This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page The Utica Comets have signed forward Matyáš Melovský to an AHL contract for the 2025–26 season Czechia joins Utica after a standout season in the QMJHL where he skated for the Baie-Comeau Drakkar Melovský recorded an impressive 83 points (26 goals 57 assists) in 57 regular season games during the 2024–25 campaign His offensive production and playmaking ability were key contributors to Baie-Comeau’s success He also added 9 points in 11 playoff games further cementing his role as a top-line performer Originally selected in the sixth round (171st overall) by the New Jersey Devils in the 2024 NHL Draft Melovský brings a well-rounded game to the Comets The right-shot forward is capable of playing both center and wing and is recognized for his strong vision and two-way awareness NEWS: The Utica Comets have signed forward Matyas Melovsky to a one-way AHL contract for the 2025-26 season!Transactions brought to you by @NBT_Bank pic.twitter.com/LCgUVrfKKC There are three things that immediately jump out at you from the photographs of Itamar Einhorn winning the opening stage of the Czech Tour in July A raised right hand pierces the sky in celebration The unmistakable Israeli national champion’s jersey being on full view His victory in the historic town of Uničov was as deserved as it was overdue “It’s my first win in the pro level in almost two years,” as Einhorn who first joined the team as a stagiaire in 2017 27 July 2023 will forever be etched in the history books of Israeli cycling IPT Academy rider and Einhorn’s compatriot Oded Kogut won stage two of the Dookola Mazowsza in Poland marking the first time in history that two Israeli riders have won in separate UCI races on a single date Einhorn had already shown significant progress during the season Having finished fourth at Milano – Torino and ninth at Scheldeprijs in the early weeks of the season he made history by becoming the first Israeli to ever race Paris – Roubaix in April A successful defence of the Israeli national road title followed in June Having enjoyed success racing in Poland for a national team in the week prior to the Czech Tour Stage one marked the race’s only sprint opportunity Einhorn was positioned perfectly in the final kilometres Rick Zabel dropped him off shortly after the flamme rouge before his 300-metre sprint proved to be too much for his rivals He said: “I’m so relieved – it’s a result of hard work and a learning curve.” Two days on from the nightmarish scenes in his homeland Einhorn placed second on the final Tour of Hainan stage his white and blue jersey had taken on a completely different meaning “You do us proud wearing this jersey,” said one of his Israeli fans on social media “Thank you for giving us something to take joy in while our hearts all ache Our hearts beat with yours and cry with yours.” Israel – Premier Tech is Israel’s first elite cycling team and co-owned by Sylvan Adams and Ron Baron Israel – Premier Tech Academy is the team’s continental level development squad Volunteer registration is now open for a new rapid COVID-19 testing project at University College Dublin aimed at supporting a return to campus for students and staff (opens in a new window)UniCoV – a pilot scheme designed to assist the safe and sustainable re-opening of Higher Education Institute campuses across Ireland in September – is using rapid antigen and saliva-based nucleic acid testing to explore if an 'early warning system' can be developed to prevent and limit future outbreaks at third level institutions The multi-site study hopes to recruit 2,000 volunteers from amongst faculty staff and students at each of its four participating universities National University of Ireland Galway (NUIG) “Even with the successful vaccination programme ongoing testing will play a vital role in maintaining safe environments for all students and staff in the near future UniCoV provides a platform for us to determine what works best and we really value the participation of as many staff and students as possible to make this a success.” volunteers will be divided into two cohorts of testers – a small one group who will continuously self-test twice weekly for eight weeks and another that will undertake random testing for a period of two weeks volunteers will be asked to collect testing kits each week at the start of their testing period and drop off submit saliva samples twice weekly before returning them to a collection point on campus Those volunteers involved with the project will also submit a self-administered rapid antigen (nasal swab) test by taking a photo of the results and uploading it with their phone UCC and UCD will be analysed at the UCD wastewater surveillance laboratory for traces of COVID-19 While the opening of universities is not contingent on the success of the UniCoV scheme it is hoped if the feasibility and benefits of rapid testing can be proven the research could be a significant tool in halting limiting the spread of COVID-19 by allowing