News of Radio Prague
Authorities order new proceedings against man who shot dead Nigerian diplomat
The senior state prosecutor's office in Prague has ordered police to reopen the case against 72-year-old Jiri Pasovsky, who shot dead a diplomat at the Nigerian embassy in February. Mr Pasovsky, a retired doctor, was declared criminally insane and admitted to a psychiatric hospital, and the criminal proceedings against him were halted. However in September he was released from hospital on his own request. The Nigerian embassy sent an official letter of protest to the Czech government over the affair. Nigeria has also announced it is closing its embassy in Prague, although it claims this is unrelated to the shooting incident.
NATO launches rapid-response force, including elite Czech anti-chemical unit
NATO has formally launched its rapid response force, which includes the Czech Republic's elite nuclear, biological and chemical unit. The 9,000-strong NATO Response Force (NRF) will be capable of deployment to troublespots anywhere in the world within five days. When complete, the force should number more than 20,000 troops. Among them is the 500-strong Czech-led anti-chemical unit based in Liberec, which saw action in the 1991 Gulf War and the US-led invasion of Iraq. The Czech Republic joined NATO in 1999.
Civic Democrats call for resignations over "corrupt and unprofessional" police
The main opposition Civic Democrats have called on Interior Minister Stanislav Gross and police chief Jiri Kolar to resign over what the party describes as the country's "corrupt and unprofessional" police force. Civic Democrat deputy chairman Ivan Langer told reporters the two were responsible for a range of problems in the police force, including rampant corruption, distortion of statistics and low respect among the public. The police recently launched high-profile campaigns targeting bad drivers and illegal prostitution. The opposition and some in the media have dismissed the campaigns as publicity stunts.
Police compile sex-trade database ahead of EU membership
And following last weekend's nationwide raids on the country's brothels, police have gathered personal details on thousands of prostitutes, which they say will help the authorities track their movements when the Czech Republic joins the European Union next year. During last weekend's raids, the largest crackdown on prostitution in the country's history, police interviewed and compiled personal data on thousands of women working in 435 brothels across the country. An estimated 15,000 prostitutes, generally from countries in eastern Europe, work in the Czech Republic, most along the German and Austrian borders.
Czech Republic, Austria to exchange tracts of borderland
The Czech Republic and Austria will exchange areas of land adding up to more than 40,000 square metres along their common border, under a bill passed in the lower house on Wednesday. The redrawing of the Czech-Austrian border is to allow for rivers gradually changing their course and will also improve access to private property. The bill does not account for any transfers of population. The Czech Republic has been locked in dispute with Poland for 45 years over similar territorial changes on the Czech-Polish border.
Man who lost healthy kidney wins battle for extra compensation
An East Bohemia man has been awarded a total of 900,000 crowns (32,000 US dollars) in compensation after doctors in Hradec Kralove removed the wrong kidney during an operation. The man sued the hospital after receiving an initial payment of 400,000 crowns. He demanded a total of 1.6 million crowns, but the court ruled this was excessive, ordering the hospital to pay an extra 460,000 crowns. The man, who is 63, has been seriously ill since his healthy kidney was removed by mistake three years ago.
Weather
Thursday will be a partially cloudy day, with showers in places and snow in mountainous areas. Temperatures in the daytime will reach highs of 9 degrees Celsius, falling at night to lows of -4 degrees.
