zone around the farm. This development means that the Czech Republic will lose its bird flu-free status, which may affect trade with non-EU countries. Bird flu outbreaks have been recorded previously, with the most significant occurring in late 2022.

    Author: Vít Pohanka

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