experts to make informed decisions about the use of rapid tests Innovation and Science Simon Harris TD said that Uni CoV testing could “potentially be an important element” of the Government’s plan for a safe return to on-site teaching “If proven through piloting and feasibility saliva testing and wastewater testing could provide additional elements to the control strategy set out in national guidance “None of these replace the public health advice but could be significant additional weapons in our fight against COVID-19 and it is of course optional but I really would encourage staff and students to participate and help us with our plans for a safe and sustainable re-opening of campuses and society it’s secure and you’ll be playing a vital role in our recovery from this pandemic,” he added The UniCoV project is led by NUIG Professor Breda Smyth who said students in Ireland had shown “significant resilience in adapting to the challenges that COVID-19 has created” The UniCoV project follows on from a number of smaller scaled pilot testing schemes carried out during the pandemic at NUIG Along with Professors Mallon, Meyer and (opens in a new window)Prof Grace Mulcahy, the team at UCD includes (opens in a new window)Prof Peter Doran Ms Terri Martin and Mr Alejandro Gabner Garcia Leon Other Principal Investigators on the project include Professor Charles Spillane Ryan Institute NUIG; Professors Aideen Long TCD; and UCC Professor Mary Horgan and Dr John MacSharry By: David Kearns, Digital Journalist / Media Officer The Frenchman leads the points classification with two stages to go Paul Magnier took a spectacular win on the second stage of the Course de la Paix 5.3%) – came in the last 20 kilometers Victorious in Trofeo Ses Salines-Felanitx and a Tour of Oman stage so far in his maiden pro season in the colors of Soudal Quick-Step Paul rode here together with the French National Team who made sure of protecting him the entire stage before launching him to a crushing solo win Magnier surprised everyone by accelerating inside the final 500 meters of Friday’s stage his incredible burst of speed leaving all the other riders trailing and propelling the 20-year-old to a success that came with the green jersey as bonus “Our plan today was to make the race really hard so that the sprinters wouldn’t find it easy in the finale I opened my sprint from second wheel on a left-hand corner and could carry that speed all the way to the line I’m very happy with this win and with the confidence it brings especially as the Course de la Paix is my first race in four weeks” Paul said after his third success of the year Photo credit: ©Dario Belingheri / Getty Images to know how many times a particular page is read We only use this information to improve the content of our website These cookies are only placed after you have given your consent You should be seeing some content in this space that is currently blocked due to cookie settings Open the Cookie Management Tool to change your settings Feeling unwell and have respiratory symptoms? check out the recently launched UniHealth study  The UniHealth Infectious disease tracking provides free multiplex antigen tests (detecting COVID-19 A  Flu B and RSV viruses) for University College Cork Students and Staff members to monitor and report infectious respiratory illnesses using a bespoke symptom tracker app supported by confirmatory molecular tests UniHealth is funded by the SFI National Challenges Fund for Digital Resilience and is an interdisciplinary collaboration between APC Microbiome Ireland CUBS-Business Information Systems and Student Health.   Dr Michael Byrne and Clo O'Riordan lead this exciting new SFI funded project This project is building on the learnings from UniCOV-UCC which used a UCC Student Health/UCC IT services-developed app to compare different way to screen and test for COVID-19 The UniHealth project staff will be based in the annexe behind the Chaplaincy Iona building a funded investigator with APC and Senior Lecturer in Virology and Immunology at UCC says “This study will help people manage their healthcare and alert them if they have an infectious disease meaning that they can limit the transmission of the disease and choose the appropriate respite and medication  The tracker app will yield valuable information on what viruses are most prevalent and allow logistical planning for medication and healthcare if significant numbers of the population are affected.” More details on how to sign up and the learnings from the UnICoV study are available here  Media Centre Russia's aggression in Ukraine has significantly worsened the security situation in the world The Czech Republic and our defence industry were able to react quickly to the change in circumstances increase production capacity and engage in security cooperation between NATO countries and Ukraine Thanks to the immediate involvement of private companies the Czech Republic was one of the first countries to deliver military aid "And it is military aid on a commercial basis