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Nearly two thirds of Czech employees can feel the negative impacts of the ongoing labour shortage, according to a survey carried out by the Up ČR agency. Increased workload and more frequent overtimes are among the most common downsides of low unemployment. As a result, over 40 percent of Czech employees are considering changing jobs, suggests the survey.

The unemployment rate in the Czech Republic dropped in March to 3 percent, which is the lowest jobless rate since last November, with the number of unemployed people decreasing to 227,000.

A rediscovered painting by one of the leading Czech modernist painters, Jan Zrzavý, has sold for 5.8 million crowns at an auction in Prague on Saturday. The 1938 oil on canvas, called ‘Landscape in Brittany’, was part of a private collection and has been hidden from view for several decades. Bidding for the painting began at 3.8 billion crowns.

So far the most expensive painting by the painter, sold at a Czech auction, is entitled ‘Calvary in Locronan’, auctioned off in 2017 for more than 17 million crowns.

Sunday is expected to be mostly overcast with occasional rain showers. Daytime highs will range between 7 and 11 degrees Celsius.

Dozens of people joined in the third edition of the annual March for Science through the centre of Prague on Saturday. The aim of the event, organised by the Czech club of sceptics, Sisyfos, was to defend the vital role of science in society and protest against the trend of politicizing scientific research.

The march from Prague’s Wenceslas Square to the seat of Czech Academy of Sciences on Národní třída, was followed by a series of lectures inspired by science fiction, reflecting the fact that May 4 is Star Wars International Day. Marches for science took place in a number of European capitals on Saturday.

Below-average temperatures for the season are expected in the coming four-week period, according to the long-term weather forecast issued by the Czech Hydro-Meteorological Institute issued on Saturday.

Night-time temperatures in the coming week could drop below zero while daytime highs are set to reach a maximum of 18 degrees Celsius.

Rainfall levels will be above average for the time of year, with the next few days set to be the rainiest of the four-week period.

Czech tennis player Barbora Muchová has lost her first ever WTA final at the Prague Open. She was defeated by Jil Teichmann od Switzerland 6-7, 6-3, 4-6 in Saturday’s final in the city’s Stromovka park.

The 22-year-old Muchová, a wild card entry at the clay-court tournament, has broken into the first hundred of the WTA rankings for the first time in her career after her appearance at the Prague Open.

Thousands of people joined Saturday’s march through Prague in support of legalisation of cannabis in the Czech Republic. The ‘Million Marihuana March’ is an annual event, starting at Karlovo náměstí and culminating with a happening on Štvanice Island that includes the sale of technical marihuana products, concerts and debates.

This years event is attended by the Czech Pirate Party leaders, who have submitted a bill to the Lower House to allow people to grow marijuana for their own usage. At present, possession of the equivalent of five marihuana plants or less is considered a misdemeanour under Czech law.

The Czech beach volleyball duo Barbora Hermannová and Markéta Sluková have won the women’s gold medal at the FIVB World Tour event at Kuala Lumpur, after defeating Kerri Walsh Jennings and Brook Sweat of the US. The Czech pair made up for their opening set loss with a brilliant tiebreak comeback to claim their fourth joint World Tour title.

Freedom celebrations are underway in the West Bohemian town of Pilsen, marking the 74th anniversary of the liberation of the city by General Patton’s Army. Ten war veterans from Belgium and the US, who helped to liberate the city, are attending this year’s event.

The four-day celebrations, which started on Friday, traditionally includes street happenings, concerts and the chance to see a reconstructed US military camp from that period. One of the highlights is a Convoy of Liberty with over 200 historical vehicles, that will cross the town centre on Sunday.

The event will culminate on Monday at the town’s memorial to the US army with an event called Thank You, America!

Prime Minister Andrej Babiš wants to push through a change of legislation which would allow the rapid deployment of the country’s special forces in allied foreign missions without the approval of Parliament.

The prime minister made the announcement shortly after visiting one of the country’s special units in Prostějov, saying a situation could arise where it would be necessary to send out a special unit within hours or even undertake a secret mission. He said that in such cases approval from the government’s National Security Council should be enough.

The idea was sharply rejected both by the prime minister’s partner in coalition, the Social Democrats, and the Communist Party which supports the minority government.