Czech news in brief for September 15: Monday's top headlines

Poland has selected Agnieszka Holland’s biopic “Franz” about young Franz Kafka as its candidate for Best International Feature at the Oscars. The film explores Kafka’s struggles with bureaucratic life, complex relationships, and existential fears that shaped his literary genius. German actor Idan Weiss stars as Kafka, with Czech actors Jenovéfa Boková, Ivan Trojan, and Josef Trojan in key roles. The film's production in Prague highlights the city's continued significance as a cultural hub.

President Petr Pavel will this week leave for the U.S. to head the Czech delegation at the UN General Assembly, the Presidential Office said Monday. During his visit to New York, he will meet senior UN officials and leaders from other countries. He will also present a national gift to UN headquarters—Herbarium, a glass art installation created by the Czech design company Lasvit in Nový Bor—and tour a UNICEF exhibition. He will give a lecture at Harvard University as well.

Many Czechs lack calcium, magnesium and iron while consuming too much salt, a government health report said Monday. The National Institute of Public Health found 80 percent of people over 60 have calcium deficiencies, and few children eat enough vegetables. Excess sodium and sugary drinks raise obesity and heart disease risks, researchers said. The 2024 assessment also cited air and water pollution and traffic noise, estimating nearly 920 extra coronary heart disease cases annually from road noise.

Researchers from the Academy of Sciences are surveying the Cheb area, to the west of the country, to study the dark-toothed shrew, a species recently identified in Czechia. The animal, present mainly in Karlovy Vary, often seeks shelter in buildings during colder months. Field teams, including high school students, plan to confirm earlier sightings. Scientists aim to understand how the species is spreading and its relationship with native shrews and other small mammals. It is still not known how fast the shrew is spreading and in which direction. 

Military officials, politicians and residents gathered in Prague’s Klárov district Monday to commemorate Czechoslovak pilots who served in Britain’s Royal Air Force during World War II. The event highlighted their role in defending freedom and fostering international cooperation. Speakers also linked the airmen’s legacy to current European security challenges, referencing the Czech army’s recent support for Poland after Russian drones crossed its airspace. The ceremony underscored the continuing importance of vigilance and cooperation for protecting national and allied airspace.

Social exclusion in Czechia increased in 2024, with 578 municipalities heavily affected, 39 more than the previous year, according to the Social Exclusion Index released Monday in Prague. The Ústí nad Labem, Moravia-Silesia and Karlovy Vary regions remain the most burdened. Monthly housing allowances rose by 23,000 on average, and the number of long-term job seekers grew by 18,000. Officials attributed the worsening situation to the pandemic, the war in Ukraine and higher energy costs, noting that many municipalities faced combined pressures.

Seven key holders have unlocked St. Vítus Cathedral’s Crown Chamber, retrieving Czech crown jewels for display in Prague Castle’s Vladislav Hall. The St. Wenceslas crown, scepter and orb will be shown Tuesday and Wednesday to schoolchildren, then to the public Thursday through Sept. 29. Admission is free. This year’s exhibition, “Czech Crown Jewels: Treasure in the Dark,” highlights their fate in World War II. The regalia last served in 1836 for Ferdinand the Good’s coronation as King of Bohemia.

Changeable weather will mark the Czech Republic early this week, meteorologists said Monday. The Czech Hydrometeorological Institute expects sunshine, rain and wind through Wednesday, with highs dipping below 20 degrees Celsius. From Thursday, skies should clear and temperatures may top 25 degrees by the weekend before a western cooldown Sunday or early next week. Today will bring clouds and showers in Bohemia, while Moravia and Silesia stay sunnier, with highs of 19 to 24 degrees Celsius.

Banks and building societies issued CZK 33.1 billion in Czech mortgages in August, 14 percent less than July, the Czech Banking Association said Monday. New loans excluding refinancing dropped 11 percent to CZK 25.9 billion, still the year’s second highest. Average rates edged to 4.52 percent. Year-on-year growth slowed to one percent. “Despite the correction, August activity remained the second strongest this year,” said chief economist Jaromír Šindel. The number of new mortgages slid 13 percent from July to 6,086.

Václav Žák, Charter 77 signatory and former Listy editor-in-chief, has died in a Český Brod hospital at 80, Czech media have reported. Žák co-founded Czechia’s university computer network and was a Civic Forum leader after the 1989 communist collapse. He later served as deputy chairman of the Czech National Council, headed the Education Ministry’s informatisation unit, and led Listy from 2002 to 2021. Žák also chaired the Czech Radio and Television Broadcasting Council between 2006 and 2009.

Czech judges and prosecutors will see salaries climb more than 13 percent in 2026, while top politicians’ pay will rise about five percent, Czech Television reported Monday. The draft state budget reflects a March law passed over President Petr Pavel’s veto. “Salaries for judges and prosecutors will increase by roughly 13 percent,” Finance Minister Zbyněk Stanjura said. An ordinary lawmaker’s base salary will grow CZK 5,500 to CZK 115,000 monthly, with other officials’ compensation also increasing by law.