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Social Democrat MP Milos Melcak has indicated he may allow the country's newly-appointed government a chance to win a majority in an upcoming confidence vote. In an interview for the Czech newspaper Mlada Fronta Dnes on Saturday, Mr Melcak indicated he was ultimately still undecided but he said it was possible he may leave the chamber during next Friday's confidence vote. That would allow the centre-right government, led by Mirek Topolanek, a chance of earning a majority. In the interview Mr Melcak suggested there were a number of reasons why it would be preferable for his party to go into the opposition, echoing recent statements made by the party's former leader Milos Zeman. MP Melcak told Mlada Fronta Dnes he would prefer negotiations between the three-party coalition and the Social Democrats to continue.

Members of the Prague public were able to take part in a memorial ceremony on Saturday marking the sacrifice of student Jan Palach 38 years ago. On January 16th, 1969, the young student, who was twenty years old, doused himself in gasoline and set himself alight on Prague's Wenceslas Square. The act was one of protest against the brutal Soviet-led invasion of Czechoslovakia in 1968. The ceremony on Saturday took place at the site of Mr Palach's grave at the Olsany cemetery in Prague.

Also on the day, some 130 people gathered in Mr Palach's home town of Vsetaty, near Prague, to mark his sacrifice and tragic death.

Strong gales continued to hit parts of northern Moravia on Friday, knocking out power, damaging property, and bringing down trees. Fire brigades were sent out repeatedly on Friday afternoon to deal with situations in some places. Teams secured a damaged traffic light, secured downed cables, and cleared fallen trees from railway tracks. Strong winds have hit northern parts of the country since Thursday, with some areas recoding winds of more than 100 kilometres per hour.

Ice hockey goalie Tomas Vokoun has won his second game since returning from injury, earning a 2:0 shut-out for his team the Nashville Predators against Columbus on Friday. Vokoun got a fair amount of help from fellow team mates, who kept Columbus' chances to a minimum, just 22 shots. Vokoun had missed 20 games during his recovery from a hand injury. His first match back, a less impressive performance by the keeper, Nashville edged Anaheim 5:4.