News
Website: Dutch arrest suspect with possible link to Prague casino attack
A Czech-language website (novinky.cz) has reported that earlier this week Dutch law officials arrested a suspect who may have ordered last month's Prague casino attack. On August 1st an unknown assailant lobbed a grenade at a vehicle belonging to a Prague-based Israeli casino owner, rumoured to have ties in the underworld.
The attack, in which 18 pedestrians and tourists were injured on a busy Prague street, was widely considered as a settling of scores between rival gangs.
The suspect is reportedly Itzik Abergil, an influential boss in the Israeli underworld, says Czech website novinky.cz quoting the Israeli press. Dutch authorities detained Mr Abergil in Amsterdam on Wednesday on suspicion of drug smuggling from Belgium to the Netherlands.
Priest's murder shocks residents in small town
The murder of a local priest has shocked residents in the town of Trebenice, North Bohemia. At around 5 am local time on Saturday fire-fighters were called to the local rectory which had been set alight, only to discover the 78-year-old priest still alive but mortally wounded. Sometime later the man succumbed to his injuries. A police investigation is underway, with speculation that the priest had surprised a burglar during a robbery, and that the assailant had set the rectory alight in an effort to cover his tracks.
World Cup of Hockey semi-finals: Canada 4 Czech Rep 3
It took an extra period of overtime to decide a 3-3 hockey thriller between the Czech Republic and Team Canada on Saturday night, that saw Canada ultimately go through on a winner by forward Vincent Lecavalier. Both the Czechs and Canadians played well in a furiously-paced game that saw both teams earn excellent chances, including a mid-game break-away chance by Canadian legend Mario Lemieux, that was snuffed out by Czech goalie Tomas Vokoun.
In terms of overall shots the Czechs were dominant in the game, out-shooting Canada 40-24. However, Canada saw excellent form from Roberto Luongo, who had replaced an injured Martin Brodeur in net. And, it was Canada who took a dominant 2-0 lead in the second period. While the Czechs came back on goals by Petr Cajanek and Martin Havlat, Canada made it three in the third, to raise the bar again.
When Patrick Elias scored to make it even once more it would be the last Czech goal of the night, nevertheless, afterwards Czech team coach Vladimir Ruzicka said he was satisfied with his team's performance, saying the game had seen excellent play.
The highly touted semi-final between the Czechs and Team Canada lived up to expectations, and was reminiscent of the 1998 Olympics semi-final in Nagano, Japan, where it was the Czechs who just edged Canada in penalty shots.
Chelsea's Petr Cech earns yet another clean-sheet
Net minder Petr Cech has earned his fourth clean-sheet in five games, as his football side, Chelsea, tied with Aston Villa on Saturday in the English Premiership. In a notable moment in the game the Czech goalkeeper erased a chance by Hitzlsperger on a free-kick, keeping the game even.
Chelsea has now conceded just one goal in a total of five games.
Weather
Monday is expected to be sunny with daytime temperatures of 21 degrees Celsius.