that today makes the vast majority of supplies to Ukraine which is involved in international project of modernising T-72 tanks for Ukraine The rapid response and the increase in production and commercial capacities of Czech companies have clearly demonstrated that an agile defence industry is a key element for national security Involvement of industry benefits the Czech economy as production continues to increase and skilled jobs are created,“ added the Prime Minister Excalibur Army together with Tatra Defence Vehicles is a key producer of military equipment in the Czech Republic Last year the company supplied the Ukrainian army with 150 heavy arm vehicles The company services and modernises ground equipment of eastern origin (tanks T-55 It also modernises older proven types of weapons of Czechoslovak origin: self-propelled howitzers DANA on Tatra chassis and the RM-70 multiple rocket launchers on which Excalibur Army is working in this field is modernisation of T-72 tanks for Ukraine which is jointly financed by USA and Netherlands The Prime Minister also wrote a short message on one of the tanks that will be sent to Ukraine: TO THE BRAVE DEFENDERS OF UKRAINE coordinated by the Czech Ministry of Defence is an exemplary example of international defence cooperation and is This cooperation has concrete benefits for all involved - NATO strengthens the brave defenders of Ukraine and the Czech Republic strengthens the capabilities of the defence industry on our territory,“ added the Prime Minister who also christened a new recovery vehicle during the visit TREVA 30 This could also help in Ukraine in the future Stáhnout obrázek v tiskové kvalitě (2048x1365, jpg, 1994.20 kB) Stáhnout obrázek v tiskové kvalitě (2048x1366, jpg, 1930.87 kB) Stáhnout obrázek v tiskové kvalitě (2048x1365, jpg, 1897.04 kB) Stáhnout obrázek v tiskové kvalitě (2048x1366, jpg, 2372.83 kB) Stáhnout obrázek v tiskové kvalitě (2048x1366, jpg, 2073.46 kB) Stáhnout obrázek v tiskové kvalitě (2048x1365, jpg, 1769.50 kB) Stáhnout obrázek v tiskové kvalitě (2048x1365, jpg, 2120.69 kB) Stáhnout obrázek v tiskové kvalitě (2048x1365, jpg, 1742.99 kB) Stáhnout obrázek v tiskové kvalitě (2048x1365, jpg, 2106.48 kB) Stáhnout obrázek v tiskové kvalitě (2048x1365, jpg, 2457.11 kB) Stáhnout obrázek v tiskové kvalitě (2048x1365, jpg, 1887.02 kB) Stáhnout obrázek v tiskové kvalitě (2048x1365, jpg, 2301.71 kB) Stáhnout obrázek v tiskové kvalitě (2048x1365, jpg, 1862.33 kB) Stáhnout obrázek v tiskové kvalitě (2048x1365, jpg, 1677.54 kB) Stáhnout obrázek v tiskové kvalitě (2048x1365, jpg, 1586.51 kB) Stáhnout obrázek v tiskové kvalitě (2048x1365, jpg, 1586.17 kB) Stáhnout obrázek v tiskové kvalitě (2048x1366, jpg, 1891.36 kB) Stáhnout obrázek v tiskové kvalitě (2048x1365, jpg, 2082.09 kB) TWO of Ireland’s Olympic heroes have called on their fellow students to row in behind new research that will see UCC students and staff engage in a new Covid-19 rapid testing project With students returning to UCC’s campus this month UCC’s Olympic medal winning rowers Paul O’Donovan and Emily Hegarty have backed UniCoV a project that will conduct a large-scale comparative analysis of testing technologies for use in disease surveillance and prevention in higher education settings saliva-based PCR and LAMP testing and wastewater surveillance The findings will inform the development of early warning systems for future disease outbreak prevention and control Over 1,000 Antigen Tests and 775 PCR Tests were completed before students returned to campus with these numbers set to rise significantly in the coming weeks So far over 425 participants have volunteered in UCC alone including Quercus scholars Emily and Paul who have shown their support for the project Paul said: “I’m delighted to take part in the UniCoV project it allows me to ensure I stay safe on campus and reassures me that we are doing the best we can to prevent the spread of COVID-19” Emily said: “This summer I’ve been lucky enough to participate at the Olympics games and take part in a number of events here at home “It was really refreshing to be able to get out and get back to competing and it is just as good to get back to campus at UCC meeting my friends and to enjoy the campus in person “A new project which will help to keep UCC campus open and safe is UniCoV I’m participating in UniCoV as it will help to keep our athletes and UCC Teams safe both on and off the pitch it is very easy and just takes a few minutes to complete an Antigen test and saliva sample twice a week,” she said a co-Principal Investigator on the UniCov project said: is another layer to protect our community and to help prevent any asymptomatic spread of SARS-CoV-2.” rapid tests (nasal swabs) have the potential to enhance and complement the existing public health strategy for monitoring the SARS-CoV-2 virus While vaccination greatly reduces the chances of getting COVID-19 it doesn’t prevent it completely – so monitoring projects such as UniCov have a role to play in the ongoing public health effort This