News

Karlovy Vary win first extra league ice hockey title

In ice hockey, Karlovy Vary have won their first extra league title in the club’s 76 year old history. The west Bohemian club took the title with a 4: 3 home victory against Slavia Prague on Sunday night to give them a 4:2 lead in the series. Karlovy Vary came back after trailing 3:0 in the game. The victory is revenge for the defeat suffered by Karlovy Vary in the finals last year against the same opponent, Slavia Prague.

Slavia Prague attacker Jaroslav Bednář doubtful for World Championships

Slavia Prague attacker Jaroslav Bednář, one of the stars of the finals and domestic ice hockey extra league, admitted after the game against Karlovy Vary that he had played with a fractured leg. His chance of playing for the Czech Republic in the ice hockey World Championships in Switzerland is now threatened. The player said after the defeat that he would now rest up and see what happens. The world championships begin on April 24. Bednář is credited with 39 goals and 53 assists over the last season, an extra league record.

Police on standby for top of the table football clash

In football, around 500 police were on standby for the high risk top of the table derby clash between Slavia Prague and Sparta Prague on Monday. Slavia went into the home game with an 11 point lead over their historic rivals and the chance to put the title almost beyond doubt. Both teams have had problems scoring of late. That did not appear to have put off spectators with the early evening match sold out. The game ended in a 1:1 draw.

Czech Catholic Church criticises new Czech version of the bible

Czech and Moravian Catholic bishops have criticised a new Czech translation of the bible. They say the translation is imprecise in some aspects and departs from accepted standpoints and liturgical terminology. In a statement, the church body, the bishops’ conference, added that the new version was missing seven books from the Old Testament and others were translated in abbreviated versions. Accompanying explanation for readers was also lacking, it added. The new version – described as a translation for the 21st century - is the first new version of the bible for 30 years and uses modern, contemporary Czech. The previous version, the Czech ecumenical translation dating from the 1970’s, still used archaic language.

Social Democrat leader seen as responsible for crisis: poll

The leader of the main opposition Social Democratic Party, Jiří Paroubek, is mainly held responsible for the recent political crisis according to a poll released by the news site lidovky.cz on Monday. A poll by the Median agency found 44 percent of those questioned identified Mr Paroubek as being responsible for the crisis which toppled the centre-right coalition government just over two weeks ago. Outgoing Prime Minister Mirek Topolánek was blamed by 41 percent. Around a third of those questioned also identified Mr Paroubek as the main gainer from the crisis. The government collapsed mid way through the Czech EU presidency after a surprise defeat in the no-confidence vote.

Czech EU presidency regrets upsurge in Thai violence

The Czech EU presidency has expressed deep concern at the violent clashes that have taken place on the streets of the Thai capital Bangkok between the security service and army and anti-government protesters, the Czech News Agency reported on Monday. The statement called for protesters to refrain from further violence and called for a settlement to be sought though democratic dialogue within the constitution. One person was reported killed and at least 90 people during clashes which have culminated with an army and security forces clamp down on protesters calling for the overthrow of the current government. The demonstrators succeeded in cancelling a summit of South-East Asian countries in the coastal town of Pattaya on Saturday.

Fire service faces heavy workload from record spring temperatures

Record Spring temperatures across the country have doubled the fire service’s normal Easter workload. Fire services were called out to more than 360 fires over the three days starting on Good Friday. These included major fires around Cheb, Rakovník and Mladá Boleslav. Record spring temperatures have in many cases encouraged Czechs to burn garden waste with grass and woodlands already dry. Temperatures in Prague hit a 228 year record of 23.3 Celsius on Saturday.

EU environment ministers start key climate talks in Prague

EU environment ministers start a two-day informal meeting in Prague on Tuesday. At the top of their agenda will be discussions over climate change and whether the EU 27 should be bound by common strategy or a more binding legal framework for action. The ministers will also be preparing for the EU’s negotiating stance at the UN climate change conference in Copenhagen in December. The conference will attempt to set worldwide targets for cutting emissions of greenhouse gases after 2012. Particular attention will be focused on what offer will be made by the new US administration of President Barack Obama.

Czech insurance sector chiefs see lower growth for 2009

Leaders of the Czech Insurance industry have predicted that growth in the sector will slow this year to less than 2008’s 4.9 percent as a result of the economic crisis. Heads of the main Czech insurance companies were polled by the Czech Insurance Association’s magazine. Most insurance bosses warned that companies and businesses would try to cut their premium payments. The head of the Uniqa company, Martin Žáček, said he saw the whole sector growing by only 3.3 percent this year.

Weather

It should continue to be sunny with mostly blue skies over the next couple of days. Daytime temperatures are expected to remain around 19-23 degrees Celsius.