Czech news in brief for August 2: Saturday's top headlines

Czech weather forecasters have issued a low-level warning for heavy rain and storms from Saturday evening through Sunday morning across eastern Bohemia and western Moravia and Silesia. Rainfall could total 20–60 mm, with localized downpours reaching 50 mm. Wind gusts may hit 70 km/h. Smaller rivers could rise sharply, with possible first-level flood alerts in areas like Vysočina and the Orlické and Jeseníky mountains.

Police in Karlovy Vary responded to a call about a boa constrictor left in a glass tank near a bike path between Benedikt and Tašovice. The snake was found outside the tank and taken to an animal center in Stará Role. Officials said the non-venomous constrictor could have scared people but would not have survived in the wild. The owner may face police questioning.

Despite a cool, damp feel, July’s average temperature in Czechia was 17.9 degrees Celsius, just 0.4 degrees below normal, according to the Czech Hydrometeorological Institute. Rainfall was also within norms, with 95 mm recorded—7 percent more than the July average. A heatwave early in the month gave way to cooler weather driven by shifting jet streams and Atlantic pressure systems. The chill may linger into mid-August, though warmer, sunnier days are expected to return later next week.

A 38-year-old inmate from Rapotice Prison escaped Friday morning from an unsecured worksite in Náměšť nad Oslavou. He was captured nearly 11 hours later in a nearby village by a special police unit, authorities said. No one was injured during the arrest. The inmate will be returned to Rapotice, a facility housing medium- and high-security prisoners. Police confirmed all necessary legal procedures are underway.

An exhibition in central Prague marks the Roma Holocaust, coinciding with the Aug. 2–3 anniversary of the 1944 Auschwitz massacre. Part of the Leperiben: We Do Not Forget event, it features work by Roma artists including Nihad Nin Pusija and Lidija Mirkovic. The program continues Saturday with readings of victims' names and staged testimonies honoring survivors like Alžběta Demeterová. Around 90 percent of Czech Roma perished in WWII.

The Prague Pride festival concludes today with its traditional rainbow parade, beginning at noon from Wenceslas Square to Letná. Now in its 15th year, the event supports LGBT+ rights and features DJs along the route and concerts at Letná Pride Park. Several hundred police will oversee the event. Last year, about 60,000 people took part, and organizers expect similar turnout this year.

Police say World War II-era ammunition was found this week near Březová in South Moravia and in a forest in Rumburk, North Bohemia. Discoveries included artillery shells and an anti-personnel mine, safely removed by bomb disposal experts. No injuries occurred. Such finds remain common in Czech forests, and police urge the public not to touch suspicious objects but to report them immediately to emergency services.

A boy was struck by lightning during a football training session in Opava on Friday afternoon, suffering cardiac arrest and burns. Paramedics resuscitated him and transported him in serious but stable condition to Ostrava University Hospital. Seven other boys and one man nearby had minor health issues and were not in life-threatening condition. A crisis responder provided psychological support to teammates at the scene, authorities said.

Karolína Muchová advanced to the Montreal Open round of 16 after a 6-7, 6-2, 6-3 comeback win over Belinda Bencic. The 14th-ranked Czech will next face world No. 8 Madison Keys. Muchová recovered from an early break and dominated the final two sets, ending the match on Bencic’s serve. The head-to-head between the two players is now tied 2–2.

Prague’s Kramářova vila, the official residence of Czech prime ministers, opens to the public today at 9 a.m., with tours of its historic interiors and gardens. Used mainly for official state meetings, the villa will also open on Sept. 6 and Oct. 4. The adjacent garden at Straka Academy is open every Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., featuring artworks from the government’s collections.

The Supreme Administrative Court has rejected a complaint by Goszagransobstvennost, a Russian state firm managing properties in Czechia, over its placement on the national sanctions list. The company challenged its 2023 listing, which froze bank accounts and over 70 properties. This marks the first court ruling on the Czech sanctions list. The firm may still file a constitutional complaint, officials said Thursday.