Czech news in brief for August 6: Thursday's top morning headlines

Good morning and welcome to your Morning Mix of headlines. Prague had its most tropical night of the heatwave last night, with its average temperatures soaring above averages for Mediterranean cities like Athens and Rome. Relief is expected today from the brutal weather, but not for long. Tram drivers are also pushing back on failing air conditioning and cranky passengers. Read more in our daily round-up.

Prague recorded its warmest night of the current heat wave by Thursday morning, with temperatures at Klementinum not falling below 26°C. The capital’s other stations also recorded tropical nights, including Vinohrady and Kbely. The warmest night nationwide was in Hošťálková-Marůška, where temperatures stayed above 26.1°C. Forecasters expect cooler conditions in Bohemia, with highs of 26-31°C, while Moravia could reach 37°C.

Going south: Prague’s overnight low of 26°C would be considered an extreme tropical night even in Mediterranean capitals. Athens typically sees August nighttime lows around 22°C, while Rome averages about 18°C. 

Prosecutors have indicted five people and one company over a CZK 160 million contract to supply linear accelerators to Prague's Bulovka University Hospital, alleging bribery, embezzlement, and money laundering. Three parties in the same case are set to receive plea deals, the Supreme Public Prosecutor's Office said this week. Former ODS MP Marek Šnajdr, accused of accepting a CZK 50,000 bribe, is among those implicated, though he denies wrongdoing.

Going back to 2018: The case traces back to businessman Tomáš Horáček's arrest that year, which triggered a wider investigation into hospital procurement contracts across the country.

A draft bill submitted to parliament would lower the maximum number of Czech soldiers deployable to defend NATO's eastern flank from 2,000 to 1,600 over the next two years, even as the country plans to send more troops abroad to train Ukrainian forces. The defense ministry says the current cap has never been fully used and cites budget pressures.

The real numbers: Only 427 soldiers were actually deployed to Poland, Slovakia, Lithuania, and Latvia as of May, well under the existing 2,000 limit.

The Children's Crisis Center in Prague provided care to 383 at-risk children in the first half of this year and logged 2,635 crisis hotline contacts, with sexual abuse cited as the most common reason for referral. Physical abuse against children has grown more severe since the pandemic, according to deputy director Zora Dušková.

Behind the numbers: Dušková pointed to a nationwide shortage of professional support services and rising cyberbullying, noting that conflicts between children online often go unresolved.

Some drivers of Prague's 15T trams have started hanging their own signs warning passengers about faulty air conditioning after facing repeated insults and complaints during this summer's heat waves. The Prague Public Transport Company (DPP) has told drivers to stop, saying passenger communication must follow standard internal procedures rather than improvised notices.

Why it keeps happening: DPP says the units struggle to keep up because trams run up to 14 hours a day with doors opening every 500 meters, letting hot air in each time and forcing the system to cool the cabin over and over.

Czech film wins student Oscar. Viktorie Stepanova's experimental film "Volklore" won a Student Oscar in the alternative and experimental category, becoming the first Czech film to take the prize. The FAMU graduation project, exploring how Moravian folklore is shifting in the social media age, premiered at this year's Karlovy Vary festival.

Presidential side hustle. President Petr Pavel has joined the Czech Sports Journalists' Club as a freelance photographer, formalizing his longtime side pursuit of shooting motorsports events like Le Mans and the Hungarian Grand Prix. He was also accepted into the International Sports Press Association.

Tourists cool off in Czech beer cellars. As the heat wave continues, visitors to Pilsen are increasingly seeking out the city's underground cellars and brewery tunnels, where temperatures stay around eight degrees Celsius. Tourism officials say weekday visits are also up this season, with tours of the Old Synagogue and Prazdroj's cooperage especially popular.