Czech news in brief for July 26: Sunday's top morning headlines

Happy Sunday! Czech athletes are celebrating major international victories, with President Petr Pavel congratulating world champion canoeist Tereza Kneblová and fencer Alexander Choupenitch. Meanwhile, the country's tennis stars won't compete in today's Prague Open singles final. Plus, African Days brings a taste of the continent to Safari Park Dvůr Králové. Here’s your curated look at this morning’s news.

President Petr Pavel and Sports Minister Boris Šťastný have congratulated canoeist Tereza Kneblová and fencer Alexander Choupenitch after both won world championship titles in their respective sports last week. Pavel praised their achievements and thanked them for representing Czechia, while Šťastný said they inspire a new generation of athletes.

Czech victories: Kneblová won the women’s C1 slalom title in Oklahoma City, while Choupenitch became the first Czech man to win a fencing world championship with his foil victory in Hong Kong.

The WTA Prague Open singles final will have no Czech players after Barbora Krejčíková and Tereza Valentová both lost their semifinal matches at Štvanice on Saturday. Krejčíková was defeated by 18-year-old Austrian Lilli Tagger in a three-set battle, while Valentová fell to Ukraine’s Daria Snigur in straight sets.

Czech doubles: Czech players will still compete in the doubles final, with Lucie Havlíčková and Laura Samson advancing after a close win over a Taiwanese-Japanese pair. The Prague tournament will have a foreign singles final for the first time in two years.

The transformation of the Karviná mining area has begun after the closure of the Důl ČSM mine, with workers starting to fill in the mine’s first shafts. The project will later include demolition of buildings and land restoration as the region moves away from decades of coal production.

Going green: Authorities are looking to reuse former industrial areas through redevelopment or conversion into green spaces. The decline of mining has also affected local workers, with more than 1,500 OKD employees leaving the company in the past 18 months.

The Czech military has grounded all remaining UH-1Y Venom and AH-1Z Viper helicopters after a fatal crash at the Náměšť air base that killed one soldier. The fleet will remain out of service until investigators determine the cause of Thursday’s accident.

Military crash: The grounding has created complications for training and operations because the army has no replacement Venom helicopters available. Four injured crew members remain conscious and in stable condition, according to military officials.

The annual African Days festival opened Saturday at Safari Park Dvůr Králové in eastern Bohemia, drawing thousands of visitors on its first day. The weeklong event celebrates African culture with markets, live performances, workshops, and activities alongside the zoo’s wildlife exhibits.

What to expect: The festival runs through Aug. 2 and features African food, crafts, music, dance, and guided animal encounters. Safari Park Dvůr Králové is internationally known for its African conservation programs, including successful breeding of rhinos and giraffes.