study will need members from the whole university community to get involved and volunteer to take part volunteers will be trained to perform rapid nasal swab antigen tests and provide saliva samples to be undertaken twice weekly on Mondays and Thursdays After completing symptom and infectious-risk checks for COVID-19 volunteers upload an image of their antigen test and scan a barcode on their saliva sample tube via a mobile phone app developed specifically for this purpose by UCC IT Services and UCC Student Health Saliva samples are dropped off by participants at the Student Health Department Volunteers will receive clear on-app and follow up e-mail advice as to what to do should they have symptoms or should their antigen test or their saliva sample be positive for the presence of SARS-COV-2 virus UCC is one of four universities taking part in UniCoV Avail of our incredible low cost Classified Rate Necessary cookies are required to enable the basic features of this site such as providing secure log-in or adjusting your consent preferences These cookies do not store any personally identifiable data Functional cookies help perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website These cookies help provide information on metrics such as the number of visitors Performance cookies are used to understand and analyse the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with customised advertisements based on the pages you visited previously and to analyse the effectiveness of the ad campaigns The first two RegioPanter trains have commenced service on the newly electrified line from Olomouc to Šumperk via Uničov in the Czech Republic České dráhy will operate four of these two-car units 27 new three-car RegioPanters of the 640 series will then commence operations on this line The modernisation of the line between Olomouc Uničov and Šumperk and new electric trains will ensure faster more comfortable and safer travel thanks to the deployment of the European ETCS security system We want to continue this kind of support for regional rail transport in other places where the railway helps ensure a more accessible route for work The first delivery of RegioPanter units of the 640 series is scheduled for April 2023 and all ordered vehicles will be deployed by June 2023 This will enable a more dynamic and comprehensive timetable to come into effect thanks to the line’s modernised railway infrastructure and the improved performance of the new electric units Czech Railways has invested more than 4 billion CZK (146 million GBP) in the purchase of these RegioPanter vehicles while an initial 1 billion CZK (36 million GBP) will be invested in a maintenance facility to support their operations The new electric units will be produced by the Škoda Transportation and Škoda Vagonka consortium and will have a capacity of almost 240 seated passengers The trains will run at speeds of up to 160 kilometres per hour and will be equipped with the most modern European ETCS safety equipment They will also offer barrier-free access for people in wheelchairs and will be equipped with a folding counter for changing babies Quality public transport is one of the main priorities for the Olomouc Region That is why I am very happy that the railway between Olomouc and Šumperk will now be served by modern train units I wish all passengers a pleasant train journey and a safe journey to their destination Trenitalia’s ‘Blues’ battery hybrid train is the first tri-mode train to enter passenger service in Europe Île-de-France Mobilités has announced that the final electric Francilien train has now commenced service at Saint-Lazare station in Paris Cottbusverkehr GmbH (CV) has exercised the option to to order an additional 15 trams from Škoda Group for the city of Cottbus Alstom and Air Products have signed an MoU to accelerate the deployment of hydrogen trains in the Czech Republic The first of Avanti West Coast's new fleet of Hitachi bi-mode trains has begun dynamic testing at Network Rail’s RIDC 3 Liberec trams are undergoing a major overhaul at the Škoda production site in Martinov as part of a tender for the repair of six T3 units Use the form to get in touch with Škoda Group directly to discuss any requirements you might have By joining the mailing list you'll receive the latest industry news and updates from our team including our weekly newsletter and eMagazine Subscribe We use cookies to enhance your browsing experience We use cookies to help you navigate efficiently and perform certain functions You will find detailed information about all cookies under each consent category below The cookies that are categorised as "Necessary" are stored on your browser as they are essential for enabling the basic functionalities of the site We also use third-party cookies that help us analyse how you use this website and provide the content and advertisements that are relevant to you These cookies will only be stored in your browser with your prior consent You can choose to enable or disable some or all of these