Early Bird: In two places in the center of Prague, people are saying goodbye to Jan Potměšil. Military expenditures in Europe and Asia are sharply increasing, claims a report.
The final farewell to actor Jan Potměšil, who is the author of the quote "It's better to be in a wheelchair than with the communists," is taking place today in Prague. In total, nearly 2.9 trillion dollars were spent on military programs worldwide last year, reflecting a 2.9 percent increase compared to the previous year, according to a report by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute.
Farewell to Actor Jan Potměšil
People are saying their final goodbyes to actor Jan Potměšil at two locations in the center of Prague today. He passed away on April 16 at the age of 60. A public mass is being held at the Church of Our Lady before Týn. From 12:00 to 18:00, the Brožík Room at the nearby Old Town Hall is open, where there are condolence books, projections of photographs from various periods of the actor's life and his theatrical roles. Potměšil, who has been confined to a wheelchair since a car accident at the age of 23, faced serious health issues in the last three years, reported the website Ceskenoviny.cz.
Defense spending now accounts for 2.5 percent of global GDP
Global military spending increased by nearly 3 percent last year, mainly driven by rising defense expenditures in Europe and Asia, according to a new report by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). This figure represents 2.5 percent of the world's gross domestic product (GDP). According to SIPRI, this is the highest value since 2009. European defense spending has increased by 14 percent to 864 billion dollars since 2024, reported CNN. In Asia and Oceania, this increase was 8.1 percent, reaching 681 billion dollars.
Slovakia Filed a Lawsuit Against the EU Decision to End Russian Gas Imports
Slovakia filed its previously announced lawsuit last week against the European Union's decision to gradually end the import of Russian gas into the European bloc. Hungary had previously also filed a lawsuit with the EU court on the same matter. Both countries voted against the regulation on Russian gas imports. Given the chosen procedure for adopting this document, unanimous consent was not required for its approval, reported server Ceskenoviny.cz.
Michael Jackson Film Achieves Record Box Office in America
The film featuring Michael Jackson reached estimated box office earnings of $97 million in American and Canadian theaters on Sunday. It surpassed previous biographical films like Straight Outta Compton, dedicated to the rap group N.W.A. ($60.2 million), and Bohemian Rhapsody celebrating Queen's frontman Freddie Mercury ($51 million), reported the agency AP.
Archaeologists use artificial intelligence to reveal the face of one of the victims in Pompeii
Archaeologists in ancient Pompeii have for the first time used artificial intelligence for the digital reconstruction of the face of a victim of the A.D. 79 eruption of Vesuvius that hit the city. This offered a new way to understand one of the most famous natural disasters in history. The digital portrait depicts an older man who was among the victims discovered while attempting to flee the city towards the coast during the volcanic eruption, reported AP.
Sources: AP, CNN, Ceskenoviny.cz
