• Viktoria Zizkov to play home matches on Sunday mornings
    07/16/2007

    The Prague football club Viktoria Zizkov which will play in the first division in the coming season will play their home matches at the usual 10:15 on Sunday mornings following a long standing tradition. Other clubs refused to accept this at their session in June, but Viktoria have managed to convince the other teams that kicking off early on Sundays will make it easier for the other three first division clubs based in Prague.
    Author: Jan Richter

  • Monday could see temperatures of up to 39 Celsius
    07/15/2007

    Weather forecasters say temperatures in the Czech Republic could reach up to 39 degrees Celsius on Monday, possibly setting new records. In most of the country temperatures will range between 34 and 38 Celsius. Clear skies are also expected and officials have warned people against going out in the mid-day and afternoon sun.

    On Sunday a record dating from 1928 was broken at Prague's Clementinum weather station, when a temperature of 34.6 degrees Celsius was registered.
    Author: Ian Willoughby

  • Possible presidential candidate Dientsbier takes aim at incumbent Klaus
    07/15/2007

    Jiri Dienstbier, a possible candidate for the Czech presidency, has criticised the incumbent, Vaclav Klaus. Mr Dientsbier, Czechoslovakia's first post-communist foreign minister, accused Mr Klaus of spreading negative feeling towards civil society and the European Union; he said a pro-European position would be more appropriate during the Czech Republic's presidency of the EU in 2009. Speaking on a TV debate programme, Mr Dientsbier also accused the president of being a "know-all" who comments on everything from architecture to global warming.

    Jiri Dientsbier appears to have the support of some Social Democrats ahead of presidential elections due next year. His backers are hoping the former dissident can unite cross-party opposition to Vaclav Klaus, who plans to seek a second term.
    Author: Ian Willoughby

  • Poultry farms being disinfected in wake of further bird flu outbreak
    07/15/2007

    Firefighters and soldiers have begun disinfecting five poultry farms in east Bohemia after putting down almost 70,000 birds in the wake of an outbreak of bird flu. Several cases of the dangerous H5N1 strain of avian flu have been found on poultry farms in the area in the last month. Previously the disease had only been detected in wild swans in the Czech Republic.
    Author: Ian Willoughby

  • State forests body says hurricane caused it significant losses
    07/15/2007

    Forests Czech Republic estimates that it suffered losses of almost CZK two billion (USD 98m) due to January's Hurricane Kyrill. The main cause of the losses has been a fall in the price of wood due to excessive supply and the hurricane's negative impact on the quality of wood sold, said a spokesperson for the state company.
    Author: Ian Willoughby

  • Swimmers say Labe clean
    07/15/2007

    Around two dozen swimmers took part in an event at the weekend aimed at showing that the Czech Republic's longest river the Labe is clean enough to bathe in. The event, near the spot where the Labe meets the Vltava, was being held for the fifth time. Some of the participants in the swim came from neighbouring Germany, where the river is known as the Elbe.
    Author: Ian Willoughby

  • Marianne Faithful closes Colours of Ostrava music festival
    07/15/2007

    A set by the English singer Marianne Faithful ended the Colours of Ostrava music festival on Saturday night. The three-day festival was taking place in the north Moravian city for the sixth time; it also saw performances by artists such as Gipsy Kings, Coco Rosie and Goran Bregovic's Wedding and Funeral Band.
    Author: Ian Willoughby

  • Czechs in semi-finals at Under 20s World Cup
    07/15/2007

    The Czech Republic's footballers have reached the semi-finals at the Under 20s World Cup in Canada, the furthest the country has ever gone in the tournament. The Czechs made the last four by beating Spain on penalties after a scoreless match on Saturday. They face Austria on Wednesday for a place in the final.
    Author: Ian Willoughby

  • Czech women fail to reach World Group in tennis's Fed Cup
    07/15/2007

    The Czech women's tennis team have failed to qualify for the Fed Cup's elite World Group, after being beaten 4:1 by home side Spain in a play-off. The Czech team were without world number nine Nicole Vaidisova, who has glandular fever.
    Author: Ian Willoughby

  • Prague regrets Russian suspension of arms control treaty
    07/14/2007

    The Czech Foreign Ministry says it regrets Russia's decision to suspend application of a key arms control pact, the Conventional Forces in Europe Treaty. In a statement, the Czech Foreign Ministry said Russia's move could threaten security in Europe. Meanwhile, a Czech Defence Ministry spokesperson said Prague would react to Russia's decision as part of NATO, where intense negotiations on the matter can be expected. Moscow has been angered by US plans to build parts of an anti-missile defence shield in central Europe. Washington wants to build a radar base in the Czech Republic and to house missiles in Poland.
    Author: Ian Willoughby

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