Czech news in brief for April 17: Thursday's top headlines

 A 12-year-old child died today after being hit by a tram at the Hradčanská stop, Prague emergency services reported. Firefighters and police performed first aid before paramedics continued resuscitation for 45 minutes, but were unable to revive the child. The accident occurred around 10:30 a.m., halting tram service on lines 8, 18, 20, 25, and 26, which were diverted via Brusnice and Prague Castle. The boy was reportedly a foreigner.

 The Czech Republic will see slightly cooler weather over the extended Easter weekend, with occasional rain and isolated thunderstorms, according to the Czech Hydrometeorological Institute. After highs of up to 27°C on Thursday, daytime temperatures will drop to 16–21°C through Saturday. Nighttime lows will range from 6–16°C. Clearer skies are expected Sunday and Easter Monday, though showers may return in the northwest. A fire risk warning remains in effect.

King Philippe of Belgium will visit the Czech Republic on May 5-6 at the invitation of President Petr Pavel, the Czech Presidential Office announced Wednesday. It will be his first visit to Prague in 25 years. The king may attend the Liberation Festival in Plzen, marking 80 years since U.S. forces liberated the town. The Dutch royal couple is also set to visit Czechia in early June.

Finnish broadcaster YLE aired previously unseen footage of last year’s assassination attempt on Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico in a new documentary, Dennik N reported Wednesday. The video shows the full course of the attack, including moments after the shooting previously kept from the public. Fico was critically wounded in the May 2023 shooting and has since recovered. The suspect faces terrorism charges.

Czechia saw 19 cyberattacks in March, up from February but just below the 12-month average of 20, the national cyber agency NUKIB said Thursday. One attack targeting city administration was deemed very serious but data was recovered. A major ransomware attack hit firefighting systems in two regions. Overall, cyber incidents in 2024 have slightly increased compared to the previous year, with ransomware remaining the top threat.

European Parliament President Roberta Metsola will visit Prague next week for talks with Czech leaders on EU cooperation, Ukraine, and defense, her spokesman said Tuesday. She will meet Prime Minister Petr Fiala, Senate Speaker Milos Vystrcil, and Lower House Speaker Marketa Pekarova Adamova. The two-day visit will include a press conference and discussions on transatlantic ties and strengthening the EU’s defense capabilities.

The Czech lower house backed a government amendment tightening asylum and migration rules in a first reading Tuesday, despite opposition from ANO and SPD, who deemed the changes insufficient. The proposal, aiming to boost security and curb abuse of asylum claims, includes faster procedures, stricter residency rules, and expanded police powers. The bill now heads to the security committee for review.

Seven people died in traffic accidents across the Czech Republic on Wednesday, marking the deadliest day on the roads in five months. Three died in a van-truck collision on the D2 highway, while other fatal crashes involved a motorcyclist, a tractor driver, a pedestrian, and a man hit by a van. Police report around 100 road deaths in 2025 so far.

The Czech Republic experienced its first summer day of 2025 on Tuesday, with temperatures exceeding 25°C at seven weather stations, the Czech Hydrometeorological Institute said. The highest, 25.6°C, was recorded in Plzen-Bolevec. More summer-like weather is expected on Thursday. However, low rainfall is worsening drought conditions, particularly in eastern Bohemia, with precipitation at less than half the seasonal average since January.

Czech journalists and media organizations are protesting a draft amendment that would criminalize publishing information from pre-trial criminal proceedings, even when in the public interest. They say the proposal threatens press freedom and could lead to self-censorship. MP Radek Vondracek (ANO), who introduced the bill, says it protects personal rights. Media groups urge lawmakers to reject the plan and seek more balanced regulation.

Czech director Jiri Madl’s Waves, a drama about Czechoslovak Radio staff during the 1968 invasion, won Best Film at Slovakia’s 2024 National Film Awards. The Czech-Slovak co-production claimed nine of 14 categories, including Best Director and Screenplay. Other winners included The Hungarian Dressmaker and Living Large. The ceremony was marked by political criticism and calls for cultural integrity from filmmakers.