News Monday, SEPTEMBER 04th, 2000
Hello and welcome to the programme. I'm Nick Carey and this is the news. First, a look at the headlines:
Those were the headlines, now the news in more detail:
Water leak at Temelin
According to the State Office for Nuclear Safety, a small water leak has been discovered at the Temelin nuclear power plant, which is due to go on line within two week, during pressure tests on the first reactor. The chairwoman of the institution, Dana Drabova, said that this was a small leak, and that this is a common occurrence in nuclear power plants. The leak was discovered in the primary circuit of the reactor, where safety features are vital, as it contains large amounts of radioactive water. The leak, the nuclear safety office stated, is currently being repaired.
Schroeder: Germany no territorial claims in Eastern Europe
In an unprecedented move on Sunday, German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder addressed a conference in Berlin of Germans who were forced out of Eastern European countries at the end of WWII. Mr. Schroeder is the first chancellor to address the former exiles. The chancellor acknowledged the brutality suffered by 12 million ethnic Germans after the war, 3 million of which were forced out of Czechoslovakia. But, the chancellor added, Germany has no territorial claims on its neighbours and relations with these countries would not be strained over issues from the past. The Czech government welcomed the German Chancellor's statement. According to a government spokesman, this confirms the strong position of Czech-German relations, which are, he said, the best that they have ever been.
Army to provide 1,600 troops for IMF/World Bank meetings
The Czech army is to provide up to 1,600 troops to help the police force during the upcoming IMF/World Bank meetings in Prague. According to the police co-ordinator in charge of security for the meetings, the majority of the troops will serve in mixed patrols in districts around the country. The police officers from these districts are to be drafted into Prague to help the local police force. The Prague police force is to provide 6,000 officers to police the meetings, and a further 5,000 will be provided by outlying regions.
Committee against reburial of remains at medieval Jewish cemetery
The Committee for the Preservation of Jewish Cemeteries in Europe has spoken out against the reburial of remains at a medieval Jewish cemetery in Prague. The remains were discovered on the construction site for the new headquarters of the Czech insurance company Ceska Pojistovna. As part of a deal between the Prague Jewish community, the insurance company and the Czech government, the remains are due to be reburied on the site. According to the committee, the remains should not be reburied on the site, as this would breach Jewish laws. Jews may only be buried, the committee said, on sites blessed for the purpose. As this is not the case at the medieval site, the committee proposes that the remains be reburied elsewhere.
And finally, the weather forecast.
The weather in the Czech Republic on Tuesday should see overcast or cloudy skies, with rain showers expected in places. The highest daytime temperatures should reach eighteen degrees Celsius. Temperatures during the night should reach a maximum of ten degrees Celsius.
I'm Nick Carey, and that's the end of the news.