cookies but disabling some of them may affect your browsing experience Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with customized advertisements based on the pages you visited previously and to analyze the effectiveness of the ad campaigns A system that provides real-time information on University campus infectious threats a project to develop air quality forecasts and research to assist Ireland in its green transition are among the University College Cork (UCC) projects that have received funding today through Science Foundation Ireland’s (SFI) National Challenge Fund builds on the successful UniCoV project which provided effective rapid testing and surveillance systems within Ireland’s third-level sector during the pandemic UCC had the highest participation of students and staff in this rapid detection system Professor Ciara Heavin and Dr Michael Byrne at UCC has received funding through the National Challenge Fund to take what has been learned from the success of UniCoV and bring health benefits to a national level UniHealth will provide a scalable model which can be implemented in other organisations for rapid and comprehensive crisis prediction and response "We had many learnings from the pandemic and now UniHealth will be developed to provide another layer to keep people safe from infectious diseases" stated Dr John MacSharry "There is a large community at UCC that has worked hard on this project together with wonderful support from the Chief Medical Officer infectious disease expert Professor Mary Horgan and UniCov colleagues." Funded by the EU’s Recovery and Resilience Facility the National Challenge Fund calls on researchers to identify problems related to Ireland’s Green Transition and Digital Transformation and work with those directly affected to solve them “These teams have presented ingenious ideas and committed their talents to working for the benefit of the people of Ireland” stated Minister for Further and Higher Education Innovation and Science Simon Harris TD at the launch today UCC Vice President for Research and Innovation said: "Congratulations to the UCC research teams on their National Challenge Fund awards These awards address problems related to Ireland’s green transition and digital transformation The interdisciplinary team approach to solving major environmental and societal issues aligns with our UCC Futures initiative to secure a better future for all." In total UCC received €630,000 in funding with the other projects including: A project to develop air quality forecasts in Cork and work with community groups to co-create engaging and effective air quality messages to encourage healthy behaviours and reduce public risk of exposure to dirty air Pandemic rules for cultural events revealed BBC Travel writes about Slovak mountain porters Many cultural places such as museums, libraries and galleries have reopened across Slovakia, and opal mines near Prešov will also welcome the first visitors on May 1. In addition, the Culture Ministry has presented a traffic light system for the cultural sector and events However, we won’t talk just about rules. This week’s roundup will equip you with many other stories, including basketball, a BBC Travel story about Slovakia, and a talented multi-instrumentalist based in New Zealand it is the month devoted to the Blessed Virgin Mary But many also refer to May as the month of poetry and love It has got only four short lines which were written by tax collector and scribe Leonard of Uničov while at work published on Facebook by the State Archive Prešov you may also see the face of a lady that Leonard sketched as he wrote those lines Although Leonard was born in Uničov, near the Czech town of Olomouc, he worked in the Slovak regions of Novohrad and Gemer, as well as in the town of Bardejov Although a hike up to the Ondrašová Rocks near the Ondrašová village in the Turčianske Teplice district it provides tourists with a breathtaking view of the Turiec Basin and the Žiar and Kremnica Hills It takes less than one hour to walk up to the rocks It is ideal to start the trip at the end of the only main road in the village the road runs a kilometre further across fields Visitors can park their cars by a road barrier at the end of the road walk along an unpaved road and turn right upon reaching a crossroad The 4.5-kilometre-long hiking trail is not officially marked but local enthusiasts painted trees with green-and-white signs that guide tourists to the Ondrašová Rocks A town that boasts three castles.One castle is well-preserved remains undocumented at large but can be found near Deserted Castle What time is it? This is the question a tourist may not ask when they pay a visit to the House of the Good Shepherd of the 18th century in Bratislava and more than 60 ancient timepieces are on display here Even though strict pandemic measures remain in place across Slovakia, cultural events will be hindered no more from May 3. The Culture Ministry has published a traffic light system for the Slovak arts and cultural