Artificial intelligence is reshaping how people work, learn, and communicate. In March 2026, it will also take center stage in one of Europe’s longest-running debates on workplace equality. The 17th annual Equal Pay Day conference will take place on March 26–27, 2026, at the Clarion Congress Hotel in Prague, bringing together women professionals, executives, policymakers, and experts from across sectors. The event is organized by Business & Professional Women Czech Republic (BPWCR), a non-profit organization that has spent nearly two decades pushing the issue of equal pay into public debate. This year’s conference carries the subtitle “AI is changing the future. We are changing the system.” The theme reflects growing concern that while artificial intelligence offers efficiency and innovation, it may also reinforce existing inequalities, including the persistent 18 percent gender pay gap. “Artificial intelligence is no longer limited to research labs or tech companies,” said Eva Primus Kovandová, president of BPWCR. “It influences the labor market, education, communication, and even care within families. As technology accelerates, we must protect what makes work human. AI should support people, not replace them.” According to the organizers, the 2026 conference aims to move beyond theory. The focus will be on how AI...
Prague has selected a Danish architectural studio to redesign the piazzetta in front of the Fairmont Golden Prague hotel, a small but prominent space linking Pařížská Street with the Vltava riverbank. The winning proposal comes from Copenhagen-based studio ADEPT, chosen through an international architectural and urban planning competition known as RaumScape. The project aims to turn the existing paved forecourt into a functioning public square. The goals are clear: reduce traffic pressure, increase greenery, improve pedestrian movement and create a space that works for daily use as well as cultural events. The competition was launched in May last year by WIC Prague a.s., representing the owners of the Fairmont Golden Prague hotel, in cooperation with the City of Prague and the Prague 1 district. Preparations took several years and involved negotiations with city officials, heritage authorities, urban planners and the public. The result was an open international call. Interest exceeded expectations. A total of 197 architectural studios from 42 countries submitted proposals. Traffic calming is a core element of the plan. The brief required architects to limit car dominance and prioritise pedestrians. Greenery also played a key role. Out of the total area of approximately 3,200 square metres, at least...
The Czech Republic has taken another step in its long process of cannabis policy reform. As of 1st of January 2026, the country has legalized the home growing of up to three cannabis plants for personal use. This measure reinforces its profile as one of the most open regulatory frameworks in Europe, although it is still far from a fully regulated market. The change does not imply full decriminalization, but it does redefine which practices are no longer subject to penalties and which remain under criminal control. In a continent where the debate is progressing unevenly, the Czech decision once again raises questions about the boundaries between personal use, state control, and criminalization. Home Cultivation and Possession: What’s Legal as of 2026 As of January 1, people over the age of 21 can grow up to three cannabis plants for personal use, whether indoors, in greenhouses, or outdoors, as long as there is no commercial intent. While weed possession has been decriminalized since 2010—meaning you weren’t imprisoned for carrying small amounts, although fines or other administrative consequences were still possible—there were no clearly defined thresholds in the country to prevent ambiguity in enforcement. Today, the law clearly establishes the permitted possession limits,...
The Czech government has decided not to sell L-159 light combat aircraft to Ukraine, according to Tomio Okamura, leader of the far-right SPD party. The decision follows a briefing by the defence minister, who told the cabinet that the Czech army would need to retain the jets. Okamura criticised Ukraine’s proposal to purchase the aircraft, which President Petr Pavel publicly supported last weekend. Former prime minister Andrej Babiš said on Monday that no final decision had been taken, but confirmed that the defence ministry had advised against the sale. Okamura argued that replacing the L-159s would cost Prague more than it would earn from selling the domestically produced aircraft to Ukraine. President Pavel has defended the proposal, saying Ukraine’s interest represents an opportunity for the Czech defence industry. During a visit to Ukraine last week, he said selling four of the Czech military’s 24 L-159 jets would not weaken the country’s defence capabilities. The disagreement highlights a broader foreign policy divide between the Ukraine-friendly president, a former NATO general, and the new populist-led government, which has been more critical of EU policies on military support for Kyiv. Shortly after taking office, Babiš was urged by Pavel to pursue a “constructive”...
Pope Leo XIV received the President of the Czech Republic, Petr Pavel, in the Vatican on Monday morning. According to a statement released by the Holy See Press Office, the President subsequently met with Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Holy See’s Secretary of State, accompanied by Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher. “During the cordial discussions at the Secretariat of State,” the statement said, “appreciation for the good diplomatic relations between the Holy See and the Czech Republic was renewed, and the intention to further strengthen them was reaffirmed.” It added that the discussions focused on issues of common interest and on several socio-political matters of a regional and international nature, with particular attention to the ongoing conflicts, “underscoring the importance of an urgent commitment to peace and to the recovery of the principles and values that underpin international coexistence.” Topics included also relations between Europe and the United States, global challenges, and sexual abuse within the Catholic Church. This was President Pavel’s first visit to the papal residence since the election of the new pontiff last year. He planned to invite Pope Leo XIV to visit Czechia, a trip no pope has made since Benedict XVI in 2009. Would you like us...
