President Pavel congratulates world champions in canoeing and fencing, while Czech players miss out on the Prague Open final

Czech President Petr Pavel and Sports Minister Boris Šťastný congratulated canoeist Tereza Kneblová and fencer Alexander Choupenitch on their world championship wins last week. Kneblová took the title in women's C1 canoe slalom in Oklahoma City, while Choupenitch became the first Czech man to win a world fencing championship, topping the foil competition in Hong Kong.

Pavel thanked both athletes for representing Czechia on the world stage, and Šťastný noted that their achievements will inspire a new generation of athletes.

Meanwhile, this year's Prague Open (WTA) will feature no Czech players in the women's singles final. Both home hopefuls fell in Saturday's semifinals on the courts at Štvanice: Barbora Krejčíková lost to 18-year-old Austrian Lilli Tagger in a three-set battle, while Tereza Valentová was beaten in straight sets by Ukraine's Daria Snigur. As a result, for the first time in two years, the Prague singles final will be an all-foreign affair.

Czech tennis still has a shot at silverware in doubles, however — Lucie Havlíčková and Laura Samson battled past a Taiwanese-Japanese pairing to reach the final.

In the Karviná region of eastern Czechia, a major transformation of the landscape is underway following the closure of the ČSM mine, with workers now filling in the first mine shafts. The project will eventually include the demolition of buildings and land reclamation, as the region gradually turns away from decades of coal mining. Authorities plan to convert former industrial sites into green spaces or new development areas. According to mining company OKD, more than 1,500 employees have left the company over the past year and a half as coal extraction has wound down.

The Czech Army has grounded all remaining UH-1Y Venom and AH-1Z Viper helicopters following a crash at the military airfield in Náměšť nad Oslavou that killed one serviceman. The aircraft will stay grounded until investigators determine the cause of Thursday's accident. Military officials say the four injured crew members are conscious and in stable condition. With no replacement currently available for the Venom helicopters, the suspension is complicating training and exercise schedules.

And for those looking for something upbeat this weekend: the Dvůr Králové Safari Park in eastern Bohemia opened its annual "African Days" festival on Saturday, drawing thousands of visitors on its very first day. Running until August 2, the event features African markets, concerts, workshops, traditional cuisine, and encounters with the park's animals — the park is renowned for its successful rhino and giraffe breeding programs.

Around Prague, based on reporting by expats.cz