• 08/03/2007

    In related news, the government spokesman for the issue of US missile defense, Tomas Klvana, has come under criticism from a civic association as well as a number of mayors of villages near the Brdy military region for - in their view - not providing enough information to the public about the radar base. They have charged that Mr Klvana was running a solely "pro-radar" campaign without addressing the possibility of negative effects on health and the environment. The radar could be deployed to the Brdy area 90 kilometres southwest of Prague if the US and the Czech Republic reach agreement. So far, polls have suggested a majority of Czechs remain against their country hosting the US base.

    Author: Jan Velinger
  • 08/03/2007

    Czech soldiers, the main part of the 6th Rapid Deployment Brigade, have departed for Afghanistan to replace colleagues on a reconstruction team in the north-east of the country. The main part of the 91-member contingent left early Friday morning from Prague's Ruzyne airport. The soldiers, including two women, will serve for four months in the Afghan province of Fayzabad within NATO's ISAF mission. Reconstruction teams there have helped renew schools, establish health facilities, and repair damaged bridges. Czechs operating on the ground have also helped increase security in the area by cooperating with local military officials and police.

    Author: Jan Velinger
  • 08/03/2007

    According to the Czech Statistical Office, unemployment in the second quarter of 2007 dropped to 5.3 percent - the lowest unemployment figure in nine years. The office released information on Friday showing that the number of unemployed had dropped by around 92,000; 274,000 remain jobless.

    Author: Jan Velinger
  • 08/03/2007

    Twenty people on an Austrian bus were injured - five of them seriously - on Friday when their vehicle went off the road and overturned on a slope near the south Bohemian town of Rozmberk nad Vltavou. The bus driver was reportedly trying to avoid a passing car, leading to the accident. A police spokeswoman said that a total of 34 people, including the driver, were aboard. The injured were taken by ambulance to a local hospital, but one badly hurt passenger had to be taken by helicopter.

    Austrian authorities have been advised, while police are searching for the other vehicle in the incident. Passengers who escaped unscathed in the accident are waiting for a replacement bus; a psychologist, together with a translator, will reportedly also be on hand.

    Author: Jan Velinger
  • 08/03/2007

    Public broadcaster Czech TV has reported that the Prague High court has struck down an earlier court ruling freeing the former director of the Bambini di Praga choir, Bohumil Kulinsky, of charges he sexually abused two underage girls under his tutelage. In addition, the court also ruled the charges should not be treated separately but added to an additional 49 complaints put forward. It is estimated the trial could start in October and last until the end of the year.

    Author: Jan Velinger
  • 08/03/2007

    A Czech court sentenced three men for murder on Friday handing down extraordinary sentences from 19 to 23 years in prison. Twenty-five year old Pavel Feierfeil, twenty-six year old Jiri Salavec and twenty-seven year old Tibor Zeman were found guilty of murdering a man from Kraluv Dvur, who was apparently blackmailing them. Two of those found guilty then murdered the man's girlfriend, to prevent her from identifying them as suspects. The judge in the case said all three represented an exceptional threat to society; two of the defendants have already appealed Friday's ruling.

    Author: Jan Velinger
  • 08/03/2007

    Czech football side Sparta Prague will face London's Arsenal in the 3rd qualifying round of the Champions League. The draw was held on Friday. Arsenal - which include Czech star midfielder Tomas Rosicky - are considered odds-on favourites, but Sparta coach Michal Bilek said they would try as much as possible to complicate things for the London club. He said playing Arsenal in Prague would attract a lot of fans, which would be good for Czech football.

    Author: Jan Velinger
  • 08/03/2007

    Nuremberg's Czech international football midfielder Jan Polak on Thursday signed a four-year deal with Anderlecht, the Belgian champions announced. The 26-year old, who has 30 caps, spent two seasons in the Bundesliga where he scored four times. The financial details of the transfer were not revealed but Belgian newspapers reported that the deal was worth 3.5 million euros making it a record for the Belgian championship.

    Author: Jan Velinger
  • 08/02/2007

    It is five years ago this month that the Czech Republic suffered the worst floods in living memory. A record 73 billion CZK (3.6 billion USD) were spent on repairing the damage caused by the floods. The deluge saw 225,000 people evacuated from their homes, and claimed 17 lives. The worst affected areas were Southern Bohemia and Prague, where the damage added up to more than 27 billion CZK. Five years on, and the capital is not entirely safe from such a catastrophe happening again. Flood barriers are still to be constructed in the southernmost part of the city, and in Prague's Troja district.

    Author: Rosie Johnston
  • 08/02/2007

    The Czech National Bank announced on Thursday that it is to take the 50 heller coin out of circulation. The coin, which is worth around 3 US cents, will cease to be functional at the end of August next year. There are currently 410 million 50 heller coins in operation, though only around 10% of these make their way back to the bank. Banks will exchange these coins for valid currency until September 2009.

    Author: Rosie Johnston

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