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Police have confirmed the identities of all six victims of the restaurant fire in Most through genetic testing. Four men and two women died, but police are withholding further details out of respect for their families. Survivors have been offered crisis intervention, police spokesman Kamil Marek said on Tuesday.
Eight people were injured, seven of whom remain hospitalized. Three are in critical condition at Prague's Vinohrady hospital, while others are stable, with some in standard wards. One injured person remains in Most hospital, and another was discharged on Sunday.
The cause of the fire is under investigation. Police and fire experts are working to determine what triggered the tragedy, with findings expected in the coming days.
Investment literacy in Czechia has fallen for the first time in four years, returning to 2022 levels, suggests a survey by Ipsos for the investment platform Portu. It shows a decline across most regions and demographics, with an average score dropping from 113.9 to 106.7 points.
Men scored higher than women, with the best results seen in those aged 45 to 53. Prague had the highest investment literacy, while Hradec Králové, Ústí nad Labem, and Olomouc had the lowest scores. The survey also found that higher education and income levels are strongly linked to better investment knowledge.
Czechia's fruit harvest fell 65% in 2024 to 48,058 tonnes, the lowest in 100 years, after severe April frosts damaged flowering crops, the Central Institute for Agricultural Inspection and Testing said on Tuesday. The frost-related losses are estimated at CZK 1.3 billion, with apple production dropping 68% from the five-year average to 36,040 tonnes.
To support recovery, the EU and the Czech government allocated CZK 445 million, with 539 growers applying for aid. Apple growers, who were hardest hit, will receive CZK 341 million, with payments due by January 31, 2025. The Fruit Growers' Union says this assistance will help stabilize production for the next season.
Stone fruits saw severe declines, with cherry and sour cherry harvests down 83% and 72%, respectively, while plums dropped 60%. Currants, raspberries, and other small fruits also experienced sharp reductions.
Czech Railways introduced 144 new trains and locomotives worth nearly CZK 19 billion in 2024, marking a record year for fleet modernization, Transport Minister Martin Kupka said on Tuesday.
The upgrades included eight ComfortJet trains for long-distance routes and over 100 new trainsets for regional services. By the end of this year, the company plans to launch 14 of the 20 ordered ComfortJets.
The national carrier transported 168.45 million passengers during the last year, a 2.5% increase compared to 2023. A total of 87.6% of its trains ran on time, consistent with the previous year’s performance.
Škoda Auto's global sales increased by 6.9% in 2024, reaching 926,600 vehicles, the parent company Volkswagen announced on Tuesday. The sales of the whole Volkswagen Group saw an overall decline of 2.3%, totalling 9.027 million vehicles, largely due to weaker demand in China.
The Volkswagen Group, which includes brands like VW, Audi, Porsche, and Lamborghini, saw growth in the Americas but stagnation in Europe and a nearly 10% drop in China. Despite this, it remained the European leader in the all-electric vehicle market.
Škoda Auto, with around 37,000 employees, operates three production plants in Czechia and has additional facilities in China, Slovakia, and India, mostly through partnerships within the VW Group.
The Prague Zoo will start building a modern Arctic pavilion for polar bears on January 22. Zoo director Miroslav Bobek signed the contract with contractor Metrostav DIZ for CZK 755 million, well below the initially estimated one billion. Mr. Bobek shared the news on the X network on Tuesday.
The current pavilion, built in 1933, is in disrepair and unsuitable for breeding. The new 8,000-square-metre facility near the Gočár houses will include two enclosures, four pools, visitor facilities, a restaurant, and a backstage area. The zoo, run by Prague City Council, drew 1.4 million visitors last year.
Prague Zoo has bred polar bears since 1932. It was the first zoo globally to raise a polar bear cub artificially in 1942, overcoming difficulties like replicating the unique composition of bear milk.
Czech truck driver Aleš Loprais claimed his third stage win at the Dakar Rally, keeping him in contention for the top positions. Defending champion Martin Macík, also from the Czech Republic, remains in the overall lead, finishing fourth in Stage 9. He currently holds a 2-hour, 24-minute advantage over second-place Mitchel van den Brink. Loprais is in third, trailing Macík by just under five minutes.
In the car category, Czech driver Martin Prokop moved up to 11th place overall. The 47th edition of the Dakar Rally saw a fast stage from Riyadh to Haraz, with just three stages remaining to decide the champions.
Wednesday will be mostly cloudy with snow, rain, and freezing precipitation. Temperatures will range from 1 to 5°C, with light to moderate northwesterly winds. Precipitation will ease by the evening.
The National Gallery Prague is hosting an exhibition, "École de Paris: Artists from Bohemia and Interwar Paris," from 8 November 2024 to 2 March 2025 at the Waldstein Riding School. It highlights artists like Georges Kars, Othon Coubine, and François Zdeněk Eberl, to the Czech audience since they were more known in interwar Paris than in interwar Czechoslovakia. I spoke with National Gallery Prague Director Alicja Knast to learn more.
Miroslav Wanek is the leader of Už jsme doma, a Czech alternative band who this year are celebrating 40 years of existence. Už jsme doma have performed in over three dozen countries, most notably in the US, where they have notched up a remarkable 800-plus shows. Wanek, today 62, also has other strings to his bow. He could have entered politics after playing an active role in the Velvet Revolution in his hometown of Teplice, has taught at Prague’s FAMU film school and worked on a highly popular animated series.
A newly restored historic Mevro tram, a distant relative of the legendary trams in Milan, can now be seen roaming the streets of Prague. The 76-year-old veteran is running along one of Prague's historic routes, attracting tourists and locals alike.
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