Author: staff
At a ceremony outside the Czech Radio building, where major clashes took place 57 years ago, President Petr Pavel warned against distorting history and said remembering past events helps honour those who fought for freedom. Prime Minister Petr Fiala, Senate President Miloš Vystrčil and other senior officials laid wreaths while funeral music played. Vystrčil said 1968 should serve as a reminder that those who put power before their country must not lead. The invasion by Soviet, Bulgarian, Hungarian and Polish troops brought an end to reform efforts and began a period of censorship, political purges and restricted freedoms.
Eurozone economic growth continued slowly in August, according to S&P Global’s flash purchasing manager index (PMI), which provides the latest information on how businesses are performing. The composite PMI, including services and manufacturing, increased by 0.2 points in August to 51.1 points, suggesting that business activity grew at its fastest rate since May 2024. This suggests that eurozone GDP is growing at a 0.2% quarterly rate in August, in line with expectations, following a 0.1% GDP increase in the second quarter. However, “the pace of expansion remained frustratingly sluggish,” noted S&P Global. Business activity in the bloc was mainly driven…
Howard’s music “transcends borders and unites cultures,” the Intervision organizers said in a post on Telegram announcing his participation. Intervision, the Soviet-era alternative to Eurovision, was held between 1965 and 1980 in communist Czechoslovakia. Russian President Vladimir Putin brought it back to life in 2025, appointing Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Chernyshenko as chairman of the organizing committee. Russia was kicked out of Eurovision following its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Russia will be represented in the contest by pro-war pop singer Shaman (real name Yaroslav Yuryevich Dronov), who was sanctioned by the EU for participating in Kremlin-organized concerts. Among…
By Rushana Aliakbarova Published on 21/08/2025 – 16:00 GMT+2 Uzbekistan marked its annual Entrepreneurs’ Day with an open dialogue between President Shavkat Mirziyoyev and business leaders, a tradition that has become a key platform for shaping the country’s economic policy. The president congratulated entrepreneurs on their professional holiday and the 34th anniversary of independence, stressing their role in driving change “in every sector, every region, and every mahalla”. New initiatives Mirziyoyev outlined fresh measures to expand opportunities for business. He stressed that in the first half of this year, Uzbekistan’s economy grew by 7.2%, and over the past eight years, the…
By Theo Farrant & AP Published on 21/08/2025 – 14:40 GMT+2 The world of gaming is descending on Cologne, Germany, as Gamescom – the largest video game trade fair around – has kicked off. With more than 1,500 exhibitors from around the globe and over 300,000 visitors expected, the event promises a whirlwind of previews, demos, and surprises for fans and industry insiders alike. The Opening Night Live set the tone with a splashy debut of Call of Duty: Black Ops 7, offering the first look at its campaign, multiplayer, and zombies modes, alongside an Open Beta. The release date is set for…
In another key clause, the joint statement confirms that the U.S. will lower tariffs on autos and auto parts in most cases to 15 percent from 27.5 percent — but only after the EU formally introduces legislation to “eliminate tariffs on all U.S. industrial goods.” The EU now has a 10 percent levy on car imports. The bloc will expand market access for U.S. agricultural goods that are not sensitive for its own market. The U.S., meanwhile, commits to exempting aircraft and parts as well as cork and generic drugs from higher tariffs, applying its most-favored nation tariff to those…
Brussels and Washington on Thursday released the long-awaited joint statement sealing the trade deal they struck nearly a month ago, confirming that cars, semiconductors and pharmaceuticals will face a maximum 15% tariffs to enter the US. The statement, which like the deal struck on 27 July in Scotland between European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen and US President Donald Trump, is not legally binding, states that the reduction of tariffs for cars “will apply in tandem with the EU initiating the procedures for tariff reductions vis-à-vis US products”. A customs duty rate of 27.5% currently still applies on EU…
One of the missile attacks reportedly hit an American electronics manufacturer site in Mukachevo, which has around 800 people on its night shift, an employee of the company told The Kyiv Independent. “It was a regular civilian business, supported by American investment, producing everyday items like coffee machines. And yet, it was also a target for the Russians. This is very telling,” Zelenskyy said in his social media post. “The Russians carried out this attack as if nothing has changed at all, as if there are no global efforts to stop this war. This requires a response. There is still…
Investigators believe the group used a yacht rented from the German port of Rostock under false identities to transport explosives to the site. Traces of the military-grade explosive octogen were later discovered on board. According to German authorities, Serhii K. was “urgently suspected” of coordinating the attack alongside others. He faces charges of causing an explosion, committing anti-constitutional sabotage, and destroying infrastructure. The arrest marks a breakthrough in a complex investigation that has stretched across several countries. Sweden and Denmark closed their probes without naming suspects earlier this year, while Germany pressed ahead with its case, focusing on a small…
U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres reacted to the new offensive with dismay in a post on social media Thursday, urging Israel “to avoid the massive death and destruction that a military operation against Gaza would inevitably cause.” More than 60,000 Palestinians have been killed since Israel launched its offensive following Hamas militants’ Oct. 7, 2023 attack, which killed some 1,200 people on Israeli soil, with international aid groups warning of widespread starvation and disease. French President Emmanuel Macron said Wednesday the conquest of Gaza City “risks plunging the entire region into a cycle of permanent war” and called for an international…