News of Radio Prague
Aid to Iran
The Czech Republic is sending a planeload of humanitarian aid to the Iranian city of Bam which is suffering the effects of a devastating earthquake. The military plane which will leave for Iran on Monday night will carry medicaments, tents, blankets and disinfectants. The Czech Foreign ministry has so far earmarked 5 million crowns in aid of Iran, the maximum sum the ministry can allot without the government's consent. Further money has been provided by the health and interior ministries. The Czech Red Cross has released half a million from its reserves and has launched fund raising in support of the quake victims. A number of NGOs including People in Need are in the process of opening special accounts to which the public can contribute.
Two youths dead in shooting incident
A second youth has died as a result of the shooting incident at a disco in the north Bohemian town of Most on Sunday night. Police said a group of young people tried to force their way into the nightclub, brandishing baseball bats. When they were refused entry they began smashing up the disco owner's car, before making another attempt to force their way inside. The security guards shot two warning shots into the air before firing at the group. One 18 year old was dead on the spot, another youth succumbed to his injuries in hospital on Monday morning. There were an estimated two hundred people at the disco at the time of the shooting. No one else is reported to have been injured. Police are investigating the incident.
Fireworks explosion
An explosion at an outdoor stand selling fireworks in the vicinity of a busy hypermarket is reported to have caused only material damage. The accident which happened in the town of Hradec Kralove on Monday frightened early morning shoppers but was brought quickly under control. Police are investigating the cause of the accident. According to regulations salespeople can store only a limited amount of fireworks in one place.
Doctors report higher numbers of patients as flu epidemic expected
Doctors in west and north Bohemia have been reporting much higher than usual numbers of patients availing of weekend emergency services. Most of the patients are suffering from breathing difficulties and viral infections. Several cases of influenza have also been diagnosed, as the country braces itself for an expected flu epidemic. Doctors and nurses in Prague were reportedly preparing for a rise in patient numbers once people return to the capital after the holidays.
Eleven year old girl risks her life to save dog
An eleven year old girl nearly drowned on Monday while trying to save her dog who had fallen into the icy Svratka river near Brno. The girl plunged through the thin ice in an attempt to pull the dog out. Brno rescue workers used a ladder to pull the child out and rushed her to hospital. She was treated for hypothermia but is expected to recover quickly. The dog was pulled out by local firemen and returned to her home.
Weather:
Tuesday should bring overcast skies, rain or sleet showers and temperatures between 0 and 4 degrees Celsius.
