Czech news in brief for August 8: Saturday's top afternoon headlines

Happy Saturday afternoon! Tens of thousands of people took part in Prague’s annual Pride Parade today, while a new survey finds that most Czechs are concerned the war in Ukraine could escalate into a wider conflict.

Looking ahead, another heatwave could bring temperatures above 35°C next week. Here’s your afternoon news roundup.

Tens of thousands of people joined the Prague Pride Parade on Saturday, crossing central Prague in colorful clothing and rainbow accessories. The event marked the end of the weeklong festival, with organizers expecting about 45,000 participants. The parade was accompanied by hundreds of police officers and ended at Štvanice island.

No incidents: Police reported no major incidents during the more than two-hour event. Participants observed a minute of silence for victims of last month’s LGBT+ event attack in Berlin.

A majority of Czechs fear Russia’s war in Ukraine could escalate into a wider conflict, according to a new NMS poll for Novinky. Overall, 57 percent said they were concerned, compared with 26 percent who were not.

Who's worried: Concern was highest among opposition voters, at around 70 percent among supporters of the Pirates, Spolu and STAN. SPD voters were the only group where those not fearing escalation outnumbered those who did.

Czechia invested CZK 43.3 billion in research and development in 2025, up about 10 percent from the previous year, according to Eurostat data. The increase was the EU’s 10th-fastest, but Czechia still ranked 16th overall, with government R&D spending below the EU average.

Trailing behind: Government spending on R&D equals 0.51 percent of GDP, compared with 0.69 percent across the EU. Czechia also trails neighboring countries in long-term investment growth.

Czechia is set to continue switching between standard and daylight saving time through 2031 under a draft government regulation. Clocks would move forward on the last Sunday in March and back on the last Sunday in October, despite long-running EU efforts to end the practice.

Not in agreement: Sports and Prevention Minister Boris Šťastný opposes the changes and favors permanent CET. EU countries have yet to agree on a common alternative.

Another major heatwave is expected to affect western, southern and central Europe next week, with temperatures potentially reaching 40°C. Czechia could see hot weather in two stages, with temperatures initially around 25–30°C before hotter conditions return later in the week.

Rising temps: A heat dome could develop over western and southern Europe, while Czechia may briefly cool after a cold front. Forecasters say the next heatwave remains uncertain but could again push temperatures above 35°C.