English-language Prague and Czech political, civic and cultural news.
Chronological file / page 06
Indiana’s College Football Playoff national championship victory over Miami delivered its largest audience in more than a decade, underscoring the drawing power of the expanded CFP era. The viewership numbers place the broadcast among the most-watched college football games in years and one of ESPN’s biggest non-NFL telecasts.
↗Former special counsel Jack Smith defended his investigations into President Donald Trump in a sharply partisan House Judiciary Committee hearing, saying he acted to uphold the rule of law and that no one should be above it. Republicans attacked the investigation as politically motivated, while Democrats pressed Smith on evidence and accountability.
↗Southwest’s long-running open-seating scramble is over. Beginning Tuesday, the airline moves to assigned seats, an eight-group boarding system, and new paid options for preferred and extra-legroom seats—part of a broader shift to boost profitability and compete more directly with rivals.
↗New health coverage highlights ongoing flu-season pressures alongside other fast-moving medical and public-policy stories, including research updates and shifting oversight conversations. The week’s briefings reflect a winter in which respiratory illness trends and health governance decisions are moving in tandem.
↗The fatal shooting of Alex Pretti in Minneapolis by a federal officer has triggered backlash from gun-rights groups and prominent Republicans, forcing the White House to shift its tone. The episode is complicating Trump-era messaging on the Second Amendment and enforcement tactics as investigations and political scrutiny intensify.
↗U.S. stocks traded unevenly as investors weighed major earnings and policy signals. UnitedHealth sank on a weaker-than-expected revenue outlook and pressure tied to Medicare Advantage rates, while Corning surged after announcing a multibillion-dollar deal with Meta to supply fiber for data centers.
↗California governor Gavin Newsom says TikTok suppressed content critical of President Donald Trump and has launched a review of the platform’s moderation practices for potential violations of state law. TikTok’s U.S. venture blamed technical failures tied to a power outage and said the posting issues were not political.
↗A new wave of drone and missile strikes hit Ukraine, including Kharkiv and areas of the capital, as Russia and Ukraine each reported overnight drone activity and damage. Officials described injuries, power disruptions, and impacts on residential buildings, while the wider conflict remains centered on territory and air-defense capacity.
↗The U.S. Olympic roster for Milan-Cortina includes 232 athletes and a mix of veterans and first-timers, with seven Americans heading to their fifth Games. The Winter Olympics begin competition Feb. 4, 2026, and the opening ceremony is Feb. 6, with events spread across multiple host clusters.
↗Ethiopia announced it has ended its first-ever Marburg virus outbreak after completing the required monitoring period without new confirmed infections. Health officials said the response benefited from strengthened surveillance and infection-control measures supported by international partners.
↗The NBA shifted the start time of the Indiana Pacers vs. Atlanta Hawks game amid widespread winter weather disruptions. The change highlights how the storm system affecting travel and safety is rippling into live sports scheduling across the region.
↗The 2025–2026 U.S. flu season has seen a sharp rise in influenza-like illness activity, including high outpatient visit levels and significant hospitalizations. Public-health guidance continues to stress vaccination, early treatment for high-risk patients, and layered prevention during peak transmission.
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