News of Radio Prague

Ultra light plane crashed at show, four injured

Four people were injured at an air-show near Decin, north Bohemia, over the weekend when the pilot of an ultra light plane lost control of the aircraft and crashed onto the airfield. No one was killed in the accident but the organizers say it was a mercy the accident happened after the show had been officially concluded and only a few people were still wondering around the airfield. The pilot emerged unharmed but the police have now filed charges against him for presenting a public threat. Several eyewitnesses alleged they saw him drinking beer before the flight .Two of the injured remain in hospital with serious injuries, two were released after getting out-patient treatment.

Several new laws take effect

A number of new laws went into effect as of July 1st , among them a new witness protection law, tougher penalties for graffiti artists and improved living conditions for foreigners in the Czech Republic. Under the new witness protection law crown witnesses will be assigned body guards around the clock , the state will give them and their families a new identity, a new life abroad and – if that is their preference –even a new face. An amendment to the criminal code will likewise make life harder for graffiti artists. The penalty for damaging property with spray paint ranges from steep fines to eight years in prison, depending on the historic value of the building and prior transgressions. And, an amendment to the foreigners law should do away with a lot of obsolete red tape and correct certain problem areas such as the rights of children born to foreigners in the Czech Republic.

Police using ESPs to find missing child

The police are using ESPs in an effort to make some headway in the search for a missing five year old girl. Terezka Cermakova disappeared without trace from her home town twelve days ago and all efforts to find her have so far failed. The child's mother, who attempted to commit suicide a week after her disappearance, has been unable to provide the police with any clues, since she was under the influence of alcohol at the time of her daughter's disappearance. The police say they have no leads left to follow up and are working with the dozen or so ESPs who have contacted them in the hope that one of them might shed more light on the child's disappearance. Several policemen remain on the case but hopes of finding the little girl alive have dimmed.

Eight killed on Czech roads over the weekend

Eight people lost their lives in car accidents on Czech roads over the weekend. Police say this was due to heightened activity on the roads, speeding and distraction on the part of many drivers. The first weekend of the school holidays, on which parents drive their offspring to holiday destinations in the country- side, is well known for bringing tragic statistics. Despite repeated warnings from traffic police this year has been no exception.

Weather

Monday is expected to bring partly cloudy skies with rain in places and day temps between 18 and 22 degs C. No significant change is expected until mid-week.