Rising tensions in the Middle East have pushed global oil and gas prices higher, raising concerns about energy security in Europe. However, Czechia is far better prepared to cope with potential energy shocks than it was just a few years ago, according to economist Jan Bureš.

Radio Prague International, the international service of Czech Radio, on Tuesday launched a year of anniversary events with an exhibition mapping its 90-year history. The exhibition’s opening at Czech Radio headquarters was attended by ambassadors, representatives of cultural institutions and business chambers.

A massive crystal chandelier from the northern Bohemian town of Hejnice, one of the largest of its kind in Czechia, is undergoing restoration. The historic piece hung in the local church for 170 years and is now being repaired in Kamenický Šenov, the town where it was originally made.

President Petr Pavel made his first address to the current lower house of the Czech Parliament on Tuesday. In a 10-minute speech, the head of state called on MPs to seek consensus where possible – and made a pointed call for an increase in defence spending.

Czech archaeologists say they have identified a remarkable Bronze Age artefact discovered years ago in a village garden in South Moravia. What once seemed to be an ordinary stone has now been confirmed as a three-thousand-year-old mould used to cast bronze spearheads. Ruth Fraňková reports.

The first repatriation flight from the Middle East brought back close to 200 Czech nationals late on Monday night. For hundreds of others waiting to be picked up, conditions on the ground and in the air are changing by the hour.

One of the longest-running glass factories in the Zlín region, Květná Glassworks, plans to commemorate its hand-blown glassmaking tradition by a new glass museum. The aim is to connect the past with the present and bring the craft closer to visitors through tools such as virtual reality.

As the Fulbright Programme marks 80 years worldwide and 35 years in the Czech Republic, three American participants share why their time in the Czech Republic did not end with their scholarships. From teaching in Frýdek-Místek to researching coal miners in Ostrava and championing Czech classical music in Prague, Ian, Dawn and Bree decided to make the Czech Republic their home.

The military operation against the Khamenei regime has halted flights from many popular tourist destinations in the Middle East, leaving thousands of travelers stranded. The Czech government is sending out repatriation flights to destinations where airports are now operating.

As Europe actively prepares for the deployment of fully driverless cars (Level 4), with 2026 marking a major turning point for the introduction of robotaxi services in cities like London, Berlin, and Munich, the Czech authorities are striving to keep pace and set the technical and legal grounds for an autonomous vehicle future.