World News

Coronavirus ‘R’ number rises above 1 in Czech Republic

The Czech Republic has reported its second successive week-on-week rise in new daily coronavirus cases and the reproduction “R” number has risen above 1 for the first time since mid-April,…

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Czechs ban travel to Russia, Tunisia due to coronavirus variants

The Czech Health Ministry has banned Czechs from travelling to Russia, Tunisia and other countries due to the spread of COVID-19 variants there, the ministry said. The Czech Republic on…

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Photo Story: Rare tornado, storms rip through southern Czech Republic, killing three

A woman walks past damaged cars after a tornado hit in Mikulcice, Czech Republic. A rare tornado on 24 June evening swept through the region of South Moravia, in south-eastern…

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Lufthansa’s low-cost airline Eurowings to open Prague base

German airline Lufthansa's said on Friday its budget carrier Eurowings would open a new base in Prague with two aircraft in October, in a sign of growing confidence in the…

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Czech jobless rate drops to 3.9% in May, vacancies near pre-COVID high

The Czech unemployment rate fell to 3.9% of the workforce in May, from 4.1% and showing a deeper drop than expected, as COVID-19 lockdown restrictions eased and workers returned to…

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Czech government survives no-confidence vote months before election

The Czech governmentsurvived a no-confidence motion on Thursday after a party holding decisive votes shunned the opposition's attempt to overthrow Prime Minister Andrej Babis' minority Cabinet months before a general…

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Czech prime minister may be among first in crosshairs of new European prosecutor

Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis and his business empire may be among the first cases investigated by the European Union’s new joint prosecution after a referral from national authorities, a…

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Czech PM faces risk of no-confidence defeat

The Czech centre-left government faces potential defeat in a no-confidence motion on Thursday, a vote that may keep the prime minister in office as caretaker until an October election but…

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Czech police recommend charging president in fraud case

Czech police recommended for a second time on Monday that Prime Minister Andrej Babis should be indicted over fraud involving European Union subsidies. Prosecutors in Prague said they had received…

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UPDATED: COVID-19 curbs eased further in Czech Republic

Czech restaurants, bars, night clubs and other hospitality venues can serve customers indoors from Monday, Health Minister Adam Vojtech said on Friday, announcing a quicker-than-planned easing of COVID-19 restrictions following…

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Czech PM Babis: no plans to withdraw lawsuit against Poland over Turow mine

The Czech government has no plans to withdraw a lawsuit it filed against Poland over the Turow mine as no agreement has been reached yet, Prime Minister Andrej Babis said…

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Czech president chides Russia for listing his nation as unfriendly

Russia's decision to put the Czech Republic on a list of "unfriendly" states is silly, Czech President Milos Zeman said on Sunday, following a chill in ties between the two…

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Poland, Hungary, Slovakia and Czech Republic launch Pro-family coalition

The four Central European countries that make up the Visegrad Group – Poland, Hungary, Slovakia and the Czech Republic – today launched a “pro-family coalition” at an event in Warsaw.…

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Czech President: Russia not necessarily behind 2014 ammunition blast

PRAGUE, April 25 (Reuters) - Czech President Milos Zeman said on Sunday the idea that Russian spies caused a 2014 ammunition dump explosion in the central European country was just…

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Czechs order Russia to pull out most embassy staff in worsening spy row

MOSCOW/PRAGUE (Reuters) -The Czech Republic on Thursday ordered Russia to remove most of its remaining diplomatic staff from Prague in an escalation of the worst dispute between the two countries…

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Moscow vows to retaliate against any new Czech moves against its diplomats

Russia's foreign ministry said on Thursday it would retaliate against any new steps taken by Prague against Russia's diplomatic staff, the RIA news agency reported. The Czech Republic demanded on…

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Czechs say Russian retaliation stronger than expected, ask EU partners for solidarity

PRAGUE, April 19 (Reuters) - The Czech Republic said on Monday Russia's eviction of 20 Czech embassy employees in response to Prague's expulsion of 18 Russian staff was a stronger than expected reaction and the government…

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Russia’s reaction to Czech diplomat expulsions stronger then expected -Czech minister

Russia's eviction of 20 Czech embassy staff in response to the Czech Republic's expulsion of 18 Russian staff was a stronger-than-expected reaction and the government will consider further steps, acting…

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Russia furious at accusation that Skripal suspects killed two in Czech blast

