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News; Australian Open: Czech star Muchová upsets No.1 seed, home favourite Barty in Melbourne; Czech Tatra trams in Berlin; Czech Made: Zetor – one of Czechoslovakia’s greatest export articles

The KT4 tram, designed and manufactured by the famous Czech vehicle designer Tatra, has been operating on the streets of Berlin since 1976. The last models were supposed to be withdrawn this month, but thanks to the coronavirus pandemic, the city authorities have decided to extend their service.

Czech tennis player Karolína Muchová has scored a major upset at the ongoing Australian Open. The No. 25 seed mounted a stunning comeback to oust World No.1 Ashleigh Barty – who had the homecourt advantage. After besting the Australian, Muchová next faces Jennifer Brady of the US on Thursday. Whoever wins the match in Melbourne is set to make their maiden major final.

The Zetor tractor, which started to be produced nearly 75 years ago, is one of the most famous Czech trademarks and one of Czechoslovakia’s greatest export articles. Find out more about the iconic tractor in this edition of Czech Made!

News; Government ready to make concessions on pandemic strategy; Want to sled AND help the homeless? There’s an app for that; Antonín Dvořák’s ‘New World Symphony’

Talks started on Tuesday between the government and opposition on a revision of the pandemic measures in place and a gradual easing of restrictions as soon as the situation allows. The negotiations were triggered by the need to reach agreement after the ruling coalition lost the support of the Communist Party and is no longer able to push through its own pandemic strategy in the lower house.

In recent days simple pink sleds have been grabbing attention in parks in Prague and elsewhere in the country. The snow gliders are chained up but can be accessed via a mobile app created by the bike-sharing organisation Rekola. Part of the largely symbolic fee goes to help the homeless. I discussed the scheme with Rekola’s Jan Střecha.

Antonín Dvořák enjoyed near universal popularity in the United States by the time he arrived in New York in September 1892 to lead the National Conservatory of Music. The conservatory’s founder had great hopes his stewardship would elevate the institution to rival those of Europe, while others believed he could help the country’s classical music culture develop its own voice. Dvořák came to believe that “Negro melodies” should form the basis for a distinctly American classical style. He was not the first to say so. But the Czech composer’s outsized stature and outsider status reignited widespread debate about the nature and future of American composition – and exposed racism within the classical music world. So says musicologist Douglas W Shadle, whose latest book traces the 1893 premiere of Dvořák’s most famous piece from his American sojourn.

News; Czech government manages to extend state of emergency after joint request from regional governors; Political scientist: Visegrad should be seen as a mechanism to build ad hoc, issue-based coalitions

The state of emergency in the Czech Republic, which grants the government extraordinary powers to enact lockdown rules, will continue until the end of February. The government was able to extend the current system after a joint request from all of the country’s regional governors provided a new legal justification. However, this came under the condition that it revises the effectiveness of current restrictions.