Morning Briefing │ Monday, February 19th, 2024

* PALESTINE-ISRAEL:

Several hundred people gathered to demonstrate in support of Palestine at Prague’s Náměstí míru square on Sunday, demanding an end to Israel’s retaliatory attacks on the Gaza Strip.

Participants waved Palestinian flags and banners reading “Free Palestine!” and “End the genocide!” as they marched through the city centre.

* PROTEST:

Hundreds of dissatisfied Czech farmers are planning to join Monday’s protest in Prague against rising costs, heavy regulation, cheap goods from Ukraine and the Green Deal.

According to the organizer of the protest, Zdeněk Jandejsek, chairman of the agricultural holding Rabbit, close to a thousand tractors are expected to enter the capital from six routes as early as 5 am on Monday morning.

* UKRAINE:

Czechia has found sources abroad for hundreds of thousands of artillery ammunition that could be delivered to Ukraine in a matter of weeks, if it can secure funding with partners in the US, Germany, Sweden and other countries, Czech President Petr Pavel said at the Munich Security Conference on Saturday.

The president said the potential purchase concerned half a million rounds of 155-millimeter caliber ammunition and 300,000 rounds of 122-millimeter caliber ammunition.

* NEWS:

A two-year-old Czech boy with a rare genetic disorder has returned home after undergoing gene therapy in France. The child was transported by ambulance from Prague’s Václav Havel Airport to Motol Children’s Hospital where he will receive further medical care.

His parents previously said that the procedure in France was successful and little Martin was already showing signs of improvement. The life-saving treatment was made possible thanks to a public collection which raised over 150 million crowns for the child.

* SPORT:

Czech hockey legend Jaromir Jagr’s No. 68 jersey was officially retired by the Pittsburgh Penguins at a special ceremony at PPG Paints Arena on Sunday.