Czech news in brief for January 24: Saturday's top morning headlines

Freezing rain and ice continue to affect parts of Moravia on Saturday, prompting the Czech Hydrometeorological Institute to extend a weather warning until noon. The alert covers most of the South Moravian and Olomouc regions, as well as parts of the Vysočina, Pardubice, Moravian-Silesian, and Zlín regions. On Friday, icy conditions caused around 150 traffic accidents in South Moravia and injured dozens of pedestrians, though most incidents were minor.

Construction of new office space in Prague fell to 26,600 square meters in 2025, the lowest since 1993, Prague Research Forum reported. Despite an 8 percent higher demand than the five-year average, only five projects were completed last year. About 263,300 square meters of offices are under construction for 2026–2028, with over 60 percent already leased. Rents remained stable in central areas, while demand fell in late 2025.

Brno will install a commemorative plaque at the New Town Hall marking Queen Elizabeth II’s visit to the city 30 years ago, officials said. The artwork, featuring a red hat designed by Radek Talas, recalls the headgear worn by the queen during her 1996 visit with then-President Václav Havel. City leaders said she was the first British monarch to officially visit both Brno and the Czech Republic.

Prime Minister Andrej Babiš said former finance minister Zbyněk Stanjura failed to act in the state’s interest in the long-running Diag Human dispute, which could result in a CZK 17 billion compensation claim against Czechia. Stanjura rejected the criticism, saying he did everything possible to protect the state. The case stems from a 2008 arbitration ruling, with Diag Human now seeking enforcement abroad, including actions linked to companies partly owned by ČEZ.

Ota Zaremba, who won Olympic gold in weightlifting at the 1980 Moscow Games, died on Thursday at the age of 68, the Czech Weightlifting Federation said. Zaremba claimed victory in the 100 kg category and later held world records, becoming one of the most prominent athletes in former Czechoslovakia. In later years, he publicly admitted to using doping during his career, saying it seriously harmed his health.