News

Cuba's explanation of arrests incomplete, unsatisfactory, says Prague

The Czech Foreign Ministry has described as incomplete and unsatisfactory Cuba's explanation of why two Czech women were arrested on the island. The ministry issued the statement after a meeting on Wednesday between Cuba's charge d'affaires in Prague and Czech officials. Former miss Czech Republic Helena Houdova and psychologist Mariana Kroftova were held for 11 hours last week after being arrested while taking photographs in a poor district of Havana.

Biggest crime gang trial ever begins

The biggest trial involving an alleged criminal gang ever held in the Czech Republic got underway on Wednesday. Fifty-one members of the alleged gang, led by David Berdych, are due to appear before the Central Bohemian Regional Court on charges of murder, robbery, kidnapping and extortion relating to crimes committed between 1996 and 2002. Prosecutors say there are links between gang members and elite anti-organised crime detectives. The Berdych gang are said to have used police uniforms and arms as well as false documents.

Paroubek under fire after show host told apparently racist jokes

The prime minister, Jiri Paroubek, has come under fire for appearing in a pre-election stage show in which the host told apparently racist jokes. Daily Mlada fronta Dnes said on Wednesday that the host of the "Premiere with the Premier" show, Jiri Krampol, had told jokes suggesting Romanies avoided work and committed petty crimes. Mr Paroubek has rejected the newspaper's allegations, saying he is no way racist. For his part Mr Krampol, an actor, says if jokes can be made about blondes or doctors, they can equally be made about Romanies.

Football goalkeeper Cech set to become best paid Czech sports person ever

International football goalkeeper Petr Cech is set to become the best paid Czech sports person of all time, after signing a contract extension that will keep him at English club Chelsea until 2010. Agency reports suggest Cech, who is 23, could make over 10 million dollars a year. He has set a number of Premier League goalkeeping records since moving to Chelsea in the summer of 2004, and was recently voted best goalkeeper in the world.

Weather

Temperatures are set to rise above freezing to around 3 degrees Celsius over the next few days before it gets colder again at the start of next week. It will be cloudy with some sunny spells.