Morning Briefing │ Wednesday, March 13th, 2024

* POLITICS:

Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala (ODS) yesterday hailed his upcoming meeting with the U.S. President Joe Biden at the White House as an opportunity to further develop Czech-U.S. relations. He expects that the meeting announced for 15 April will not be formal, but will focus on practical cooperation between the two countries, especially in the economic and security fields.

* WEATHER:

Wednesday should be partly cloudy to overcast with some rain in the south and day temperatures between 9 and 14 degrees Celsius.

* SPORT:

After two years, the NHL will play its first games in Prague, with the Buffalo Sabres and New Jersey Devils entering the season on October 4 and 5 at the O2 Arena. The management of the overseas competition announced the event “2024 NHL Global Series” on its website.

* LEGISLATION:

A group of Czech parliament members plans to address alcohol regulation following laws on psychomodulating substances. They proposed measures like double age verification for alcohol purchases. A draft amendment targets specialized sales, bans advertising, and restricts sales to minors. Past proposals include advertising restrictions and tax adjustments.

* SOCIETY:

Last year, 92 percent of Czechs aged 16 to 74 used the Internet, exceeding the EU average by 0.5 percent, per Czech Statistical Office data. Nearly all young Czechs were online, while 78 percent of those aged 55 to 74 accessed the Internet.