Czech news in brief for August 18: Monday's top headlines

Outfitting a Czech first-grader with basic school supplies will cost an average of CZK 3,350 in discount promotions this year, up 10 percent from 2024, according to an analysis by Česká distribuční. The most expensive item is a school bag, averaging CZK 1,632, a 20 percent increase. Of 20 items tracked across seven major retail chains, 14 rose in price, including sharpeners and pencil cases, while exercise books and pencils became cheaper, the report said.

Czech firefighters and air rescuers have departed for Spain to assist in battling wildfires, officials said. The team left Přerov, north Moravia, at 1 p.m. in a Black Hawk helicopter equipped with a water-dropping Bambi bucket. The unit includes three firefighters, two pilots, and two technicians from a private operator. Spain requested the support as it struggles with large-scale fires. Czech crews have already aided in firefighting missions across Europe this summer and in U.S. flood relief.

Three people were injured Monday in a collision between a city bus and a van on Za Vokovickou vozovnou Street, Prague firefighters said. Responders secured the vehicles, contained leaked fluids, and cleared the road. The injured, a van driver, a woman, and a child, were conscious and taken to hospital. Police, including spokeswoman Jana Poštová and officer Kropáčová, arrived to investigate the cause. Traffic remained partially restricted as a tow truck removed the vehicles. Injuries were not life-threatening.

More than half of Czech municipalities with under 2,500 residents now use AI tools to generate texts, images, and communicate with citizens, a July survey by the Czech Association of Artificial Intelligence found. Adoption depends less on size than on officials’ openness to innovation. “About 33 percent of municipalities said that the biggest obstacle…was the low awareness of it and the possibilities of its use,” AI expert Adam Sládek told the media. Legislative guidance and staff training remain limited.

An autopsy confirmed that a 13-year-old Czech boy found dead near Knappenrode, Saxony, died in an accident, police said Monday. The boy had gone missing from a Lake Silbersee campsite on Aug. 10 while on holiday with his family. More than 100 officers and rescue workers searched the area east of Hoyerswerda. Authorities said there is no evidence of foul play, and the autopsy corroborates the investigation’s initial findings, police added.

Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala said clear security guarantees from the US and Europe are crucial for Ukraine’s upcoming peace talks. Speaking after a coalition videoconference with Ukrainian President Zelenskiy, Fiala emphasized coordination before Monday’s Washington meeting with US President Trump. Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky added Europe must commit to real security guarantees and proposed restricting Russian diplomats’ Schengen movements to counter ongoing aggression.

A Brno court ordered Tomáš Jiřikovský, linked to a major bitcoin scandal, into custody on grounds of flight risk, obstruction, and potential crime repetition, prosecutors said. Jiřikovský, arrested Thursday, faces charges of legalizing proceeds from criminal activity in 2015 and this year. The case involves 468 bitcoins worth one billion crowns donated to the Justice Ministry, triggering the resignation of former minister Pavel Blažek and an ongoing audit.

Prague city councilors will again debate a proposed fare increase in Prague Integrated Transport for trips between the city and Central Bohemian Region. The plan, approved by the region but paused by the council last week, would raise paper tickets by 30% and app fares by 20%, with similar hikes for time coupons. Other items include Ropid staff pay, Bezba doprava expansion, and school renovation contracts.

Drivers on the D3 motorway between České Budějovice and Tábor could soon reach 150 km/h on a 50-km section, starting late September or early October. Variable traffic signs are being installed to ensure safety under ideal conditions, including clear weather and smooth traffic. The system, costing CZK 55 million, will be monitored from the national traffic information center, marking the first higher-speed section in the Czech Republic.

On Aug. 18, 1990, the Rolling Stones played to 100,000 fans at Strahov Stadium, marking the largest concert in Czechoslovakia’s history. The show was offered by then-President Václav Havel and became a symbol of freedom and cultural openness. Since then, the Stones have returned to the Czech Republic five more times.