News
Dagmar Havlova - the former First Lady - is being treated for heart problems and a chronic thyroid gland condition
The wife of former president Vaclav Havel is being treated for a chronic thyroid gland condition and unspecified heart problems. Dagmar Havlova, aged 52, acknowledged in a statement that she was seeking treatment, after a series of reports on her health appeared in the Czech tabloid Blesk. She said doctors had recommended extensive rest and asked that the media respect her privacy and allow her to recover in peace. A film and theatre actress before she became First Lady, Dagmar Havlova had announced plans to return to the stage in March. Friends of the family were quoted as saying that was still her intention.
Senators have agreed on a candidate judge - Vladimir Kurka - to fill the last vacant seat on the Constitutional Court
The upper house of Parliament has nominated a candidate to fill the last vacancy on the 15-member Constitutional Court. The nomination of Judge Vladimir Kurka, aged 57, was supported in a secret ballot by 61 of 65 senators present for the Thursday, the state news agency CTK reported. Judge Kurka has worked with the Supreme Court since 1996 and specialises in civil proceedings. He has never been a registered member of a political party. Czech President Vaclav Klaus is expected to approve Judge Kurka's appointment to the Constitutional Court this month.
Deputies agree to extend until end 2006 Czech peacekeeping operations in the Balkans, Iraq and Afghanistan
The lower house of Parliament has voted to extend until the end of 2006 ongoing Czech military and peacekeeping missions in the Balkans, Iraq and Afghanistan. Deputies also agreed to more than double to 150 the number of Czech soldiers and personnel dispatched to Afghanistan, where a Czech contingent will take control of the Afghan capital's airport. In Iraq, the Czechs will maintain about 100 experts either training Iraqi security forces or working at a British military hospital. The main opposition Civic Democratic Party agreed to the extensions but said they would like the Czech Republic to participate in fewer missions, in order to make better use of "limited resources".
An activist has been cleared of violating the Prime Minister's privacy by publicising his mobile phone number
Municipal authorities in the town of Trutnov, some 100 kilometres east of Prague, have ruled that an activist who publicly announced the Czech prime minister's mobile phone number -- at a local music festival -- did not commit an offence. After activist Stanislav Penc gave out Jiri Paroubek's number at a concert this autumn, thousands of people sent the Prime Minister phone text messages. Most expressed indignation over police action months earlier to shut down a free music festival known as CzechTek. Activist Stanislav Penc successfully argued that he had not violated anyone's personal privacy. The mobile phone number he publicised was already listed on the official webpage of the Social Democratic Party of which Mr Paroubek is chairman.
The BBC Czech service - slated for closure - may carry on broadcasting on the commercial channel BBC Worldwide
An official from the BBC's Czech language service - which has been slated for closure by London along with ten other foreign language services - has said the radio station's management hopes to form a joint venture with a local partner and continue broadcasting. Michal Rucicka said in an interview that the new-old service would be carried by BBC Worldwide, a commercial branch of Britain's public broadcaster. The BBC Czech service has an audience share of less than 1 per cent, but is popular with decision makers. The BBC is to launch an Arabic-language TV station and is closing down Czech and other foreign-language services to help fund that venture.
Skoda Octavia named 'best import' in German automotive magazine's annual 'Auto Trophy' readers' survey
The new Skoda Octavia has been named "best import" in Germany's annual "Auto Trophy" poll. The prize is announced by the motoring magazine "Auto Zeitung". This year, more than 90,000 readers of the magazine voted in the poll. Skoda Auto has been part of the Volkswagen Group since 1991. The new Octavia model was named 2005 car of the year in the Czech Republic, where it is manufactured, as well as in Bulgaria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Finland, Lithuania, Serbia and Montenegro, Ukraine, and Great Britain.
Czech Airlines (CSA) to begin twice-daily flights from Prague to Brno as of next week
The state-run carrier Czech Airlines (CSA) will open a new line between the capital Prague and Brno, the country's second-biggest city. As of Dec. 12, Czech Airlines will operate two flights daily, in both directions. The distance between the two cities is some 200 kilometres (125 miles).
Weather
Clear skies and below freezing temperatures is the forecast for the next few days.