MOSCOW/PRAGUE, April 18 (Reuters) - Moscow reacted furiously on Sunday to Czech accusations that two Russian spies accused of a nerve agent poisoning in Britain in 2018 were behind an explosion at a Czech ammunition dump four…

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Czechs to discuss alleged Russian link to 2014 blast with EU

The Czech Republic is informing its NATO and European Union allies about suspected Russian involvement in a 2014 ammunition depot explosion and will discuss the matter at an EU foreign…

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UPDATED: Czechs expel 18 Russian envoys, accuse Moscow over ammunition depot blast

The Czech Republic is expelling 18 Russian diplomats over suspicions that Russian intelligence services were involved in an ammunition depot explosion in 2014, its government said. The central European country…

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Czech schools, shops reopen after long COVID-19 shutdown

PRAGUE (Reuters) - Czech schools, libraries, zoos and some stores reopened on Monday after months of coronavirus closures in one of the world's worst-hit countries. A six-month state of emergency expired at midnight, lifting restrictions on movement…

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Czech Republic starts lifting Covid restrictions

A boy performs himself antigen test as first to fifth grades return to elementary schools across the country, in Prague, Czech Republic, 12 April 2021. The Czech government closed all…

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Czech government to start reopening schools from April 12

PRAGUE, April 6 (Reuters) - Schools in the Czech Republic will start reopening from April 12, starting with the first five years of elementary school, Czech Television reported on Tuesday.…

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Austria offers Czech Republic vaccine doses amid bitter EU dispute

Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz said Friday his government has offered to send the Czech Republic 30,000 vaccine doses in an effort to help stem a surging number of infections there.…

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Prague faces tourist-free Easter – again

Jakub Ricica's traditional Czech pub 'Deminka', located just behind the National Museum and a short stroll from dozens of hotels, is a magnet for the flocks of tourists who descend…

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Czech government extends pandemic restrictions on movement

The Czech government has agreed to extend restrictions on movement among districts beyond March 21 until further notice as the coronavirus pandemic ebbs slowly, Health Minister Jan Blatny announced. The…

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Palestinians, Arab League, condemn Czech Jerusalem office

RAMALLAH, West Bank (Reuters) - The Palestinian Authority and the Arab League on Saturday condemned the Czech Republic's opening of a diplomatic office in Jerusalem, calling it a violation of…

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Czech PM backs using Sputnik vaccine without EU regulator’s approval

PRAGUE, Feb 28 (Reuters) - Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis said on Sunday the country could use Russia's Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine even without approval by European Union's EMA drugs…

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Czech government tightens lockdown, limits movement to fight COVID surge

The Czech government announced strict new restrictions limiting people’s movement over the next three weeks and tightening shop and school closures in a bid to slow a fast spread of…

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Czech government seeks tougher COVID measures to tame virus surge

The Czech government will meet on Thursday to decide on tougher lockdown restrictions to rein in one of the world's fastest spreads of COVID-19. Prime Minister Andrej Babis said on…

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Photo Story: Czech freediver breaks Guinness world record in swimming under ice

Czech freediver David Vencl reacts after setting a new world record for the longest swim under ice at Lake Vapenka, near Teplice, Czech Republic. Vencl, a Teplice freediver and winter…

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Czech government drops shop re-opening plan amid virus surge

The Czech government on Friday dropped plans to possibly open non-essential retail shops from next week as a surge in coronavirus cases continued to put pressure on strained hospitals. Industry…

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Czech government approves new state of emergency

PRAGUE, Feb 14 (Reuters) - The Czech government reached a last-minute deal with regional governors on Sunday to call a new state of emergency for 14 days and avert a…

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Czech Republic announces stricter lockdown as coronavirus infections soar

The Czech Republic on Thursday announced a stricter lockdown in three districts from east to west where coronavirus infections have soared, and hospitals are struggling to cope. The order means…

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Czech Republic’s coronavirus cases surpass 1 million

PRAGUE, Feb 3 (Reuters) - Nearly one in 10 people in the Czech Republic have been infected by the coronavirus, data showed on Wednesday, as the total number of cases surpassed 1 million in one of the…

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Skoda Auto says made less cars at Czech plants in 2020

Skoda Auto, the Czech unit of Volkswagen AG and the country's main exporter, said on Friday its output at domestic plants dropped to 753,013 in 2020, from 910,000 in 2019.…

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Photo Story: New circus company shows art through windows amid coronavirus in Prague

Artists perform in a window of a closed shop, organized by the contemporary circus company Cirk La Putyka, in Prague, Czech Republic, on 21 January 2021. The aim of the…

