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A young African pelican that went missing from a zoo in Austrian Salzburg has been found living in Northern Moravia. Ornithologists who found the bird in a natural reserve near Litovel originally believed it was from the Danube Delta and had gotten lost. As the bird became tamer and began visiting fishermen for fish however, its true identity was betrayed by its bracelet. The pelican is currently being cared for in the Zoo at Dvůr Králové.

The video showing former Civic Democrat leader Mirek Topolánek meeting with Czech lobbyists and entrepreneurs during his recent holiday in Tuscany was allegedly made by former intelligence officer Petr Bakeš, according to the daily Mladá fronta Dnes. The Italian video, along with other pictures and recordings made during Mr. Topolánek’s Italian holiday were leaked to the paper by Mr. Bakes’ former superior, one-time-head of the civilian intelligence service Karel Randák. Mr. Bakes has refused to comment but the paper says his former colleagues recognized his voice on the video recording. The Civic Democrats have accused the Social Democrats of using former intelligence officers to try to discredit them ahead of October’s early general elections.

Czechs have handed in close to 8,000 unlicensed weapons within the third gun amnesty in the country’s modern history, the head of the weapons’ department of the police presidium Milan Komárek told journalists on Wednesday. He said that people had handed over pistols, rifles, shotguns and even a heavy machine gun. Under the amnesty, which lasted for six months, people were allowed to hand over unlicensed weapons with no questions asked and may even ask to have them back as long they acquire a gun license for them. Some of the weapons are a legacy from the war years which people said they had found in their attics and failed to register. Under Czech law the punishment for unlicensed weapons can range from a high fine to five years in prison.

The Czech health authorities have reported 19 more cases of swine flu in the country since the start of the week, bringing the overall number to 135. The Health Ministry is increasing its stocks of anti-viral drugs and will be acquiring vaccines for 25 percent of the population as the country braces for a possible epidemic in the autumn. Individual regions have been asked to identify high-risk groups of the population.