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The Czech government on Monday unveiled a new strategy in the fight against extremism, which should involve repression and prevention in equal measure. The strategy involves closer cooperation between town mayors, the police, state attorneys and judges in preventing extremist gatherings from taking place, pinpointing offences when they happen and punishing the offenders. Interior Minister Ivan Langer said the rise in extremism in recent years was all the more dangerous in that it had growing public support and that extremist organizations now had lawyers to advise them how to stay within the margin of the law while spreading their propaganda. He said the state must intensify its efforts to counter this, at all levels.

The Czech health authorities have ruled out 40 suspected cases of swine flu, twelve more people are being tested. The country has no confirmed case as yet. Chief hygiene officer Michael Vít said on Monday that further preventative measures were unnecessary at this point, but he urged people to cancel all non-essential trips to high-risk destinations. Another 100 or so tourists are still in Mexico and Mr. Vít said doctors would be on standby for their arrival. Six of those who arrived on Sunday remain in isolation.

The interim prime minister Jan Fisher has been meeting with political leaders to try to reach agreement on the composition of his caretaker cabinet. The process of establishing an interim administration was derailed on Friday when the prime minister designate unexpectedly broke with an earlier political agreement and put forward his own candidates for three important ministerial posts. Leaders of the Civic Democrats, Social Democrats and the Greens have said they would not back such a cabinet and will now put forward other names for Mr. Fischer to consider. The Fisher cabinet was expected to take over on May 8th and lead the country to early elections in October. It is not clear if this unexpected hurdle will delay its appointment.

Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso is expected to arrive in Prague late on Sunday ahead of an EU-Japanese summit chaired by the Czech EU presidency. The Japanese leader will on Monday meet with Czech President Václav Klaus and European Commission chief Jose Manuel Barroso ahead of a summit focusing on the global economy, climate change and security issues. On the security front, the Japanese prime minister is expected to seek European support for pressure on North Korea over its threat to conduct a second nuclear test unless the United Nations apologizes for condemning its recent rocket launch. The EU-Japanese summit will be chaired by President Václav Klaus.