• Sculptor Vratislv Karel Novák dies at 71
    02/15/2014

    Sculptor Vratislav Karel Novák has died at the age of 71. His characteristic kinetic and light sculptures can be seen in a number of Czech cities as well as in the United States. Novak’s best known work is the Metronome on Letná which was installed in 1991, on the site of a one-time gigantic monument to Stalin which was destroyed in 1962. Novák’s work with metal, reflecting purity and perfection also made him one of the country’s leading jewelers.
    Author: Daniela Lazarová

  • Jagr turns 42
    02/15/2014

    Czech hockey star Jaromir Jágr celebrated his 42nd birthday at the Winter Olympics in Sochi on Saturday ahead of a group C game with Switzerland. His team mates sang a Czech rendition of Happy Birthday, gave him a hearty round of applause and handed over a giant chocolate cake made for the occasion by German chefs at the Sochi Olympics.
    Author: Daniela Lazarová

  • Pope Francis receives Czech bishops
    02/14/2014

    Pope Francis on Friday received a delegation of fifteen Czech bishops led by Cardinal Dominik Duka. It was their first opportunity to meet with the Pontiff in person. The Holy Father spoke to them about the role of the Catholic Church and urged them to use the material assets they would acquire in the church restitution process prudently, transparently a so as to further the Catholic Church’s spiritual mission. Later on Friday the bishops will also celebrate mass for Czech pilgrims at St. Clement’s Basilica to commemorate the 1145th anniversary of the death of St. Cyril, whose relics are preserved in the church.
    Author: Daniela Lazarová

  • Šabatová to be new Ombudsman
    02/14/2014

    Human rights activist Anna Šabatová was elected to the post of Ombudsman in a secret vote of the lower house on Friday. Šabatová who for six years served as deputy to the country’s first Ombudsman Otakar Motejl was the Senate’s nominee for the post. Her only rival for the post Stanislav Křecek was nominated by President Zeman. Anna Šabatová will replace Pavel Varvařovský who resigned in December for family reasons.
    Author: Daniela Lazarová

  • Rittig released, surrenders passport
    02/14/2014

    A Prague court has banned businessman Ivo Rittig and three others accused of money laundering from leaving the Czech Republic and they had to hand over their passports to the authorities, the ctk news agency reported on Friday. The state attorney did not ask for them to be taken into custody. High State Attorney Lenka Bradacova said the police has questioned a number of witnesses long into the night on Thursday in order to prevent “possible influencing of witnesses” once Rittig and the others were released.
    Author: Daniela Lazarová

  • Czech patients can opt to get treatment in other EU countries
    02/14/2014

    The lower house on Friday approved an amendment to the health law which will allow Czech patients to undergo medical treatment in other countries of the European Union. Insurance companies will cover the equivalent of what the treatment would cost in the Czech Republic. People will not have to give their insurance company advance notification that they will be treated abroad. The amendment will now go to the Senate for debate.
    Author: Daniela Lazarová

  • President will appoint professors-in-waiting by end-March
    02/14/2014

    President Miloš Zeman will appoint a new batch of professors, despite having expressed the desire to relinquish that prerogative and leave the task of appointing new professors to the education minister or speaker of the Senate, his spokesman Jiří Ovčáček told the ctk news agency. The lower house on Thursday rejected an amendment to the law which was drawn up in line with the president’s request. The matter became an issue shortly after the president’s inauguration when he refused to confer the title of professor upon literary historian Martin C. Putna citing the fact that Mr. Putna had carried a provocative sign in a Gay Pride parade. The number of professors-in-waiting has now grown to 85 and the president has promised to confer the title upon them by the end of March.
    Author: Daniela Lazarová

  • Cyber security bill approved in first reading
    02/14/2014

    A proposed bill on cyber security was approved by the lower house in its first reading on Friday. The bill sets a framework for cooperation between the private sector and public administration in the prevention of attacks on information and communication technology. The proposed legislation drafted by the National Security Office aims to secure a faster and more effective response to cyber threats at all levels. Providers of electronic communication and some administrators of information infrastructure are obliged to report any security incident in their networks and systems to the National Security Office without delay.
    Author: Daniela Lazarová

  • Millions saved on road maintenance thanks to mild winter
    02/14/2014

    The Road and Motorway Directorate says it has saved 280 million crowns on road maintenance so far thanks to the mild winter. For instance the amount of technical salt used on roads dropped from 16,000 tons last year to 5,700 tons this winter. The money saved is to be used for road repairs in the spring.
    Author: Daniela Lazarová

  • Several dozen people evacuated from ski lift
    02/14/2014

    Forty-three people had to be evacuated from a ski lift in the Jesníky Mountains on Friday after it got stuck due to a technical problem. The evacuation process took just over an hour and no one was reported hurt. Due to the relatively warm weather for this time of year there were no cases of hypothermia. The technical problem is reported to have been fixed and the ski lift is back in operation.
    Author: Daniela Lazarová

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