News

Czech TV: Telicka considering leaving the civil service

Public broadcaster Czech TV has reported that the Czech Republic's current Commissioner to the European Union, Pavel Telicka, is considering giving up the civil service once his mandate ends in October this year. Mr Telicka's original mandate - till 2009 - was cut short by the Czech government following the collapse of the cabinet of Vladimir Spidla, who has since been nominated for the post of Commissioner in Mr Telicka's stead.

On Friday Mr Telicka told Czech TV he could not say whether he would stay on in Brussels or return to Prague, indicating he might take a step towards a career in the private sector. Earlier, in July, he refused current Prime Minister Stanislav Gross' offer to take on an advisory post in the Foreign Office.

Six killed, one year-old survives, horrific car accident

Six people including two children were killed in a car accident near the east Bohemian village of Gajary early Saturday. The accident took place at around 1 am when the passengers' vehicle was struck head-on by a van, whose driver suffered injury and is now in hospital. Police are not ruling out alcohol as a factor in the accident. The six people killed were members of two families headed for vacation in Slovakia: a one-year-old child was the sole passenger in the car to survive the crash.

Doktor, Brejchova, come up short of bronze at Olympic Games

Czech canoeist Martin Doktor failed to clinch a medal in two finals on Friday and Saturday morning, when he competed in the men's kilometre and 500 metre events. In the first, Doktor came in 4th place, the second, 5th. Perhaps even more frustrating for Czech fans was Nikola Brejchova's finish in Friday evening's final in the women's javelin. Brejchova held a strong second for most of the final but was beaten by two competitors in the last round to slip to 4th place.

The Czechs have one more chance to clinch a medal Saturday evening in the men's javelin, in which the legendary Jan Zelezny is competing.

Other news from the Games

Cyclist Radim Korinek came in 22nd in the men's mountain bike final on Saturday morning that was won by French mountain biker Julien Absalon.

Sebrle to carry flag

Decathlon gold medal winner Roman Sebrle has been chosen to carry the Czech Republic's national flag at the Olympic Games' closing ceremony on Sunday.

Weather

Sunday is expected to be cloudy with sunny intervals and daytime temperatures of about 24 degrees Celsius.