The clock tower removed from the Industrial Palace in Prague for restoration

In a special construction operation, a crane removed a 26-ton clock tower from the central part of the Výstaviště Industrial Palace in Holešovice as part of the ongoing renovation. The steel tower pillars are in very poor technical condition and cannot be repaired on site. The move took several weeks of preparation. The redesign of the tower will take several months. The tower clock will also be restored with a replica of the original dial.

The Czech VZLUSAT-1 nanosatellite developed by the Czech Aerospace Research Center (VZLÚ) in cooperation with local companies and universities today celebrates its fifth year in orbit, making it the longest orbiting Czech satellite. Even though the initial lifespan estimate was around a year, the institute says all of the satellite’s systems are still fully functioning and collecting science and technology data. The nanosatellite carries an X-ray telescope as well as a Czech-made radiation shield. The satellite weighs two kilos and it moves in polar orbit at an altitude of 150 km.

Gasoline prices are at a new high, approaching CZK 48 per litre. On Wednesday, Natural 95 averaged CZK 47.96 per litre, compared to 27 hellers last week. The price of diesel has increased by 1.06 CZK, petrol stations now offer it at 48 CZK per litre. Fuel prices are rising despite the measures taken by the government. Analysts expect gasoline prices to either stop rising or become cheaper. Diesel prices will continue to rise slightly, reports ČTK.

Safari Park Dvůr Králové has sent two of its black rhinos, the endangered eastern subspecies in the wild, to a zoo in Poznań, Poland, where they will breed. Dvůr Králové Zoo is one of the world’s largest breeders of this subspecies. The zoo has bred a total of 47 black rhinos so far and currently keeps 13. The latest offspring, a male from Kyiv, was born there on March 4.

The companies of accused businessman Maroš Jančovič of the case around former Prague deputy Petr Hlubuček and businessman Michal Redl won contracts not only from the Public Transport Company of Prague (DPP), but also from the Czech Post (Česká pošta). According to the public register, they collected around CZK 35 million from the state-owned company, the daily Hospodářské noviny reported. Interior Minister Vít Rakušan said he will have the post office’s finances checked through a thorough audit, which is expected to take place by the end of the year. The Czech Post denies that there were irregularities in the contracts.

The government has approved the Czech National Oncology Plan 2030, which sets the future framework for targeted cancer treatment in Czech hospitals, the health ministry announced. The document is one of the conditions for obtaining 15 billion CZK for health from the European Union. The fight against cancer is one of the priorities of the upcoming Czech EU Presidency. The plan describes the objectives of prevention and improving the quality of life of patients. By 2035, cancer will be the leading cause of death for people in the EU, the ministry said.

Researchers Eva Krupičková Pluhařová, Evgenia Chitrova and Zuzana Střížová were awarded in the Czech version of the L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science programme. So far, 44 women scientists have been awarded in this context in the Czech Republic. This year, a prize of 200,000 CZK accompanies the award. Fifty-nine female scientists joined the program this year.

Medical and chemical soldiers from Czechia, Germany, France, Great Britain and the United States have been training in the region of Tisá, Ústí nad Labem, since June 13. The purpose of the exercise, which will end on June 24, is to harmonize actions in the event of the use of weapons of mass destruction. The soldiers built tents and a field hospital to treat those infected. The last international exercise of this type was organized in Tisá in 2016. The commander of the exercise, Radek Tomáš, told journalists that there was great interest in the exercise from other allied countries with regard to Russian aggression in Ukraine.

The board of directors of the Czech National Bank today raised the key interest rate by 1.25 percentage points to 7%, reports ČTK. The reason for this is the development of inflation and rising inflation expectations. The base interest rate has not been this high since 1999. Today’s increase was the seventh increase above the standard base rate by more than 0.25 percentage points in a row.

A significant increase in interest rates was widely expected, as inflation has been well above ČNB forecasts in recent months. In May, it reached 16% year on year, while the central bank was expecting 14.9%.

The Czech Republic may be able to impose national sanctions on persons and entities who commit serious offenses in an international context that are not yet on the European Union sanctions list. At today’s meeting, the government approved a new sanctions law, which was submitted by the Foreign Ministry, according to ČTK. The proposal will now be submitted to Parliament.

According to Tomáš Borán, director of the registration section of the National Institute for Drug Control (SÚKL), a death in the Czech Republic has a probable connection with vaccination against Covid-19. According to him, the cause of death was thrombosis and a reduction in the number of platelets after the administration of a vector-based Covid vaccine. The brand of the vaccine was not specified. AstraZeneca’s and Johnson and Johnson’s vaccines are vector-based and their use was limited. The institute has reviewed more than 170 vaccine-related deaths.

From the point of view of the whole population of the EU, the main themes of the European Parliament should be the fight against poverty and the protection of public health. The Czechs, on the other hand, prefer the EU’s emphasis on defence, security, energy and industrial independence.

In most parts of the Czech Republic, the risk of fires has increased again due to the drought, and in northwestern Bohemia temperatures will again reach tropical 30 degrees by Friday. Rain is expected soon only in the regions of South Bohemia and Pilsen.