Daily news summary
Czech Foreign Ministry refuses to assist Night Wolves' ride
The Czech Foreign Ministry has dismissed Russia's request for assistance in the Night Wolves' ride across the Czech territory, adding that riders must apply for a permit themselves. The ministry said on Friday that it would be difficult to settle the application in time. Meanwhile, President Miloš Zeman said that he could see nothing bad about the planned ride, describing the reactions to it as "hysterical".
The Night Wolves, a motorcycle gang with close ties to the Kremlin, want to commemorate the victory of the Soviet troops over the Nazi Germany 70 years ago by a ride across Poland, Slovakia, the Czech Republic and Austria, ending in Berlin on May 9. They set off from Moscow on Saturday despite Poland's announcemnt that it would refuse to let them in the country.
Police conclude investigation into murder of Czech tourists in Egypt
Police have concluded an investigation into the murder of two Czechs, a mother and daughter, who died in the Hurgada resort in summer 2013, Mladá Fronta daily wrote on Saturday. The father of the family, Petr Kramný, was charged with murdering his 36-year old wife and eight-year-old daughter by electrocution. Mr Kramný, who has been in custody since February 2014, denies any wrongdoing and insists that his wife and daughter were poisoned. If convicted of the murders Kramný faces from 15 to 20 years in jail.
No Czechs reported dead in Nepal earthquake
The Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs is trying to contact all Czech citizens in Nepal, which was hit by a powerful earthquake on Saturday. Several hundred people are reported to have died during the earthquake, which measured 7.9 on the Richter scale, but the death toll is likely to be much higher, with many people still trapped under the rubble. Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Michaela Lagronová said no Czech citiznes are reported to have died in the disaster. She also said the ministry is trying to locate all Czech citizens in the affected area, although it is very difficult under the present circumstances.
Former Czech ice hockey international to pay damages to family of car accident victim
Former Czech ice hockey international and coach Ladislav Lubina has been ordered to pay half a million crowns in damages to the family of a man he killed in a car accident, Mladá Fronta daily reported on Saturday. Lubina caused a four-vehicle crash near Hradec Králové in 2007, fleeing the scene. The man who was killed in the crash was the father of former football international Vratislav Lokvenc. However, Mr Lubina cannot pay the imposed fine since he has declared insolvency and faces seizure of property.
Tennis: Jiří Veselý reaches final in Bucharest
The Czech tennis player Jiří Veselý has reached his second ATP World Tour final, after beating Spain's Daniel Gimen 2:6, 6:1, 6:4 in the semi-finals in Bucharest on Saturday. The 21-year old player won the first ATP title of his carrer in January this year at the Heineken Open in Auckland, New Zealand. The seventh-seeded Czech will face the winner of the second semi-final between Gael Monfils and Guillermo Garcia-Lopez on Sunday.
Czech car racer dies in Austria
Czech car racer Otakar Krámský died in Austria's Rechberg on Saturday during a training ride for the European Hill Climb Championship, after his car skidded off the track and hit a tree. According to his coleague, the accident was caused by a technical defect. Krámský, who was 55 years old, was a multiple Czech champion in hill climb races and a three-time European title winner.
Czechs beat Finland 3:2 in ice hockey warm-up
In ice hockey, the Czech national team beat Finland for the second time in three days with a 3:2 victory in Brno on Friday. The decisive goal came from Jakub Voráček in a shootout. Two of the other Czech goals were scored by Michal Jordán and Vladimír Sobotka. Jaromír Jágr also featured in the Czech line-up. The duel, which was part of the Euro Hockey Tour, was the last warm up match for the world championships, which start in Prague and Ostrava at the beginning of May.
