News of Radio Prague
Langer supports Tosenovsky's bid to become leader of Civic Democrats
The deputy leader of the opposition Civic Democrats, Ivan Langer, has said that he supports Evzen Tosenovsky's bid to take over as party leader at the Civic Democrats' conference in December. Mr Tosenovksy, the governor of Moravia and Silesia, announced last weekend that he plans to challenge current leader Vaclav Klaus for the chairmanship of the party. Mr Langer told the daily Lidove Noviny the Civic Democrats needed a leader like Mr Tosenovsky, who would be less confrontational and have broader appeal.
Czech Republic's third case of mad cow disease discovered
The Czech Republic's third case of mad cow disease has been recorded on a farm near the Moravian capital Brno. The latest case of BSE was found in a five-year-old cow that was slaughtered on Wednesday. A spokesperson for the state veterinary authority said on Friday that the results still had to be confirmed by further tests. The country's first case of mad cow disease was discovered in June last year, with the second case being recorded two months later.
Czech EU accession talks should be completed this year, says Cibrian
The Czech Republic's accession talks with the European Union should be completed in Copenhagen by the end of this year, the EU ambassador to Prague, Ramiro Cibrian, said in Ostrava on Friday. Mr Cibrian said that the annual report on candidate countries' readiness to join the European Union - to be published in two week's time - would show that there was no doubt about the Czech Republic's suitability for membership.
Police arrest man in possession of large amount of unlicensed heavy weaponry
Police in central Bohemia have arrested a man who was in possession of a large amount of heavy weaponry. Since 1995 the man, who is 48, had acquired 62 weapons, including sub-machine guns, machine guns, anti-aircraft guns, pistols and a mortar. Police said the man did not have a licence for any of the weapons.
St Vitus Cathedral's "Zigmund" bell ready to ring on St Wenceslas' Day
The giant bell at Prague's St Vitus Cathedral known as "Zigmund" rang out for the first time in over four months at 11:00 a.m. on Friday. The bell's clapper - dating from 1789 - broke on June 15, the second day of general elections in the country, an event which some saw as a bad omen. "Zigmund", which is only rung on special occasions and days of national importance, has been repaired in time for St Wenceslas' day, September 28.
Weather
Saturday should be sunny in places with occasional showers, and temperatures between nine and 13 degrees Celsius. Sunday is expected to be quite sunny, with temperatures of up to 16 degrees Celsius.
