Czech news in brief for July 12: Sunday's top afternoon headlines

Czech President Petr Pavel’s office said he wants regular, non-confrontational meetings with Prime Minister Andrej Babiš following renewed tensions between the two sides. Presidential spokesman Vít Kolář said the president aims to find solutions on issues important to citizens and does not use personal attacks.

Dispute continues: Babiš criticized President Petr Pavel’s participation in the NATO summit in Ankara, calling it "an embarrassment" in a new social media video. The PM said unnamed foreign partners questioned Pavel’s presence, while Pavel attended official events and held separate meetings with foreign leaders.

The Czech government will discuss a proposal to revise crisis and defense legislation on Monday in Prague. The changes, prepared by the defense and interior ministries, aim to improve the state’s ability to manage emergencies, including a transition to a wartime or defense economy.

Key details: The cabinet will also review costs linked to the current terrorism threat level and changes to critical infrastructure rules. The proposed amendments would align Czech regulations with EU requirements.

The historic all-Czech Wimbledon women’s singles final between Linda Nosková and Karolína Muchová attracted 764,000 television viewers on Prima on Saturday, with a 37 percent audience share. Nosková defeated Muchová to win her first Grand Slam title in the first Czech singles final at Wimbledon.

Must-see TV: The match drew more viewers than Barbora Krejčíková’s 2024 Wimbledon final victory, which averaged 456,000 viewers on Czech Television. The broadcast was also available on Eurosport as Prima prepares to launch its own sports channel.

Czechia has sent a second Black Hawk helicopter to France to assist with major wildfires near Valence, where firefighters are struggling to contain the blazes. The aircraft joins a first Czech helicopter already operating in the area as part of an international response coordinated through the EU Civil Protection Mechanism.

Wildfire aid: The seven-member Czech crew includes pilots, technicians and firefighters. The helicopters can carry 3,450 liters of water per drop and are being used mainly in difficult mountainous areas inaccessible to ground crews.

Temperatures above 30 degrees Celsius will return to Czechia from Monday after a cooler, wetter period, according to meteorologists. Warm and sunny conditions are expected early in the week, with showers and thunderstorms possible in some areas before another rise in temperatures toward the weekend.

Weather warning: Fire risk remains elevated in parts of the country due to dry conditions. Authorities advise avoiding open fires, burning grass, and discarding cigarettes outdoors.