News of Radio Prague
Social Democrat senators nominate Zeman for presidential vote
Members of the senior coalition Social Democrats have nominated former leader Milos Zeman to stand in Friday's presidential election. Mr Zeman, a former prime minister, is likely to face two opponents in Friday's vote, the second attempt to elect a successor to President Vaclav Havel. The opposition Civic Democrats have nominated Vaclav Klaus, also a former prime minister, while the two junior coalition parties - the Christian Democrats and the Freedom Union - have nominated Senator Jaroslava Moserova. Observers say with the ruling coalition again fielding two different candidates, Friday's vote is unlikely to produce a successor.
Britain returns 90 Czech Roma after unsuccessful asylum requests
Britain has returned around 90 Czech citizens - almost all of whom believed to be members of the Roma minority - after they were denied asylum in the UK. It was the latest in a series of forcible repatriations of Czech Roma by the British authorities. British officials recently resumed screening all passengers flying to the United Kingdom from Prague's Ruzyne airport. Britain first launched the controls in June 2001, in an effort to prevent Czech Roma from applying for asylum in the UK.
Vehicle with seven homeward-bound soldiers crashes in Kuwait
Seven Czech soldiers on their way home from Kuwait were delayed on Monday when their vehicle crashed in the desert. Several soldiers were reportedly hurt, none seriously, in the accident which occurred on a military base. One of them will be transferred to a Czech hospital for treatment. The soldiers are part of a Czech anti-chemical weapons unit which could join a U.S.-led war on Iraq. The seven were the first of two dozen soldiers who have chosen to return home rather than serve in Iraq, citing ill health or homesickness.
Man dies after attack by neighbour's dog
A man in Ostrava has died after being attacked by his neighbour's dog. Police say the neighbour set the dog on him during a drunken argument. The incident took place in the garden of the building where the two men lived in neighbouring apartments. Doctors say the man bled to death after being savaged by the dog, a German shepherd. The owner has been arrested and charged with inflicting grievous bodily harm.
Police say drowned man not victim of summer flood disaster
Police say the body of a man discovered along the banks of the River Vltava on Monday was not a victim of last summer's flood disaster. An autopsy proved the man died in December, during a second wave of flooding that hit parts of Bohemia before Christmas. The death toll from the summer's floods stands at 17.
Weather forecast
Wednesday will be a mostly cloudy day, with drizzle or freezing rain in places. Temperatures in the daytime will range between 1 and 5 degrees Celsius, falling at night to lows of minus 3 in places.
