Czech news in brief for December 31: Wednesday's top morning headlines

Snow is expected across most of Czechia on New Year’s Eve, including lowland areas, before temperatures rise above freezing later in the day, forecasters said Tuesday. Snowfall will move from west to east during the afternoon, turning to rain or mixed precipitation in some regions by evening. Gusty winds could cause drifting snow, prompting a weather warning. Air quality may briefly worsen due to fireworks but dispersion conditions are favorable.

Russian President Vladimir Putin sent Christmas and New Year greetings to a select group of foreign leaders, including Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico, Hungary’s Viktor Orban, and Serbia’s Aleksandar Vucic, the Kremlin said Monday, underscoring Moscow’s current diplomatic alignments. Greetings were also sent to U.S. President Donald Trump, Turkey’s Recep Tayyip Erdogan, BRICS leaders, and others. Separately, Russia’s embassy in Kenya released an AI-generated video depicting Putin as Santa Claus rewarding allies and punishing adversaries.

Hundreds of police officers and reinforced rescue teams will patrol Prague’s center on New Year’s Eve, with Old Town Square the main focus. Paramedics will deploy a Golem rescue vehicle, multiple ambulances and special units from evening until early morning. Firefighters will station crews nearby. Police will enforce bans on fireworks and sky lanterns, with fines for violations. Authorities expect standard call volumes during celebrations across the Czech capital city.

The Czech koruna strengthened markedly in 2025, gaining 15.2 percent against the U.S. dollar and 3.7 percent against the euro, according to analysts. It also rose against the pound and zloty but weakened versus the forint. Economists cited the Czech National Bank’s cautious rate cuts and domestic economic recovery. The koruna traded near 24.20 per euro and 20.60 per dollar.

Major international sporting events are coming to Czechia in 2026, anchored by an Olympic Festival in České Budějovice during the Winter Games in Italy. The festival will offer public access to sports from hockey to biathlon. The country will also host the Biathlon World Cup in Nové Město na Moravě in January and the World Figure Skating Championships in Prague in March, returning after 33 years.