Czech news in brief for August 12: Tuesday's top headlines

As of the start of this week, 19,081 Czech citizens have registered to vote abroad in October’s parliamentary elections, up about 1,500 since August, the Foreign Ministry has confirmed. Registration, available in person at embassies and via newly introduced postal voting, closes Sunday, Aug. 24. Around 6,000 voters have joined the rolls since postal voting began, though officials say an earlier estimate of 50,000 overseas voters is unlikely to be met. Interest is expected to grow gradually.

Deaths from preventable diseases in Czechia are 25 percent higher than the EU average, the European National Institute for Research on the Socioeconomic Impact of Diseases said Tuesday. Czechs also live shorter, sicker lives, with men and women’s life expectancy 1.8 and 1.2 years below the EU average. On average, Czechs spend 17 years in poor health before death, five years longer than Swedes, underscoring calls for healthier lifestyles and improved preventive care.

Temperatures in the Czech Republic will exceed 31 degrees Celsius Wednesday and rise above 34 degrees Thursday and Friday, with lows possibly reaching 37 degrees in some areas, the Czech Hydrometeorological Institute (ČHMÚ) has announced. A cold front will bring cooler weather Saturday, mainly in southern and central Moravia. Showers and thunderstorms are expected Friday and Saturday, with temperatures dropping to 24–29 degrees Celsius Sunday through Tuesday next week.

The Constitutional Court ruled Tuesday that families of victims from the Prague university shooting have the right to access investigation files held by the Security Forces Inspectorate. Judge-rapporteur Jiří Přibáň said the inspectorate erred by denying a victim’s father access to the files. The court ordered the inspectorate to release the documents. The father’s lawyer, Tomáš Grivna, criticized the year-long delay in obtaining the information.

An exhibition of Ukrainian war photography opened Tuesday in the garden of the Czech Senate to mark Ukraine’s Independence Day. Titled Independence through Steadfastness, the display runs through Aug. 22 and features nine images depicting the war’s impact and Ukrainians’ resilience. Most works are by Eduard Kryzhanivskyi, with others by Kostiantyn and Vlada Liberov. The event is backed by Ukrainian Ambassador Vasyl Zvarych and Senate Speaker Miloš Vystrčil.

Czechia supports the U.S. proposal for an unconditional ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia but insists that state borders must not be changed by force, Deputy Foreign Minister Eduard Hulicius said Tuesday. Ahead of the Trump-Putin summit, EU diplomats agreed that Ukraine must be involved in any decisions about its future. The meeting also addressed Israel’s control of Gaza City and called for increased humanitarian aid.

Czechia’s Ministry of Defence signed a seven-year, 6.16 billion-crown contract with Rheinmetall for servicing Leopard 2A4 tanks. The agreement covers repairs, spare parts, training, and logistical support, with Czech companies gradually involved. The contract ensures maintenance as the Czech army replaces Soviet-era tanks with Leopard 2A4s, reducing reliance on Russian equipment. A related deal with state-owned VOP CZ on tank service cooperation is expected soon.

On Tuesday, Venus and Jupiter will appear unusually close in the early morning sky, visible without telescopes even in cities, rising around 2:30 a.m. The Perseid meteor shower will also peak, though moonlight may reduce visibility. Mercury, Saturn, Neptune, and the Moon will be visible nearby. Another rare celestial event is expected Aug. 20, when six bright objects form a “butterfly” shape in the northeastern sky before dawn.

Rangers in Šumava National Park are trying to catch a female wolf roaming near the Srni visitors’ center and the wolf enclosure. The wolf, at least two years old, has been seen attempting to enter the fenced pack area, causing minor damage. The centre is temporarily closed for safety. The enclosure is a popular attraction, drawing over 117,000 visitors last year, with photo traps set to monitor the wolf’s movements.

Prague will extend the loan of Alfons Mucha’s Slav Epic paintings to Moravsky Krumlov for five more years, until 2031, City Hall announced Monday. The 20 large-format canvases, displayed at Moravsky Krumlov castle, have doubled visitor numbers since 2024. The extension lasts until Prague secures a permanent exhibition space. Ownership disputes continue among Mucha family members despite the agreement.