News

An unidentified 22-year-old foreign national fell ten metres to his death from a public Prague sculpture in Letná Park, the so-called Metronome, which overlooks the city. The incident took place at around 4 am; police are investigating whether the death was an accident, suicide or murder. Following the fall, a security camera on site captured images of a second man approaching the victim and robbing him of money from his back pocket. Police are searching for the man, who could face two years in prison for the theft and for the failure to call the emergency services. The incident at Letná Park is the second of its kind in recent days. In another incident, a man involved in a fight with a football fan, fell at the same spot. He remains unconscious and in critical condition at a Prague hospital.

The financial daily Hospodářské noviny has reported that Petr Dvořák, the director of TV Nova, the country’s largest commercial broadcaster, would be stepping down after seven years. But the information was quickly discounted by a spokeswoman. She confirmed that while Mr Dvořák had been promoted to vice president position for CME, the firm which owns the station, he would also stay on as general director. Mr Dvořák, who is 45, was first named to the post in 2003. The broadcaster, suffering a drop in advertising sales, is currently undergoing a number of key changes in management.

In hockey, Montreal defenceman Roman Hamrlík racked up two assists and provided plenty of muscle in Montreal’s own zone on Thursday, helping his team defeat the Philadelphia Flyers in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference finals of the Stanley Cup playoffs. The game took place at Montreal’s Bell Centre, and was a must-win for the Canadiens who were down 2-0 in the best-of-seven series. The Habs clinched the game with a score of 5:1. Afterwards, Hamrlík a native of Zlín, was named the game’s first star. Montreal next play Philadelphia on Saturday and will be hoping to square the series.

River levels started to go down in most parts of Moravia overnight as rain held off. But third degree warnings still apply at two locations in the south of the region. As flooding eased, around a dozen cases of subsidence have been notified with at least three houses demolished as a result. Hundreds of people evacuated from their homes have been allowed back in northern and central Moravia, including the town of Troubky. It was the symbol of the devastating 1997 floods in Moravia. Power companies have called off their state of emergency with supplies being connected again. The floods have claimed one victim to date, a 69-year-old woman who died in her garden when the River Olše burst its banks at Třinec on Sunday. The Ministry of Regional Development promised up to 30,000 crowns to households that suffered flooding and 150,000 crowns to those whose homes had been destroyed.