Czech news in brief for July 16: Thursday's top morning headlines

This morning, NATO tensions continue to simmer as President Petr Pavel calls Czechia’s role at the Ankara summit a diplomatic setback. Czech firefighters are heading to Greece to help protect high-risk areas during wildfire season. And after another stretch of summer heat, storms are set to bring cooler weather across Czechia this weekend. Good morning, here’s your curated look at this morning’s news.

President Petr Pavel said Czechia’s participation at the recent NATO summit in Ankara amounted to a “diplomatic setback,” arguing the country faced indirect criticism from allies over its defense stance. He said the absence of explicit public criticism reflected diplomatic convention rather than approval.

Political clash: Pavel also rejected Prime Minister Andrej Babiš’s accusations that he undermines the government, while praising the cabinet’s recent commitments to higher defense spending, continued support for Ukraine, and its approach to relations with Israel.

A Czech firefighting team has arrived in Greece, where it will begin a four-week wildfire prevention mission near the city of Patras on the Peloponnese. The 22-member unit will remain on standby in a high-risk area as part of the European Union’s seasonal wildfire response program.

EU aid: The team brought 10 vehicles, including three fire engines, and will rotate personnel midway through the deployment. The EU Prepositioning program will station nearly 800 firefighters from 14 countries across six southern European nations during this year’s wildfire season.

Czech MP Filip Turek could face a driving ban or prison sentence if convicted over a Monday collision with a hospital vehicle in central Prague, according to lawyer Pavel Kirsner. Police are investigating the role of both drivers after footage showed Turek’s car entering an intersection as an emergency vehicle passed with lights and siren activated.

Investigation ongoing: A misdemeanor could bring a fine and a driving ban, while serious injuries could lead to criminal charges. Turek has said he would not use parliamentary immunity if prosecuted.

A Czech citizen has been detained in China, the Foreign Ministry confirmed on Wednesday. Czech diplomats in Beijing are providing consular assistance, but the ministry has declined to release further details due to privacy concerns. Media reports said the detained person is a Czech businessman who was taken into custody at an airport in late June.

What we know: Officials have not disclosed the reasons for the detention or any charges against the man. The case comes amid recent Czech-China diplomatic discussions.

Thunderstorms are expected across Czechia over the next few days, with some becoming severe on Friday before cooler weather arrives for the weekend. Temperatures will reach around 30 degrees Celsius on Thursday and Friday, climbing as high as 33 degrees in Moravia and Silesia.

Weekend forecast: Forecasters warn Friday’s strongest storms could bring heavy rain, hail, and strong wind gusts. Temperatures will drop to around 21-26 degrees on Saturday, with scattered showers and occasional thunderstorms continuing through the weekend.

Colours of Ostrava opens American duo Twenty One Pilots headlined the first day of the Colours of Ostrava music festival on Wednesday before tens of thousands of attendees. This year’s four-day festival features 110 artists from 33 countries across seven stages, along with talks, theater, and other events.

Rare deer born at Olomouc zoo Olomouc Zoo has welcomed 11 fawns of the endangered Vietnamese sika deer this year, bringing its herd to 34 animals. The herd at Svatý Kopeček is now the third-largest of its kind in the world, with only zoos in France and the Netherlands keeping larger groups.