Czech news in brief for December 8: Monday's top morning headlines

Motorists’ candidate for environment minister Filip Turek has canceled a scheduled meeting with President Petr Pavel today due to a herniated disc, according to party officials. Turek said surgery is possible as doctors assess the condition. Pavel will meet only the culture and sports minister nominees from the ANO-SPD-Motorists coalition. Party representatives said Turek is bedridden and undergoing intensive treatment.

A Czech helicopter unit in Poland was briefly activated after a Russian overnight strike on Ukraine triggered air-raid sirens across the border. Defense Minister Jana Černochová stated that three Mi-171S helicopters assisted the Polish Air Force but returned to base after no threat materialized. The deployment is part of NATO support following earlier drone attacks that reached Poland. Ukrainian forces reported intercepting dozens of missiles and hundreds of drones in the barrage.

Beginning in January, selected Czech doctors will be allowed to prescribe psilocybin therapy for patients with severe or treatment-resistant depression. The regulation caps monthly doses and requires specialized supervision due to potential psychological risks associated with the medication. Studies show promising results and low addiction potential. The treatment joins medicinal cannabis as a regulated therapeutic option. Officials say one-third of Czech adults face mental illness, with about 700,000 experiencing depression or anxiety.

National minorities in the Czech Republic have faced disinformation, hate speech, and declining language use in recent years, a report by the House of National Minorities says. Relations are particularly strained within Russian and Belarusian communities due to the war in Ukraine and fears of reprisals. Minority groups report falling membership and stagnant funding. The document notes growing anti-Semitism and guidance issued to municipalities to help defuse tensions, such as those seen between Roma and Ukrainians in Brno.

Brno scouts brought the Bethlehem light from Linz to the Czech Republic, continuing a tradition symbolizing hope and peace. The flame, originating in the Church of the Nativity, will be welcomed Sunday at the Cathedral of Sts. Peter and Paul before distribution nationwide the following week. The tradition, which began in Austria and came to Czechia after 1989, relies on volunteers and underscores charity and community during the Advent season.