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Surgery will no longer be a mandatory requirement for trans people to legally change their sex in Czechia, the Constitutional Court ruled on Tuesday. The court stated in its verdict that the requirement for surgical intervention and sterilisation is a violation of human dignity and the basic right of people to protect their bodily integrity and personal autonomy. These two legal requirements will be annulled with effect from mid-2025.
Foreign Minister Jan Lipavský summoned the Russian ambassador to Czechia, Alexandr Zmejevskij, to the Czernin Palace on Monday over Russia's recent cyberattacks on Czech institutions and critical infrastructure.
On Friday the ministry announced that the Russian-controlled APT28 group, which is linked to the country's GRU military secret service, has been targeting Czech institutions with cyber-attacks that exploited a previously unknown vulnerability in Microsoft Outlook since last year. Mr Lipavský said the attacks were intended to seriously endanger the security and stability of the country.
Attacks in connection with APT28 were also reported by Germany, who took the same step of summoning their Russian ambassador last week.
On the occasion of Victory Day, Defence Minister Jana Černochová awarded 19 personalities, six of them in memoriam, with medals of merit for their contribution to the defence of the Czech Republic and its constitutional order. Among the laureates honoured are Maria Dubská, who took part in the Prague Uprising in May 1945 and František Kolman, a participant in the anti-Nazi resistance, who received the award in memoriam. Awards for merit in the protection of democratic values and human rights were awarded to the late writer and exiled publisher Josef Škvorecký, film director Václav Marhoul and historian Adam Hradilek, among others.
A Bavarian court has sentenced a Czech man to two-and-a-half years in prison for stealing a pectoral cross bequeathed by the late Pope Benedict XVI to a parish in his native Bavaria. The Berchtesgadener Anzeiger newspaper reported on the verdict on Tuesday, saying the cross may soon be returned to the church in Traunstein. The 53-year-old Czech man stole the gold-plated, bejeweled cross from the church in June of last year. Its material value was estimated at around 2,000 euros, but its cultural and historical value is significantly higher, the paper said.
Breweries in the Czech Republic brewed around 20 million hectolitres of beer last year, down 2.7 percent year-on-year, according to data released by the Czech Beer and Malt Association. Average per capita consumption also fell, reaching an all-time low. Compared to 2022, it fell from 136 to 128 litres per capita a year. According to the association, prolonged economic uncertainty and higher prices have had a negative impact on beer consumption and the share of sales in pubs and restaurants.
Storms and torrential rain caused flash floods and complicated traffic in the western parts of the country on Monday night. Firefighters in Central Bohemia were out in force pumping water from cellars and gardens, removing fallen trees and clearing roads. In total, 35 emergencies were reported in the course of the night. A section of the D1 motorway, the main link from Prague to Brno, was briefly closed during the night after it got flooded with mud from nearby fields. Traffic police also reported a heightened number of accidents due to the adverse weather.
Wednesday should be partly cloudy to overcast with scattered showers in the southern parts of the country and daytime highs between 14 and 19 degrees Celsius.
Singer song-writer Aiko will represent Czechia at this year’s Eurovision Song Contest with her empowering song called Pedestal. The 24-year-old singer, who was born in Russia, won the Czech national round, leaving behind six other finalists. This Thursday, she will appear in Eurovision’s semi-finals:
The Czech Constitutional Court has ruled to abolish forced sterilization for individuals who want to make an official sex change. Czechia is one of the last few EU countries enforcing the sterilization requirement. The change, which will necessitate an amendment to the law, should come into effect in mid-2025. Trans advocate Lenka Králová, told me more about the situation and how she is feeling on this historic day.
Are you a hockey fan in Ostrava for the World Championship and are wondering what to do in the evening before or after your team's game? We have some advice for you.
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