Czech news in brief for August 3: Sunday's top headlines

Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavský rejected Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir’s call to occupy Gaza and encourage Palestinian emigration, calling it extremist rhetoric. Lipavský said Czechia supports a two-state solution and any annexation or forced population transfers are unacceptable. His remarks follow Ben Gvir’s repeated calls to seize Gaza, which Israel withdrew from in 2005, amid the ongoing conflict with Hamas.

The Czech National Bank is likely to keep its key interest rate unchanged at 3.5 percent at its Aug. 7 meeting, analysts told Czech News Agency. They cite high core inflation, rising property prices, strong economic growth, and trade tensions between the EU and U.S. as key factors. Economists expect no rate cut in the near term and anticipate continued caution from the central bank.

Mafia: The Old Country, the latest title in the popular video game series, will emphasize story and return to gameplay reminiscent of earlier installments, developers from Hangar 13 said. Set in early 20th-century Sicily, the game follows a young man’s rise in the criminal underworld. Developed largely in Czechia, the game is produced in English with Czech dubbing for local audiencs, and will be released Aug. 7–8 for PC and consoles.

New EU household emission permit rules set for 2027 will weigh almost three times more on Czech families than on Germans, analysts warn. Despite identical prices across the bloc, lower Czech wages mean higher relative costs, with projected hikes of 20 percent for gas and over CZK 3 per liter of fuel. Experts say rural and low-income households could be hardest hit without compensation measures.

Two young foreign women collapsed Saturday night on Prague’s Wenceslas Square after reportedly consuming THC-laced gummy bears. Both were intubated and placed on ventilators due to unstable vital signs, emergency responders said. They remain in serious condition in intensive care. Police are investigating the incident to determine whether any criminal activity was involved.

Prague Pride participants say Czechia still lacks full equality for LGBT+ people, especially the right to marry. Domestic partnerships, introduced this year, offer more legal rights than previous registered partnerships but fall short of full marriage, activists say. “It’s a step in the right direction, but not enough,” one marcher told Czech News Agency. Tens of thousands joined this year's Pride parade on Saturday.

Volt Czechia plans to take legal action if regional officials do not reject candidate lists submitted by SPD and Enough! as single parties instead of official coalitions. Party leader Adam Hanka says such tactics sidestep higher vote thresholds for coalitions. The Oath party supports the move and may sue the Pirates over a similar issue. Legal experts argue these "non-coalitions" do not violate Czech election law.

Jakub Lauko, 25, has signed with Dynamo Pardubice after leaving the NHL, where he played for the Boston Bruins and Minnesota Wild. A free agent following the expiration of his Boston contract, Lauko cited familiarity with coaches Filip Pešán and Karel Mlejnek and the club’s ambition as key reasons. He joins fellow veteran Vladimír Sobotka, 38, as a newcomer to the team.

A large fire broke out Saturday in a plastic and wood waste sorting hall on the outskirts of Přestavlky, Olomouc region. No injuries were reported, but firefighters declared a second-level fire alarm. Eight units responded as thick black smoke was visible from 20 kilometers away. Crews are using heavy machinery to control the fire and investigate its cause. Police and fire investigators remain on site.

The Lety Memorial in South Bohemia marked European Roma Holocaust Memorial Day for the first time on Saturday, holding a public event with film screenings, music, and readings. Nearly 2,900 Roma were murdered at Auschwitz on Aug. 2–3, 1944. The new memorial, opened in 2024 on the site of a former Roma concentration camp, received 10,000 visitors last year, officials from the Museum of Romani Culture said.

Military operations leave long-term environmental damage, including soil and water contamination and biodiversity loss, Czech experts said. Toxic residues from explosives and fuel persist for years, with cleanup often delayed. Microbiologist Tomáš Cajthaml warned that nature protection is neglected during conflicts, while historian Vojtěch Kyncl noted that many ecological burdens from military sites were only addressed after 1989, highlighting the legacy of Cold War-era pollution.