Czech news in brief for July 9: Thursday's top morning headlines

The opposition has accused Prime Minister Andrej Babiš of "disgracing" the country on the world stage, while praising President Pavel's talks with allies. The summit's biggest takeaway, closing yesterday, was Czechia's shaky record on defense spending, one of the most closely watched issues at the two-day forum. The Babiš government faces its own midyear report card today.

Meanwhile Karlovy Vary rolls out the red carpet for a French screen legend, and Britain gets a new ambassador to Prague. Good morning, here's your headline mix.

Opposition politicians say the months-long fight over who would represent Czechia at the NATO summit in Ankara ended up defining the country's presence there, with critics accusing Prime Minister Andrej Babiš of embarrassing the country on the world stage. Babiš drew fire for saying he spent Tuesday's high-profile informal dinner talking about football and the menu, while President Petr Pavel, added to the delegation only after the Constitutional Court intervened, was praised for substantive talks with allies.

Football faux pas? Opposition leaders including Jan Lipavský and Vít Rakušan said Babiš's account of small talk contrasted sharply with Pavel's parallel conversations on security policy, with Rakušan noting the president had to be personally invited by the host country after weeks of wrangling over his inclusion.

President Petr Pavel said Donald Trump avoided singling out any ally for criticism at the Ankara summit, calling the US president unusually friendly compared to expectations. Pavel acknowledged other leaders raised concerns about Czechia's defense spending record directly with him, concerns Babiš's team had spent days publicly bracing for.

Show, don't tell: Pavel pointed to Babiš's pledge of an extra CZK 36 billion for defense next year and the PURL contribution as the first real signs Czechia is answering those private doubts, rather than just avoiding public criticism.

The Babiš cabinet evaluates today how well it delivered on its program statement's first-half priorities, including cheaper energy, healthcare and housing access, and stronger defense capabilities. Ministers present findings individually before a 4pm press conference at Kramář's Villa, with results streamed live by ČTK.

Defense doubts: Opposition figures have already flagged concerns that the government may fall short of NATO's 2 percent GDP defense spending pledge this year, keeping the issue linked to the summit fallout.

Britain has appointed career diplomat Alastair King-Smith as its next ambassador to the Czech Republic, succeeding Matthew Field OBE. King-Smith previously served as ambassador to Albania and held senior Foreign Office roles spanning soft power, multilateral policy and counter-extremism; he takes up the Prague post in January 2027.

Big shoes to fill: Field leaves behind a well-loved social media presence and a Czech-language book, I'm New Here (Jsem tu novej), released as part of his #JsemTuNovej campaign, an ongoing exploration of Czech history and culture that made him something of an honorary local along the way.

Heading to the coast this summer? Croatia, Italy, Spain and Greece have cracked down hard on beach hogging, unauthorized sunbeds and overnight towel reservations, with fines running from a few hundred euros into the thousands of crowns.

Know before you go: Croatian resorts like Gradac and Tribunj confiscate towels left before 5am, Capri now caps tour groups at 40 people, and Florence has banned outdoor dining in its UNESCO-listed center; worth checking local rules before booking a Mediterranean getaway, reports Refresher.

La Binoche, c'est arrivée. French actress Juliette Binoche arrived in Karlovy Vary to accept the festival's Crystal Globe for artistic contribution to world cinema. The festival is screening three of her films, including the Milan Kundera adaptation The Unbearable Lightness of Being.

Back to the tropics. Temperatures climb into the high 20s this weekend, with some areas nearing 30 degrees by Sunday. Meteorologists expect the dry, sunny stretch to hold through the middle of next week.

Tower power. The Prague Archbishopric has dropped plans to sell the historic Jindřišská Tower and will now negotiate exclusively with City Hall. The 65.7-meter bell tower has housed a restaurant and observation deck for years under a lease running to 2044.