Czech news in brief for August 11: Monday's top headlines

The Prague Transport Company will prepare a feasibility study for extending Metro Line D from Náměstí Míru to Náměstí Republiky, city councilors approved Monday. The study, costing CZK 16 million, will begin late this year and explore routes including one via Žižkov. Construction could start after 2037, coordinated with a planned underground railway at the main train station. The extension aims to ease capacity on Metro Line C.

 The Czech Republic has reported more than 1,000 hepatitis A cases through July, the highest since 2009, the State Health Institute said Monday. Last year, 636 cases were recorded. The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control warned of rising infections in Central Europe, including Slovakia and Austria. The virus spreads mainly through poor hygiene, with the homeless and those in crowded conditions most at risk.

Czech politicians are divided over the upcoming Trump-Putin meeting on Ukraine. Opposition views it as a historic peace opportunity, while government members remain skeptical, emphasizing Ukraine’s role in negotiations. Some warn against rewarding aggression without Kyiv’s consent and stress continued sanctions and security guarantees. The debate reflects broader concerns over the conflict’s resolution and European security.

The number of employers, employees, and self-employed in the Czech Republic has risen over the past four years, with 4.95 million employees and 1.15 million self-employed recorded in mid-2025, up from 4.55 million and 1.07 million in 2021. Unemployment remains low at about 2.6 percent. The government has introduced labor reforms aimed at flexibility and reducing bureaucracy ahead of October’s election, though future policies remain unclear.

Support for opposition ANO slipped slightly to 31.1 percent, though it remains the clear leader, according to a STEM poll. The ruling coalition Spolu rose to 21.3 percent, while the leftist Stačilo! matched the Pirates at 8 percent. SPD declined to 13.2 percent. If elections were held now, ANO would win 73 seats, Spolu 47, and Stačilo! would enter parliament for the first time with 16 seats.

Czech pharmaceutical companies export CZK 4–5 billion of medicines yearly to the U.S., including generics and treatments for chronic diseases. Despite new 15 percent tariffs on European imports, drugs are currently exempt. Czech industry expects tariffs to remain zero for most medicines after a U.S. review of national security impacts. Higher tariffs could raise U.S. drug prices and reduce competitiveness.

Czech supermodel Eva Herzigová will appear in the 2026 Pirelli calendar, her first in 30 years. Photographer Solve Sundsbo shot the calendar in the UK and New York, focusing on women’s power and human emotions. The calendar features top models, actresses, and athletes and will be unveiled in Prague this November. The Pirelli calendar is a prestigious, invitation-only artistic publication.

Seventeen-year-old Korean Mir Kim won the YoYo World Championship in Prague for the third consecutive year. The competition included 300 participants from 43 countries. American players Hunter Feuerstein and Chandler Steele took silver and bronze. Czech finalist Jakub Dolejs was the only European in the final. Japan will host the contest next year.