sector follows the general Covid Automat alert system “It determines the number of visitors to an event and also the consumption of food and drinks,” Culture Minister Natália Milanová said on April 28 allows for up to 200 visitors outdoors and 150 visitors indoors Only the events at which people can sit will be allowed The events will be limited to 50 percent of venue capacity The pink colour allows for 500 visitors outdoors and 250 visitors indoors The conditions mentioned above will also apply When the traffic light system turns orange it will become region-based and cinemas will be allowed to reopen events of up to 1,000 people outdoors and 500 people indoors will be allowed The events at which people can stand will be greenlighted too No capacity limits will apply at this stage events cannot last longer than eight hours the traffic light system for the cultural sector will follow the national Covid Automat system upon its launch next week people will be required to have a negative PCR test older no more than 72 hours or a negative antigen test taken no later than 24 hours before showing up for an event we will have the cultural summer we long for,” the minister noted Beekeeping has a long tradition on the territory of Slovakia. It has become so popular again in recent years that bees are now kept in cities as well. Get to know some of the Slovak honey and mead producers and where to set out on a trip to learn more about honey and mead the ancient house was full of bird excrement and holes since then Czech artist felt honoured when her paintings disappeared When a thief steals a famous painting, it is usually of a deceased artist such as Van Gogh. However, a young Czech artist also went through such an experience. When she met one of the thieves, she made friends with him and created a documentary about the man and their bond The film took home an award from the 2020 Sundance Film Festival The Slovak basketball giant of 208 centimetres, Stanislav “Kily” Kropilák, will become the first player from Slovakia to be inducted into the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) Hall of Fame in mid-June the retired Inter Bratislava player was named the Slovak basketball player of the century The FIBA Magazine listed him among the 50 best players of all time in 1991 Following the female coach Natália Hejková he will now become the second Slovak to be inducted into the hall of fame His nickname ‘Kily’ comes from the name of the skier Jean-Claude Killy The then communist regime allowed him to play for teams in former Czechoslovakia He became one of the European basketball stars although there was a chance to leave for the USA after the 1976 Montreal Olympics “Three universities wanted me. Wake Forest the most,” he said. “I could have been the first athlete from here to study at and play for an American university My career might have turned out differently.” he still manages the Inter Bratislava club What difference does he see in basketball between now and then “Basketball used to be an absolutely contactless sport…Today basketball is largely about physical strength,” he said noting that players were happier to play the game back then Football: Real Madrid is rumoured to sell Raphael Varane in the summer and replace him with one of three potential defenders. Slovak player Milan Škriniar, who plays for Inter Milan, is one of them. (Fichajes.net) Architecture: Check out the pictures of modern Hotel Bjornson chalets in the Demänovská Valley, which were designed by Michiel De Backer and Martin Mikovčák. (The Spaces) Sherpas: Read a recent BBC Travel story about Slovak porters who have been carrying heavy loads up and down mountain trails for many years, currently Europe’s last sherpas, as Yvonne Gordon writes. (BBC) Museum: The revitalised Czechoslovak Museum in the French town of Darney will reopen in late June Market: Trstená and Dolný Kubín, towns in the north of Slovakia, will invest funds in new market stands Discovery: Archaeologists have found the remains of a burial ground from the Great Moravian era in Slovenská Nová Ves Festival: The intimate version of Art Film Fest Košice will take place in late June of this year as the pandemic fades but we will extend our search to New Zealand Henika is an independent musician and music producer who was born in Slovakia but moved with her family over to New Zealand when she was a little girl she has released a new single titled Strange Creatures that features various New Zealand birds such as the Tui The musician decided to donate all profits from the single to volunteers who help in predator-free sanctuaries on some of the New Zealand islands where Henika recorded all the bird sounds The Slovak-New Zealand artist goes on to prove her talent in the video The masks and costumes were made by Henika herself That is it. Thank you for reading the Spectacular Slovakia weekly roundup. Have a lovely weekend. See you next Friday.- Peter @PeterDlhopolecHave you got any questions You can reach Peter at peter.dlhopolec@spectator.sk.