Daily news summary
Former Czech coal-mining company manager detained in Geneva
Swiss police are reported to have detained Petr Kraus, a former manager in the MUS coal mining company, whom a Swiss court sentenced to 16 months in jail in 2013 for siphoning off money from MUS which he and four other managers deposited in Swiss banks.
Kraus, who was arrested at Geneva airport, is reported to have been taken to the Fribourg jailhouse to serve his sentence. He is currently also being tried in the Czech Republic in connection with the same case.
Police propose pressing charges of hate speech in connection with Christchurch attacks
The police have proposed filing charges of hate speech against an unnamed individual in connection with verbal attacks posted online in connection with the Christchurch attacks in New Zealand.
According to the internet daily Denik N the police are investigating several other people in connection with similar offenses, based on two dozen posts which appeared in the wake of the attacks.
They were condemned in the strongest terms by both Interior Minister Jan Hamáček and Police President Jan Švejdar who warned that hate speech and propagating terrorism online would not be tolerated.
Czech indie-pop band Lake Malawi in Eurovision final
The Czech indie-pop band Lake Malawi will compete in Saturday’s final of the Eurovision Song Contest in Tel Aviv.
The popular band, fronted by singer-songwriter Albert Černý, reached the final with the song Friend of a Friend.
They will be up against finalists from Albania, North Macedonia, Russia, Sweden and The Netherlands, among others.
Černý said he and the other band members mainly wanted to savour the experience.
Lake Malawi has played over 300 gigs in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland, Austria and Britain.
Czech Radio opens its doors on 96th birthday
Czech Radio opened its doors to the public on Saturday on the occasion of its 96th birthday.
Visitors to the station’s main headquarters at Vinohradska 12 were given a tour of the building, shown the newsroom and met their favourite radio personalities. The birthday celebration traditionally included an open air event and concert at the nearby Riegrovy sady.
Czechoslovak Radio broadcasts began on May 18th 1923, from a military tent in Prague-Kbely, making Czechoslovakia the second European country after the UK to have regular radio broadcasting.
Open House Prague festival underway
Many of Prague’s historic and architectural jewels opened to the public this weekend within the Open House Prague festival, now in its fifth year.
Visitors can admire the interiors of more than 80 of the city’s Gothic, Baroque and Modernist buildings as well as spaces usually inaccessible to the public such as gardens, sports stadiums and railway stations.
The festival first took place in the Czech Republic in 2015 and has gained increasing popularity over the years.
Czechs beat Italy 8:0 at the Ice Hockey World Championship
The Czechs thrashed Italy 8:0 at the Ice Hockey World Championship in Bratislava on Friday night, edging the team closer to the quarterfinals.
Milan Gulaš, who is playing his first championship scored the opening goal, with Radko Gudas, Michael Frolík, Jan Kovář a Dmitrij Jaškin scoring another four in the second period.
Another three goals in the final period from Dominik Simon, Jaškin and Frolík sealed Italy’s fate. The Czech team next faces Austria on Sunday.
Weather forecast
Sunday should be partly cloudy to overcast with rain in places and day temperatures between 19 and 23 degrees.