Prague has undergone significant changes over the past 30 years… Rare photos from the socialist era of the 1980s show a quieter city, free from the crowds of tourists and the commercial signs we see today. Jindřišská Street, which connects Wenceslas Square and Senovážné Square, still looks similar today, even though the tram routes have changed. However, Charles Bridge is now packed with visitors almost all day, while in the 1980s, it was a peaceful spot for locals early in the morning. Photos of children playing in Rytířská Street remind us of a time when people still lived in the city center, something that feels unimaginable today. The old-new synagogue is one of Prague’s iconic sites, but in the 1980s, it had a neglected appearance, with a worn facade and an untidy interior. Thankfully, it has been restored to reflect its historical importance. Wenceslas Square has also changed. Slogans like “With the Soviet Union forever” have disappeared, and the National Museum has been beautifully renovated, making the square a much more pleasant place to visit. Photos: vintag.es
Prague City Council will commission a feasibility study this year to evaluate a circular transport connection. The project could be either metro line O or a new tram ring. The proposed route runs from Dejvice via Smíchov, Budějovická, Vršovice, Žižkov, Vysočany, and Čakovice, then back to Prague 6. The study may also include possible extensions of metro lines A and C. The plan was originally prepared under Adam Scheinherr (Praha Sobě) during Mayor Zdeněk Hřib’s (Pirates) term. It was first called line E and later renamed metro O. The goal is to improve travel between peripheral districts so passengers can avoid the city center. The circular metro is designed to connect neighborhoods that currently rely mainly on tram and bus lines. It aims to reduce congestion in central stations such as Můstek, Muzeum, and Florenc. Jaromír Beránek (Pirates), Deputy Minister for Transport, said building a new metro line is a long-term project. He said the city cannot fund everything from its own budget. The state will need to contribute to many construction projects. Beránek favors a tram ring because it is faster and cheaper. He said: “I am trying to remind the public that we are working intensively on new...
Three Czech nationals were killed on Saturday afternoon after an avalanche struck near Pusterwald in the Austrian region of Styria, police confirmed. The accident occurred shortly before 4:30 pm during a ski tour in the area. Four other members of the group were rescued and evacuated to safety by emergency services. At the time of the incident, the avalanche danger level in the Pusterwald area was rated two out of five, indicating a moderate risk. Despite the classification, mountain rescue authorities have repeatedly warned that local conditions can change rapidly, particularly at higher elevations. The Pusterwald tragedy came only days after another fatal avalanche involving a Czech teenager in Austria. Earlier in the week, a 13-year-old Czech boy was killed while skiing off-piste near the Alpine resort of Bad Gastein. The incident occurred around midday when a sudden snow slide swept the teenager away. He was skiing with another minor at the time. Rescue teams reached the boy quickly, but despite intensive efforts, they were unable to revive him, according to local mountain rescue officials. Authorities later stressed that off-piste skiing carries heightened risks, especially following recent snowfall and shifting snowpack conditions. Austrian rescue services have described the current avalanche...
January 16 marks exactly 51 years since Czech student Jan Palach’s self-immolation at the top of Wenceslas Square that would lead to his death in hospital three days later.
Work on the largest reconstruction in the history of Prague’s Masaryk Station has continued through the winter, with key advances on the eastern side of the site near Vítkov and Libeň. The future elevated platform is now structurally tied to nearby buildings, marking a major step in a project meant to reshape rail travel in the city center. Engineers have also completed upgrades to the technology building that will house the base for the European Train Control System. This installation is central to the station’s shift to modern safety standards and higher traffic capacity. Progress is visible in areas used by passengers as well. Construction of new platforms is ongoing, and paving has been finished in the square outside the planned café facing Na Florenci Street. In the Vítkov section, crews completed a new pressurized sewage system before the end of last year, removing a major obstacle to further development. During work on the elevated platform, specialists identified the need for additional reinforcement in one section. Independent experts from Czech and foreign universities recommended adding a support column as the most effective solution. Construction based on this plan is set to begin in the spring. The Railway Administration is now...
On the night of January 15, a truck got stuck on Nerudova Street, near Prague Castle, damaging a parked car. The driver told firefighters he had followed his navigation system into the narrow historic streets. The truck could not move forward. While trying to reverse, it hit a parked car. Firefighters and police helped the truck get back on the road and leave safely. Incidents like this are common in the Czech Republic and abroad. Last February, a Czech truck driver got stuck on a ski slope in Austria. In Berchtesgaden, Bavaria, a woman ignored road signs and ended up on a toboggan run after relying on her GPS. In February 2024, an 18-year-old driver in Český Krumlov drove onto a ski slope and crashed into a cable car pole. Authorities warn drivers to be careful in historic city centers. Narrow streets and pedestrian zones make GPS guidance unreliable. Dnes v noci zasahovali hasiči z HÚOPH společně s @PolicieCZ v ulici Nerudova. Navigace sem dovedla řidiče kamionu, který se zasekl v polovině ulice, ale nemohl se dostat dál. Při pokusu o návrat poškodil jedno zaparkované vozidlo. Kamion se díky koordinaci všech zasahujících… pic.twitter.com/AQjwREQdlE — Hasiči Praha 🚒 (@HasiciPraha) January 15,...
Conscription Debate Returns as Army Prepares New Mobilisation Plan The possibility of introducing mandatory military service is once again being actively discussed in the Czech Republic. Chief of the General Staff Karel Řehka said the army has prepared a new mobilisation concept for the government that would allow limited conscription if voluntary reserves prove insufficient. The plan does not involve mass enlistment, as before 2004, but would focus on recruiting specific specialists. Priority would go to medical staff, IT and technical experts, communications specialists, engineers, logisticians, heavy equipment drivers, and people with rare skills such as drone pilots or previous military experience. Icy Conditions Force Closure of Prague Cemeteries All city cemeteries in Prague have been temporarily closed due to dangerous icy conditions. The only exception applies to mourners attending already scheduled funeral ceremonies at Olšany Cemetery. Former MP Dominik Feri faces further rape charge Former member of parliament Dominik Feri (TOP09) has been charged with an additional rape, prosecutors confirmed to the news site iRozhlas on Tuesday. The case involves a 17-year-old girl who said she consented to sex but alleged that Feri had removed the condom.Feri is currently serving a three-year sentence for raping two other girls, including...
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