News of Radio Prague
German expert: Temelin is unsafe
The renowned German nuclear safety expert Helmut Hirsch has published a study claiming that the Czech nuclear power station Temelin is more dangerous than other modern nuclear plants. The study claims that the chance of radioactivity leaking from the plant is ten times higher than at other nuclear facilities.
Temelin has suffered a series of setbacks since commencing test operations last year. The plant is fiercely opposed by Austrian environmentalists, who say its mixture of Soviet design and American technology is dangerous.
Audit Authority: Experts work for police 27 hours a day
An in-depth audit carried out by the Supreme Audit Authority has revealed serious shortcomings in accounts of the Czech police. The Audit Authority said that the regional police directorates pay independent experts excessive amounts of money for analysis. The audit showed some experts declared 27 hours of work per day for the police, besides having a regular job elsewhere. The Interior Ministry said that measures will be adopted to prevent such fraudulent practices in the future.
CSO orders data safety audit
The Czech Statistical Office has asked for an audit of the technical and legal safety of data during the processing of census questionnaires. The Czech Statistics Office was reacting to concerns voiced repeatedly by the Office for the Protection of Personal Data and independent experts. The nation-wide census which took place three weeks ago was preceded by discussions in the media, casting doubt on the safety of sensitive personal data provided by citizens.
Man sentenced to 14.5 years in prison for cocaine smuggling
A 58-year old Czech man has been sentenced to nearly 15 years in prison for large-scale drug smuggling. The man was found guilty of organising the smuggling of 4,500 coffee cans containing cocaine from Columbia to the Czech Republic in 1997. Both the state attorney and the defendant have appealed the verdict.
Czechs: we're poor, and things are going to get even worse
Although Czech GDP rose by 3 percent in the year 2000, one third of Czechs are convinced the economic situation in the country is worsening. Recent opinion polls revealed that two thirds of more than 1,600 respondents were worried about their financial future, while 40 percent of Czech families described themselves as poor.
Czech weather forecast
And finally, the weather forecast. The wave of cold air flowing into Central Europe from the North-East should continue on Tuesday. We're expecting a partially cloudy day with scattered snow showers. The highest daytime temperatures should range from 2 to 6 degrees Celsius. Wednesday and Thursday should also be cloudy but a little warmer, with afternoon highs up to 9 degrees Celsius.
