Daily news summary

Sláma film Ice Mother wins big at Czech Lion awards

The film Bába z ledu (Ice Mother) the story of a widowed senior who finds new meaning in life and love after she gets to know a hardy man or cold water swimmer, was the big winner at the the Czech Lion domestic film awards in Prague on Saturday, converting six of 15 nominations.

The film won all the major categories including best picture, best director for Bohdan Sláma, and best actress for Zuzana Kronerová and best actor for Pavel Nový.

Petra Špalková won the award for best actress in a supporting role in Ice Mother and Oldřich Kaiser tok the award for best supporting actor in the Jan Svěrák film Barefoot.

Other winners on the night were Olga Sommerová for her documentary Červená and renowned editor Alois Fišárek, who received a lifetime achievement award for his contribution to Czech cinema.

The award ceremony was broadcast live from Prague's Rudolfinum concert hall.

Filmmakers come to defense of public broadcaster Czech TV

Politics repeatedly came to the fore at the Czech Lions on Saturday with some of the country's best-known filmmakers, including academy award winner Jan Svěrák, coming to the defense of public broadcaster Czech TV - targeted last week by President Miloš Zeman in his inaugural address.

Mr Svěrák called the president's criticism of Czech TV, in which the head of state questioned the objectivity of its broadcasts, the "most serious attack on the station's independence since the Czech TV crisis of 2000".

Director Olga Sommerová, who ran for the right-wing TOP 09 party in the past, called on citizens and supporters of democracy to "stand up to the threat".

Actress Zuzana Kronerová, in her speech, reflected on dramatic developments in her native Slovakia, where the brutal murder of investigate journalist Ján Kuciak and his fiancé has rocked the government of Prime Minister Robert Fico. She expressed sadness and disgust. In recent days tens of thousands came out to protest in Bratislava calling for the government to resign; Mr Kuciak had written about alleged ties between the mafia and the government.

Czech Republic's General Petr Pavel awarded US Legion of Merit

One of the Czech Republic's most respected military representatives, the chairman of the NATO Military Committee General Petr Pavel was presented the Legion of Merit last week by the U.S. Marine Corps General Joe Dunford, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. The official ceremony took place in Virginia on March 8; the Legion of Merit is the highest award American leaders can bestow on foreigners. More than 250 service members participated in the ceremony.

The story was reported by the Czech News Agency on Sunday.

General Petr Pavel has served as chairman of the Military Committee since June 2015, a period when NATO has reemphasized deterrence in the face of the growing Russian threat, such as Russia's intervention in Ukraine.

Pavel will relinquish the job of chairman to British Air Chief Marshal Sir Stuart Peach, the chief of staff of the British Armed Forces, on June 29 of this year.

Fire at Pardubice area power station put out after more than three hours

A fire at the Chváletice power station in the area of Pardubice is estimated to have caused damage worth at least 50 million crowns.

The blaze broke out at the power plant's B4 bloc on Saturday night. Seven fire fighter units worked more than three hours to put the fire out.

The fire is believed to have been caused by a technical failure which led to a hydraulic gas explosion.

Paralympics: national sledge hockey team loses in overtime against South Korea

The Czech national sledge hockey team lost by a score of 3-2 in overtime to South Korea in their opening match at the Winter Paralympics in Pyeonchang. Seung Hwang Jung scored twice including the sudden death goal.

Snowboard cross: Samková proves she has nerves of steel in final heat re-run

Eva Samková, holder of two Olympic medals in snowboard cross, triumphed in Moscow on Saturday on the FIS SBX World Cup tour. The race was the first-ever SBX in-city, under the lights of Lata Park.

Technical difficulties in the form of a gate malfunction at the start of the 350 meter- long track meant the race had to be re-run, meaning the Czech racer had to win twice.

The racer said the protest lodged which led to the final heat being re-run had been justified and had motivated her to prove that "she was the best".

Weather

Monday is expected to be mostly cloudy. Daytime temperatures should reach highs of around 10 degrees Celsius.