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Czech bill boosting domestic food in supermarkets threatens clash with EU

Czech lawmakers on Wednesday approved legislation requiring shops to sell mainly domestically made food that would benefit Czech producers, potentially putting the country on a collision course with the European…

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Protest in Prague against pandemic restrictions

Warsaw (dpa) - Hundreds of demonstrators gathered at Prague's Old Town Square on Sunday afternoon to protest against the government restrictions to contain the coronavirus, which were recently extended. According to police estimates,…

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Czech crematoriums seek help as COVID-19-related deaths soar

PRAGUE (Reuters) - Some Czech crematoriums are near or at capacity due to a spike in coronavirus deaths, and they are looking for alternative cremation sites, Interior Minister Jan Hamacek…

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Czechs report record COVID-19 cases, hospitals halt non-urgent care

The Czech Republic reported a record high 16,939 daily cases of COVID-19 for the past 24 hours, the Health Ministry said on Thursday. The central European country of 10.7 million…

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Czech Republic starts rollout of coronavirus vaccine

The Czech Republic started administering vaccinations against the new coronavirus on Sunday, part of a push against the pandemic across the European Union. Prime Minister Andrej Babis was the first…

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Photo Story: Czech National Ballet rehearses amid coronavirus restrictions in Prague

Dancers of the Czech National Ballet perform during a general rehearsal for a live broadcast of 'The Nutcracker - A Christmas Carol' at the National Theatre in Prague, Czech Republic.…

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Czech government to close most shops to curb COVID infections

The Czech government will close non-essential shops, services and ski lifts and enforce a stricter curfew from Sunday as it seeks to curb another rise in COVID-19 infections and hospitalisations,…

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Czech Republic announces record tax cuts to support economy

The Czech lower house approved a record tax cut on Tuesday that the government says will ease the economic pain of the pandemic, but which critics say will hit public…

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Czech government orders tightening of coronavirus restrictions from Friday

Czech restaurants, hotels and indoor sports venues, which reopened from a coronavirus lockdown only two weeks ago, must shut again from Friday in response to a new rise in infections, Prime…

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Czech Republic to allow shops, restaurants to reopen from December 3

The Czech government will allow restaurants and non-essential shops to reopen on Thursday, Dec. 3, as a wave of coronavirus infections eases, Health Mister Jan Blatny said on Sunday. The…

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Czechs to allow more children in school as COVID cases drop

The Czech Republic will allow more children to go to school and ease some other restrictions as the numbers of new coronavirus cases and hospitalised patients fall, Health Minister Jan…

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Trump should quit and ‘not be embarrassing’, Czech president says

Donald Trump would be wiser to acknowledge losing the U.S. presidential election and quit, Czech President Milos Zeman, an early Trump supporter, said on Thursday. Zeman, one of the few…

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Czechs mark anniversary of Velvet Revolution amid pandemic

Czechs on Tuesday evening marked more than three decades since the Velvet Revolution peacefully toppled communist rule with scaled-back gatherings, virtual candle lighting and online concerts as coronavirus lockdown rules…

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Prague student voluntarily disinfects public places amid coronavirus pandemic

A student Jan Faltus, founder of Better City (Lepsi mesto) initiative, wearing protective face mask, cleans a parking meter with a disinfectant, in Prague, Czech Republic. For just over a…

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Czech Republic reports 1,887 new coronavirus cases, fewest since October 4

The Czech Republic, one of the worst-hit countries in Europe amid the second the wave of the coronavirus pandemic, reported 1,887 new cases for Nov. 15, its lowest daily tally…

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Czech Republic reports decline in the number of COVID-19

The Czech Republic has reported a further decline in the number of COVID-19 infections and deaths from daily highs seen in early November. But the country remains among the hardest…

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Czech Republic reports 7,722 new cases

The Czech Republic reported 7,722 new coronavirus cases for the latest 24-hour period, the third time this month that the daily tally fell below 10,000, Health Ministry data showed on…

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Photo Story: ‘Isolation’ project amid coronavirus in Prague

A family eats in large inflatable bubble as part of a performance by artistic group Cirk La Putyka called 'Isolation' in Prague, Czech Republic. The Czech Republic recorded a rise…

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Czech officials call for help as deaths double in two weeks

The number of people who have died while infected with the coronavirus in the Czech Republic has doubled to 2,047 in two weeks, Health Ministry data showed on Saturday. It…

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