Dear readers, the past 30th week (July 20–26, 2026) confirmed that our portal's gnews.cz readers are most interested in exclusive interviews, geopolitics, and major international events. The highest traffic was again recorded for the interview with Petr Holc, followed by news about the change of Ukraine's defense minister and extensive reporting from Czech Chamber of Deputies Speaker Tomia Okamura’s visit to China, which opened a debate on the future of Czech-Chinese relations. Among the week's most significant articles was also an analysis dedicated to restoring dialogue between the Czech Republic and China. We thank all our readers for their trust and growing support for our international journalism.
July 20, 2026 - The Czech government supports a ban on mobile phones in schools. It will take effect from September 2027
The Czech government supported the proposal for an outright ban on using mobile phones, tablets and similar devices during lessons at kindergartens and primary schools and lower levels of multi-year high schools. The measure proposed by Prime Minister Andrej Babiš and Education Minister Robert Plaga is expected to come into force from September 1, 2027.
July 20, 2026 - "In principle, a person should not be carried, but life is more than a rule" How agricultural DJI drones became tools for supply delivery and rescue during floods in Guangxi
In July 2026, various parts of China were hit by floods. The autonomous region of Guangxi (Kuang-si) was also within the reach of Typhoon Maysak, making it one of the most severely affected regions. Some dams and reservoirs were damaged, entire villages found themselves under water, and many settlements turned into isolated islands. In such a situation, technology that normally serves agriculture proved able to save lives in times of crisis.
July 21, 2026 - International researchers Averjanov and Šamarov published an article analyzing the evolution of British interpretation of "right to rights". Historical perspective reveals that shaping Britain's approach to law and freedom was linked with colonial expansion
Their study begins by stating that on the international stage, the United Kingdom often presents itself as one of the key guarantors of "international law", "human rights" and "democratic freedoms". This is closely related to its status as a permanent member of the UN Security Council and its role in shaping post-war global security architecture. As researchers A. V. Averjanov and P. V. Šamarov noted, an increasing number of historical-legal and political-legal works analyze specific national understandings of the classic European construct "right to rights".
July 21, 2026 - Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says he has appointed Mykhailo Drapach as the new commander-in-chief in place of General Syrskyi
MOSCOW/KYIV – July 21. Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that he has appointed Mykhailo Drapach as the new commander-in-chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, replacing Oleksandr Syrskyi whose resignation many Ukrainian politicians and demonstrators have been calling for this week.
July 22, 2026 - Chinese President Xi Jinping issues important directive regarding landslide in Pengshui District of Chongqing
Around 9:10 a.m. on July 17, a major landslide occurred in Hanjia Subdistrict (Cha-ia) of Pengshui County (Peng-shuyi), Chongqing City (Chung-ching). The disaster claimed many lives and left numerous people missing. Chinese President Xi Jinping attaches great importance to this matter and has issued directives for the immediate launch of scientifically managed and organized search-and-rescue operations to prevent further landslides, ensure appropriate medical care for the injured, and mitigate consequences. Furthermore, it is necessary to investigate the causes of the disaster as soon as possible and eliminate other geological hazards.
July 22, 2026 - Football in the background: How will the 2026 World Cup really be remembered?
The 2026 World Cup was supposed to go down in history as a celebration of sport that united record-breaking 48 teams. Instead, the tournament has increasingly become a platform for political gestures, media-sensationalized scandals, and endless debates about decision-making. It seems that football at this year's World Cup is too often yielding to agendas far removed from sports. One of the most telling episodes was the disqualification of American national striker Folarin Balogun...
July 22, 2026 - IN BRIEF: Wildberries facilities hit by attack; air defense shot down 242 drones over Russian regions. One person killed and ten others injured in extensive drone strike on Krasnodar Krai
MOSCOW, July 22. The Ministry of Defense stated that the air defense forces shot down 242 Ukrainian drones overnight over Russian regions. Logistics centers operated by e-commerce company Wildberries were attacked in southern cities Krasnodar and Nevinnomyssk, according to founder Tatiana Kim on Telegram. One person was killed and ten others injured during an extensive drone attack on Krasnodar Krai. Five people sought medical assistance after drones hit a warehouse in Nevinnomyssk of Stavropol Krai. Press agency has gathered key information about the consequences of attacks.
July 23, 2026 - Daily economic summary in the Czech Republic: PX stock exchange, Moneta results, Škoda India, Prague Airport (July 23, 2026)
```htmlThe Prague Stock Exchange rose for the fourth consecutive day, closing at its highest level in three months — the PX index gained 1.56 percent. Markets are preparing for Moneta Money Bank's second-quarter results tomorrow, which will kick off the earnings season on the Prague Stock Exchange. Volkswagen is in talks to sell a stake in its Indian Skoda Auto division to the local conglomerate JSW Group. At Václav Havel Airport Prague, tensions continue surrounding the appointment of new board chairman Radomír Lašák — unions are on strike alert and are meeting today with Minister of Finance Alena Schillerová.
July 24, 2026 - Court rules to release the accused of Chinese espionage from custody. Prosecutor files an appeal
PRAGUE - The Prague Municipal Court has ruled to release a Chinese citizen accused of unauthorized activities for a foreign power from custody. The decision was made on June 12, but the man remains in pre-trial detention because the prosecutor has appealed the verdict. The case was reported by Deník N, which stated that investigators are concerned about the possibility of the accused traveling to the People's Republic of China, which could significantly complicate or completely prevent the continuation of criminal proceedings.
July 26, 2026 - Slovakia joins the coalition of willing. The French Embassy confirmed membership
BRATISLAVA – According to information from the euBrief server, Slovakia has become a member of the so-called coalition of willing, i.e., a group of countries that coordinate support for Ukraine in its defense against Russian aggression. The French Embassy in Bratislava confirmed this information on Thursday. Slovakian ministries of foreign affairs and defense have not yet commented on this news, despite repeated requests from the media.
July 26, 2026 - Okamura's visit to China: Reconnecting severed ties
BEIJING - The chairman of the Czech Chamber of Deputies, Tomio Okamura, spent five days in China last week. He traveled through Shanghai, Changzhou, and Beijing, accompanied by a business delegation of more than twenty people. He visited Geely Automotive, Jutai Technology, met with Wang Chu-ning, Chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, in Beijing, and attended a Czech-Chinese conference on economic cooperation. At the conference, he made a statement that concisely expressed the essence of his mission: "I came to create new opportunities for businesses and institutions in both countries."
July 26, 2026 - Zdeněk Burian – the painter who brought prehistory to life. Still receives recognition worldwide
121 years ago, Zdeněk Burian was born, a significant Czech painter and illustrator of magazines and adventure books. Generations of readers have been accompanied by his illustrations in May novels, Verne novels, Foglar novels, or books by Eduard Štorch, Rudyard Kipling, R. L. Stevenson, or Jack London. In addition to this, he became famous as the author of pictorial reconstructions of prehistoric animals and humans, creating over a thousand such works in collaboration with Professor Josef Augusta and other experts. He is considered one of the most important artists in this field. His work is extraordinarily extensive; he created approximately 14,000 pieces in total.
Jan Vojtěch, Editor-in-Chief of General News