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02/22/2010
A new survey published by the European Commission’s Eurobarometer on Monday suggests that Czechs and Slovaks are amongst Europe’s biggest consumers of soda beverages. In the survey, 31 percent of Czechs said they often consumed lemonades or colas, compared to an EU average of only 19 percent. Bulgaria tops the list with 40 percent. The survey also found that Czechs have more daily meals than other nations in the EU, consuming on average seven meals per day as opposed to the EU average of about five meals a day.
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02/22/2010
German rapper Bushido has announced a concert in Prague’s Lucerna Music Bar, scheduled to take place on April 21. The 32-year-old rapper has been the subject of many scandals, such as a violent dispute with a fan in Austria and his lyrics are by some considered sexist. Bushido has also collaborated with Czech pop icon Karel Gott on his single “Für immer jung“ or “Forever Young” in English. Gott may appear at the concert to perform the song live together with the German rapper. Gott, who is well-known in Germany for the titles song to a popular children’s cartoon, also appears in Bushido’s film “Zeiten Ändern Dich“ or “Time changes you.”
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02/22/2010
Energy supplier RWE announced on Monday that its gas prices in the Czech Republic were going to increase in the spring. In January 2010, the company expanded its services in the country to include electricity. To date, electricity from RWE is only available for companies, but the energy and gas supplier plans to soon offer it to households as well. According to the company’s CEO, RWE is planning to double its share of the Czech electricity market over the next few years. RWE is one of the biggest energy companies in Europe and the main supplier of gas to Czech households.
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02/22/2010
On Monday, five out of eleven flights scheduled from Prague’s Ruzyně airport to Germany were cancelled due to a strike by Lufthansa pilots. Lufthansa connections to the German hub airport of Frankfurt are the most affected by the strike. A spokeswoman for Prague airport told the Czech news agency ČTK that at Ruzyne Airport things were running smoothly despite the cancellations. The German pilot strike has lead to an increase of passengers on competitors’ planes. Czech Airlines alone have seen hundreds of new passengers, with reservations for flights to Germany doubled for this week.
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02/22/2010
Head of the Civic Democrats and former prime minister Mirek Topolánek was officially divorced from his ex-wife Pavla Patáková by a Prague court on Monday. The two former spouses came to a mutual divorce agreement. Mr. Topolánek told journalists that the divorce had taken place in a civil and dignified manner and that the two were able to agree on everything from property to custody questions. The couple has three children; the youngest son is seven years old. Mr. Topolánek announced his divorce last year before Christmas. He had been living with his new partner, the deputy chairwoman of the Chamber of Deputies Lucie Talmanová, since 2007.
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02/22/2010
On Monday, a second baby box was installed in Prague. The baby box provides a place where mothers can safely put newly born babies that they see themselves unwilling or unable to care for. The newest one is located at the Prague 2 town hall. It is the first in the entire Czech Republic located outside of a hospital. Prague’s first baby box was installed in 2005. Since then, 15 babies have been placed in it - to date the highest number at any location in the country. The new baby box site will be functional from March 8.
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02/21/2010
Most Czechs support a court ban on the far-right Workers’ Party according to a poll released by the SANEP agency on Sunday. The Supreme Administrative Court decided to dissolve the party on Wednesday citing its racist, xenophobic and anti-gay stances and Nazi links. The poll showed almost 75 percent of respondents in favour of the court ruling. Around four-fifths of those surveyed characterised the party as extremist and propagating Nazism with 69 percent saying it was a threat to democracy. Just over 14,000 people were questioned for the survey.
Leaders of the Workers’ Party said on Saturday that they will fight upcoming general elections under the banner Workers’ Party of Social Justice (DSSS). Leader Tomáš Vanas said he identified a wave of support after the dissolution decision and that could be demonstrated in elections. The court decision was the first time a party has been dissolved on political not financial grounds since the creation of the Czech Republic in 1993.
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02/21/2010
Former prime minister and Civic Democrat leader Mirek Topolánek defended himself and the current Czech Defence Minister who have been caught up in a scandal over suspected corruption surrounding the purchase of armoured personnel carriers for the Czech army. Mr Topolánek said during a television debate on Sunday that he felt no personal responsibility for the 14.4 billion crown contract to purchase 107 APCs from the Austrian firm Steyr. Newspaper reports suggest two to three percent of that amount went to Czech politicians in kickbacks.
Former defence minister in Mr Topolánek’s centre-right coalition, Vlasta Parkanová, told Saturday’s edition of the daily Dnes that he had supported the deal from start to finish, adding that there was a great hurry to seal it. She added that Mr Topolánek wanted the then deputy minister from his party and current defence minister, Martin Barták, to deal with the dossier and she was sidelined. Mr Topolánek said Vlasta Parkanová did not have the courage to renegotiate the deal. Czech and Austrian police have launched investigations of the contract.
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02/21/2010
Separately, Civic Democrat leader Mirek Topolánek said the whole current system of awarding arms contracts is flawed and should be reformed. He said standard public tenders for contracts should be take place the same as for public contracts in other sectors. Mr Topolánek added that stepped up internal audits of contracts should also take place within the ministry of defence. Special rules apply to arms tenders, supposedly because of their sensitivity and the need for secrecy. Scandals have surrounded many large Czech arms contracts including the final deal in 2004 to lease 14 Gripen fighter jets.
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02/21/2010
Two Czech adventurers left Prague on Sunday at the start of an expedition aimed at crossing the ice-bound Russian lake Baikal by foot and on skis. Polar explorer Václav Sůra and computer programmer Pavel Blažek will start the 650-kilometre expedition when they arrive in Siberia. They will make the trip, which is estimated to take 35 days, pulling all their supplies with no help such as dogs or kites. They will use boots with special spikes for gripping the ice on the first part of the journey and switch to skis later. Temperatures on the lake can fall as low as minus 30 degrees Celsius.
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