Czech Republic

Pressure off Scotland in Euro 2020 opener, says Clarke

After 23 years in the international wilderness, Scotland manager Steve Clarke said the pressure will be off his side when they begin their Euro 2020 campaign against the Czech Republic…

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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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UPDATED: European Parliament turns up heat on Czech PM over conflicts of interest

The European Parliament on Thursday called for a halt in EU funding to the business empire of Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis over conflicts of interest. The billionaire leader's firms…

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Czechs beat Albania 3-1 in last Euro 2020 warm-up

Second-half goals from Lukas Masopust and Ondrej Celustka gave the Czech Republic a 3-1 win over a battling Albania side on Tuesday in their final Euro 2020 warm-up before taking…

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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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Ruthless Italy sweep past Czechs 4-0 in Euro 2020 warm-up

Italy swept aside the Czech Republic 4-0 on Friday (Jun 4) with a ruthless attacking display that could make them a dangerous side when Euro 2020 kicks off next week.…

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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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Commission approves €1.9 billion Czech scheme to support companies in context of coronavirus outbreak

The European Commission has approved an approximately € 1.9 billion (CZK 50 billion) Czech scheme to support companies affected by the coronavirus outbreak. The scheme was approved under the State…

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Slavia Prague grab third Czech league title in a row

PRAGUE (Reuters) - Slavia Prague secured their third Czech league crown in a row on Sunday with five matches to spare, capping a dominant season that delivered the club their…

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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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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 expels 20 Czechs after blast blamed on Skripal suspects

Moscow expelled 20 Czech diplomats on Sunday in a confrontation over Czech allegations that two Russian spies accused of a nerve agent poisoning in Britain in 2018 were behind an…

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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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France’s Macron says ‘clear red lines’ should be drawn with Russia

World powers should draw "clear red lines" with Russia and consider possible sanctions against Moscow when they're crossed, French President Emmanuel Macron told U.S. news network CBS in an interview.…

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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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On this day in 2004, Malta and nine other countries signed the EU accession treaty

On this day, in 2004 the leaders of ten new countries with a combined population of almost 75 million signed the accession treaty, through which they joined the EU. Up to…

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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 billionaire Petr Kellner amongst those killed in Alaska helicopter crash

Petr Kellner, the Czech Republic's richest man and founder of investment group PPF, was one of five people killed when their helicopter crashed on a skiing trip in Alaska. Kellner,…

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Lukaku rescues draw for Belgium against Czechs

Romelu Lukaku's second-half strike helped Belgium salvage a 1-1 draw against the Czech Republic on Saturday in an entertaining World Cup qualifier in which both sides were denied by the…

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Bundesliga clubs refuse to release four Czech players for match against Belgium

Bundesliga clubs have refused to release four Czech players for their country's World Cup qualifier against Belgium on Saturday night due to concerns the players would have to go into…

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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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Austria, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Croatia, Slovenia and Latvia seek EU discussion on vaccine distribution

VIENNA (CDE/Reuters) - The leaders of Austria, the Czech Republic, Bulgaria, Croatia, Slovenia and Latvia have written to the European Union calling for a discussion on COVID-19 vaccine distribution within…

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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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Coronavirus cases in Eastern Europe surpass 10 million

The number of COVID-19 cases in eastern Europe surpassed 10 million on Friday, according to Reuters tally, as countries across the region aim to increase vaccine procurements from multiple suppliers…

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Germany to impose entry ban on Czech Republic, Tyrol – Bild

FRANKFURT, Feb 11 (Reuters) - Germany will impose an entry ban on travellers from the Czech Republic and Austria's Tyrol region from Feb. 14, the mass-circulation tabloid Bild reported on…

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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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Poland and Baltics want more sanctions on Russia, diplomats say

BRUSSELS, Feb 4 (Reuters) - Six European Union states including Poland and the Baltics are pushing for new EU sanctions on Russian officials after the jailing of Kremlin critic Alexei…

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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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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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