Czech news in brief for July 16: Wednesday's top headlines

Franz, the latest film by director Agnieszka Holland and producer Šárka Cimbalová, will have its world premiere at the 50th Toronto International Film Festival, organizers announced. The Czech-German-Polish co-production is among the festival’s most anticipated titles. TIFF, one of the world's leading film festivals, often launches major award contenders. Franz is set to open in Czech cinemas on Sept. 25.

The Czech Republic has recorded 23 tropical days—when temperatures hit 30°C or higher—by mid-July, the most since 2019, officials said Tuesday. The average from 1991 to 2024 was 17. The hottest day was July 2, reaching 37.4°C. Meteorologists cite climate change for the rising frequency of hot days, noting a sharp increase in both tropical and supertropical days in recent decades.

A Ukrainian man suspected of sending bomb threats to schools in Czechia and Slovakia was likely funded by Russia, Czech counterintelligence (BIS) said Tuesday. The suspect allegedly targeted multiple European countries. He was detained in Ukraine in a joint operation with Slovak and Czech police. Authorities are treating the case as a potential terrorist attack. Czech BIS linked the threats to Russian disinformation efforts.

A fire destroyed the popular Bílý Kámen restaurant and nearby Blue Bar near Mácha Lake early Tuesday. Firefighters battled the blaze for over 10 hours. No injuries were reported, though three dozen people were at the campsite. Damage is estimated at 20 million crowns. The cause remains unknown, police said. Fourteen units from Liberec and Central Bohemia responded. Investigators are examining the scene.

Czech President Petr Pavel will visit Japan next week, meeting Emperor Naruhito and Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, the Presidential Office said Tuesday. Pavel will commemorate victims of the Hiroshima bombing, open Czech National Day at Expo 2025 in Osaka, and lead a business delegation. He’ll also sign a cooperation pact in Himeji and launch the Czech-Japanese Business Forum in Tokyo.

French Ambassador Stéphane Crouzat amused guests at a Bastille Day celebration in Prague by delivering part of his speech in Czech and joking about fictional Czech genius Jára Cimrman. Czech President Petr Pavel attended the event, which highlighted Czech-French ties. Crouzat praised French contributions to Czech culture and drew laughter for referencing Cimrman’s supposed role in designing the Eiffel Tower.

Severe storms swept across the northern Czech Republic Tuesday, bringing wind gusts up to 75 kph and heavy rain. The Czech Hydrometeorological Institute issued warnings as storms spread to Moravia and Silesia. Firefighters in Central Bohemia and Hradec Králové responded to dozens of calls, mainly for fallen trees. Rail services were disrupted, including a train hitting a tree in Vysokov. No injuries were reported.

Prime Minister Petr Fiala said the Czech Republic will not join a U.S.-led initiative to buy American weapons for Ukraine. Instead, the country will continue supporting Ukraine through other channels, such as its ammunition initiative. NATO allies like Germany and Canada are backing the U.S. plan, announced by President Trump. Czech officials say their focus remains on previously agreed military aid, including large-scale ammunition deliveries.

Opposition leader Andrej Babiš told Reuters that an ANO-led government would cancel the Czech ammunition initiative for Ukraine, calling it non-transparent and overpriced. He criticized NATO’s new defense spending targets and suggested reviewing the F-35 fighter jet contract. The Czech initiative has helped deliver over 1.5 million rounds to Ukraine. Babiš argues funds should prioritize domestic needs and proposes NATO could assume control of the program.

Scientists from the Czech Academy of Sciences launched an online questionnaire allowing Prague residents to report perceived summer temperatures. The crowdsourced data, collected through mid-September, will support climate adaptation planning and research under the European CARMINE project. Participants can anonymously share how hot or cold they feel in different city zones. Researchers hope to better understand urban heat effects and guide public policy in the capital.

Locals took the first boat ride through Edmund’s Gorge in Bohemian Switzerland National Park on July 15, three years after a devastating 2022 fire. Public rides resume Saturday with limited capacity and safety monitoring. Officials hope to slowly expand access. The blaze, the largest in Czech history, caused millions in damages and long-term closures. Locals and business owners welcomed the cautious reopening.