Czech news in brief for February 4: Tuesday's top headlines

About 47 percent of Czechs are interested in politics, with men showing higher engagement, a poll by the Czech Center for Public Opinion Research revealed this week. Interest has remained stable, except for a dip to 42 percent in 2023. Two-thirds of Czechs follow social events daily, mainly via TV and online news. Social media serves as a key source for younger people, while older generations rely more on traditional media like radio and newspapers.

The National Museum in Prague will showcase the 3.2 million-year-old Australopithecus afarensis fossil known as Lucy, marking its first public display in Europe, Prime Minister Petr Fiala has announced. On loan from Ethiopia’s National Museum, Lucy and the 3.3-million-year-old fossil will be exhibited for 60 days starting Aug. 25. The display aims to highlight human ancestry and boost Ethiopian tourism. The Czech Ministry of Culture and the Ethiopian Ministry of Tourism arranged the exhibit.

The Czech Republic has requested to intervene in the European Commission’s legal case against Hungary over its sovereignty law, Foreign Ministry spokesman Daniel Drake said Tuesday. The law, passed in December 2023, bans foreign funding for election campaigns and imposes prison terms. Critics say it suppresses opposition. The European Court of Justice may fine Hungary, as other EU nations also consider joining the case.

Nearly 800,000 Czechs were living with cancer in 2024, about one in 13 people, and cases are projected to rise 25 percent in the next decade due to an aging population, according to health data chief Ladislav Dušek. Early detection remains crucial, with screening programs helping identify tumors or precancerous changes in 120,000 people since 2019. Despite free screenings, participation remains low, especially in colo-rectal cancer prevention, which significantly improves survival rates.

Heat consumption in the Czech Republic fell 2.6 percent year on year in 2024, driven by warmer-than-average temperatures, the Czech Heating Association announced today. The average heating season temperature of 7.23 degrees Celsius was nearly two degrees above the long-term norm. Heating demand was 12 percent lower than usual. Most households are unlikely to face underpayments, with slight overpayments expected when final bills arrive in May this year.

The Russian Orthodox Church has transferred ownership of its Karlovy Vary properties, including the Church of Saints Peter and Paul, to its Hungarian branch, Czech media reported. The move likely aims to prevent asset freezes by the Czech state. The church’s former dean, Nikolai Lishchenyuk, was expelled last year over suspected hostile activities and support for Russia’s aggression. "I'm disappointed that it turned out the way we predicted," Pavel Havlíček from the Association for International Affairs non-governmental organization told Czech media.

The Czech Republic should aim to spend 3 percent of its GDP on defense to meet new NATO capability goals, Defense Minister Jana Černochová (ODS) told ČTK. The proposal follows calls for increased spending ahead of June’s NATO summit in The Hague, the first under U.S. President Donald Trump’s new administration. Černochová also aims to finalize deals for Leopard 2A8 tanks and extend the lease of Swedish Gripen jets before upcoming elections.

The Czech Republic is nearing the peak of a flu epidemic, with over 2,200 cases per 100,000 people and 38 deaths this season, the National Health Institute (SZU) reported Monday. Cases rose 16 percent last week, affecting all age groups. Both influenza A and B strains are circulating. Since January’s end, 175 severe cases required intensive care, according to SZU officials.

Martin Glaser, current director of the Brno National Theatre, will become general director of the Prague National Theatre in August 2028, replacing Jan Burian. Glaser plans to focus on reopening the New Stage, improving rehearsal facilities, and strengthening ties with the Ministry of Culture. He will bring key collaborators from Brno, including Mário Radačovský for ballet and Jiří Heřman for opera.

Czech tennis star Petra Kvitová, a two-time Wimbledon champion, will return to competition at the ATX Open in Austin, Texas, later this month, she announced on Instagram Saturday. Kvitová, 34, gave birth to her son, Petr, in July 2023. After a 15-month break, she’ll also compete in Indian Wells and Miami. Kvitová has 31 WTA singles titles, including Miami and Berlin wins in 2023.

Energy company ČEZ has reduced fixed electricity prices by 28 percent year-on-year as of February, responding to rising demand for fixed-rate contracts. The new rate is CZK 3,134 per megawatt-hour, the cheapest publicly available option, according to ČEZ. Competing suppliers, including innogy, E.ON, and MND, have also lowered prices recently, with further reductions expected throughout the year.