Czech news in brief for January 7: Wednesday's top morning headlines

Prime Minister Andrej Babiš stated that Czechia will not abolish its ammunition initiative for supplying Ukraine and will continue to coordinate it with partner countries. Following talks with the Coalition of the Willing in Paris, Babiš stated that the project would proceed without funding from the Czech state budget, instead relying on contributions from other countries. The initiative, launched in 2024, has delivered more than four million rounds of ammunition to Ukraine so far.

Around 80 people gathered outside the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Prague on Tuesday to protest personnel changes introduced after the new ANO, SPD, and Motorists government took office. Demonstrators met on Loretánské Square, with speakers criticizing the reorganization as a “hostile takeover” of the ministry. The protest was organized by several civic groups, including Kaputin, Volt Česko, and Občanský rozcestník, and remained peaceful throughout the evening.

Around 11,000 households in Prague 4 were left without heat and hot water on Jan. 6 after a hot water pipeline failure in Michle. The outage affected areas including Krč, Pankrác, Nusle, and Podolí, as well as schools and social facilities. Repairs were completed by the evening, with heating and hot water expected to be gradually restored overnight into Wednesday. Some schools canceled classes due to the disruption.

Experts are warning the public to avoid entering frozen rivers unless the ice is at least 10 centimeters thick. Specialists say ice strength can vary significantly, especially near tributaries, springs, or areas with flowing water. Firefighters advise people to inform others before going onto ice, watch for cracking sounds, and spread their weight if the ice weakens. Authorities stress that even thick ice can hide dangerous spots, urging caution during winter conditions.

A harsh mutant flu, caused by the H3N2 subvariant K, is spreading across Czechia. Doctors report rapid onset, prolonged fevers of up to 10 days, strong coughs, joint pain, and headaches. Hospitals are seeing more admissions, including severe pneumonia cases, especially in Moravia. The National Institute of Health warns the epidemic has not yet peaked, urging caution, particularly for seniors and children, as immunity from prior flu or vaccination is less effective.