Czech news in brief for April 4: Saturday’s top morning headlines

Temperatures in Czechia are expected to rise above 20 degrees Celsius over the weekend, but meteorologists warn of a significant change early next week. A flow of cold air from the northeast could bring daytime highs below 10 degrees in parts of eastern Czechia and overnight frosts. The Czech Hydrometeorological Institute says forecasts remain uncertain, noting that sharp temperature swings are typical for April.

The D11 motorway near Jirny will be fully closed in both directions from 7:00 p.m. today due to the demolition of a bridge at Exit 8. The main work is scheduled to begin between 8:30 and 9:00 p.m., with traffic expected to resume on Sunday morning and full operation restored by Sunday night. Drivers will be diverted via marked detours, with partial restrictions already in place. The new bridge, with a price tag of CZK 94.4 million, is expected to open in April 2027.

Green Deal Commissioner Filip Turek said activists from Friends of the Earth will not receive future subsidies from the State Environmental Fund. He made the statement after becoming deputy chair of the fund, which oversees billions in environmental spending. While previously approved projects will continue, Turek signaled a shift in funding priorities. The group plans a protest in Prague on April 19, criticizing government environmental policies and recent changes at the Environment Ministry.

Police in Prague are investigating an early-morning explosion at two ATMs in Opatovská Street in the Jižní Město district. The incident occurred around 4:20 a.m., when unknown suspects used explosives in an apparent attempt to break into the machines. Both ATMs were heavily damaged, and the area was sealed off as pyrotechnic experts examined the scene. It is not yet clear whether any cash was stolen, and police are searching for the perpetrators.

Rail traffic on the main Prague–Moravia corridor near Pardubice was disrupted on Friday after a train struck a person who died at the scene. Services between Pardubice and Přelouč were halted for over an hour before partial and then full resumption. The incident, involving an international EuroCity train, also affected long-distance and regional services, with some routes diverted and buses replacing local trains. Police said foul play has been ruled out.