News

Seven teams of fire fighters on Saturday had to intervene after 11 pm, Saturday, to put out a fire at a casino in Cheb involving three separate buildings. The damage has been estimated at around 20 million crowns and police suspect the fire was set intentionally; the buildings are part of a complex outside of the town. Fire fighters had to work throughout the night to get the fire under control and it had been mostly put out by morning. An investigation is underway.

Former World No. 1 in men’s tennis Ivan Lendl played his first match in 15 years on Sunday, an exhibition tournament against former 1980s rival Mats Wilander. The two played just one set at Atlantic City in front of some 7,000 viewers. Lendl lost by a score of 6:3. The player, who gave up the men’s tennis circuit in 1994 due to continuing back problems, is 50 years of age. After the match, Lendl said he had enjoyed playing again, although he also called it frustrating. He said that although he knew exactly where he wanted the ball to go, his accuracy was off. Quipping with opponent Wilander, Lendl said that next time he would "do better".

Czech politicians have expressed sadness and shock over the death of Polish President Lech Kaczynski who was killed on Saturday, along with dozens of others, in a plane crash. The plane was destroyed after its pilots attempted to land in poor visibility near Smolensk, Russia, clipping treetops before hitting the ground. The Polish president, his wife, and an official delegation which included the head of Poland’s central bank, legislators, and military representatives, were on their way to a ceremony to commemorate the victims of the Katyn massacre of 70 years ago. All those on board were killed. Speaking at a press conference in Prague, Mr Klaus said it was a huge loss which had saddened him deeply and said that he had been a true friend. The president has sent a telegram to Mr Kaczynski’s brother, Jaroslaw, the former prime minister of Poland, expressing his condolences.

The Archbishop of Prague, Dominik Duka, has been inaugurated to his post at a ceremony and special mass at Prague’s St Vitus Cathedral. On Saturday morning the archbishop, who is also the head of the Roman Catholic Church in the Czech Republic, took up the Pastoral staff from his predecessor Cardinal Miloslav Vlk. Czech President Václav Klaus, who spoke at the ceremony, thanked Archbishop Duka’s predecessor for his years in office and expressed the hope that unresolved issues between the Church and state – such as the ownership of St Vitus Cathedral and property restitution – would be resolved. Archbishop Dominik Duka, who is 67, was appointed the new Archbishop of Prague on February 13 of this year.