• New Czech army planes to be named after two WWII heroes
    10/20/2007

    Two Airbus planes bought by the Czech army are to be named after World War II heroes, the Defence Ministry has announced. The aircraft will be named after Josef Ocelka, who flew in Britain's RAF, and Karel Janousek, who fought in the resistance in the two world wars and set up a Czechoslovak unit in the RAF during the second. President Vaclav Klaus is set to take part in the official launch of the Airbus A 319 CJ planes at Prague's Kbely military airport next Friday.
    Author: Ian Willoughby

  • Neo-Nazi challenging ban on march through Prague's Jewish quarter
    10/20/2007

    A known neo-Nazi is taking Prague Town Hall to court after it banned a far-right group from marching through the city's Jewish quarter. The demonstration was to have taken place on the anniversary of the notorious Kristallnacht Nazi pogrom. Erik Sedlacek, who first got permission for the march and is now appealing the Town Hall's ban, is known to be associated with the group Narodni odpor (National Resistance).
    Author: Ian Willoughby

  • Bursik: Luzny must prove he is not "Kuchtova in trousers"
    10/20/2007

    The Green Party's Dusan Luzny has promised to make personnel changes at the Education Ministry if he replaces his party colleague Dana Kuchtova as minister. Greens' leader Martin Bursik said after a meeting with Mr Luzny on Friday that the latter would need to persuade Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek that he was not "Kuchtova in trousers". Dana Kuchtova stepped down after coming under pressure for failing to apply correctly for European Union funds. Mr Bursik was criticised by some sections of his party for not standing by her.
    Author: Ian Willoughby

  • Mayors of London and Hiroshima express support for anti-radar campaigners
    10/20/2007

    The mayors of London and Hiroshima have expressed their support for organisations fighting US plans to build a radar base in the Czech Republic. Ken Livingstone sent a letter and Takeshi Araki a video message to an anti-radar conference in Breznice, central Bohemia. Delegates came from 16 European countries for the meeting on Saturday, which was also attended by 86 mayors from around the Czech Republic. The Czech parliament is set to vote on whether to host the base next year.
    Author: Ian Willoughby

  • Hundreds without power due to heavy snow in mountains
    10/20/2007

    Hundreds of families in Jeseniky, north Moravia were left without power on Friday night after heavy snows in the area. Around twenty centimetres of snow fell in Jeseniky and some other mountain areas.
    Author: Ian Willoughby

  • Hit film starring Czech musician gets Czech premiere
    10/20/2007

    The hit independent film Once received its Czech premiere on Saturday evening. The Irish picture features Czech musician Marketa Irglova as an eastern European immigrant in Dublin. The 19-year-old also composed and performed the film's music with the Irish singer Glen Hansard of the group The Frames.
    Author: Ian Willoughby

  • Gwen Stefani ending tour with Prague show
    10/20/2007

    The American singer Gwen Stefani is performing at Prague's Sazka Arena on Saturday night, the last concert of her The Sweet Escape tour. She appeared in the Czech capital ten years ago while she was still a member of the group No Doubt. Stefani is being supported by the Brazilian group Cansei de Ser Sexy.
    Author: Ian Willoughby

  • Vaidisova beaten in semi-final of Zurich Open
    10/20/2007

    The Czech tennis star Nicole Vaidisova has been knocked out in the semi-finals of the Zurich Open. The 19-year-old was beaten 3-6 6-3 7-5 by world number one Justine Henin. It was Vaidisova's first semi-finals appearance since this year's Australian Open.
    Author: Ian Willoughby

  • Unknown gunman fires on BIS building in Prague
    10/19/2007

    A gunshot by an unknown assailant was fired at the Prague headquarters of the Czech counter-intelligence service, the BIS, on Thursday. At the time members of the parliamentary committee overseeing the service were on site. The news was revealed by the deputy head of the lower house Lubomir Zaoralek and committee head Jeronym Tejc on Friday. Mr Tejc confirmed he had received the information directly from BIS director Jiri Lang. The projectile from the shooting has been recovered and is being analysed by ballistics experts. Members of the parliamentary committee overseeing the BIS were at the service's headquarters on Thursday to discuss a classified information leak from the service three years ago.
    Author: Jan Velinger

  • Interior Minister on shooting incident
    10/19/2007

    In directly related news, the Interior Minister, Ivan Langer, told the lower house on Friday that is so far unclear whether the shooting was "an attempt to harm, a provocation, or an accident". It has been revealed that the shot was fired from beyond the zone of cameras around the BIS building. Mr Langer stressed that none of the MPs in the parliamentary committee were in any danger; he also promised to inform the parties in parliament of additional facts when they become known.
    Author: Jan Velinger

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