Czech news in brief for April 22: Wednesday's top morning headlines

The Million Moments association on launched a petition this week supporting Czech Television and Czech Radio and announced plans for a May march in Prague. The group said it opposese government proposal to shift public media funding saying it could undermine independence. The petition gathered more than 3,800 signatures in its first hours, according to organizers. Today, the unions of Czech Television and Czech Radio will hold press conferences to comment on the proposed financing changes.

France and Britain have welcomed the Czech Republic’s offer to deploy a passive radar system to help secure the Strait of Hormuz, Czech Foreign Minister Petr Macinka said Monday. The DPET system could support monitoring of key shipping routes once regional tensions ease. Macinka said the proposal responds to allied calls for greater involvement. Any deployment of Czech personnel would require parliamentary approval, he added.

Diesel prices in the Czech Republic jumped 27.6 percent in March from February, the largest increase in the European Union alongside Sweden, Eurostat said Tuesday. Petrol prices rose 14.6 percent, the fourth-highest gain in the bloc. EU-wide, diesel prices climbed 19.1 percent month-on-month. The surge follows rising global oil costs linked to disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz, prompting governments to introduce measures to limit fuel price increases.

A U.S. Air Force special forces aircraft landed twice at Prague’s Vaclav Havel Airport in recent days, Czech officials said Tuesday. The plane arrived Sunday, flew to Islamabad on Monday, then returned to Prague. Authorities said the U.S. notified them of the stopover but gave no mission details. The aircraft is linked to senior officials. Talks tied to a fragile Iran ceasefire are expected to continue in Pakistan.

The annual Lyrid meteor shower will peak Thursday night, with Czech astronomers saying Wednesday that viewing conditions should be favorable due to limited moonlight. The shower typically produces about 18 meteors per hour, though rare spikes have exceeded 90. Peak activity is expected around 9:40 p.m., with the best viewing before dawn. Astronomers recommend dark, rural locations away from city light pollution for optimal visibility.