• Paroubek: compensation to Nomura could be nominal amount
    03/19/2006

    Speaking on a TV debate programme on Sunday, Prime Minister Paroubek also said the Czech Republic may just have to pay token compensation to Japan's Nomura bank. An international arbitration court ruled that the Czech state had failed to protect Nomura's investment in the Czech bank IPB, and it is now seeking over one and a half billion US dollars in compensation. The actual amount Nomura will receive is to be set by a second arbitration hearing.
    Author: Ian Willoughby

  • Social Democrats expel second member over corruption arrests
    03/19/2006

    A Social Democrat politician has been kicked out of the party after being accused of corruption. The local branch of the party in Velke Mezirici expelled Josef Laznicka just over a week after he and six other people were arrested on charges of bribe giving and receiving. The head of the Velke Mezirici Social Democrats said the case could have harmed the party in general elections due to take place in June.

    Mr Laznicka, who worked at the State Fund for Transport Infrastructure, is the second person to have lost his party membership over the affair: last week lobbyist Frantisek Vybiral was expelled by the Olomouc branch.
    Author: Ian Willoughby

  • Czech troops to monitor Kabul airport from December
    03/19/2006

    Czech troops are to monitor the airport in the Afghan capital Kabul for four months starting in December, the Czech Army chief of staff Pavel Stefka said after a meeting with a senior NATO official. He said a team of 50 Czech soldiers - including de-mining experts and meteorologists - would be in charge of both civilian and military flights in Afghanistan.
    Author: Ian Willoughby

  • Janda pulls out of last competition of season after taking World Cup
    03/19/2006

    After on Saturday becoming the first ever Czech to win the ski jumping World Cup, Jakub Janda pulled out of the final competition of the season in the Slovenian resort of Planica. Janda said he didn't want to take an unnecessary risk by jumping on Sunday when it was very windy.
    Author: Ian Willoughby

  • Jagr back on top of NHL's points table
    03/19/2006

    Czech ice hockey star Jaromir Jagr has returned to the top of the NHL points table with one goal and three assists in the New York Rangers 5:2 defeat of Toronto. But Jagr said after Saturday's game that he was uninterested in statistics, and his only aim was to help Rangers reach the play-offs.
    Author: Ian Willoughby

  • Czech Republic loses arbitration case over bank sell-off
    03/18/2006

    The Czech Republic may have to make a huge pay-out after losing an international arbitration case taken by the Japanese bank Nomura over the sale of IPB bank. The Czech government put IPB under forced administration when it collapsed in the year 2000 before selling it to another Czech bank, CSOB. Nomura, which owned almost half of IPB, said the Czech state had failed to protect its investment; it is now demanding over one and a half billion US dollars in compensation. The actual amount it receives will be set by a second arbitration hearing.

    But Czech Prime Minister Jiri Paroubek, whose Social Democrats were in power at the time of the sale, said there was no immediate threat of the country having to pay the compensation; he said negotiations would continue and it could take years for the matter to be resolved.
    Author: Ian Willoughby

  • Pravo: Hyundai looking for accommodation in Moravia, despite no deal finalisation
    03/18/2006

    The South Korean company Hyundai is actively looking for high-quality accommodation for its managers, despite the fact a deal to open a huge car plant in north Moravia has not yet been finalised, Pravo reported on Saturday. Industry and Trade Minister Milan Urban says he expects a decision on whether the factory will be built in the Czech Republic to be made in April, several months after originally expected.
    Author: Ian Willoughby

  • Janda first Czech ever to win ski jumping World Cup
    03/18/2006

    Jakub Janda has become the first Czech ever to win the ski jumping World Cup. He finished just 29th in a competition in the Slovenian resort of Planica on Saturday, but a poor placing by his closest rival meant the Czech could not be overtaken on points. Janda came first in five World Cup competitions during the season, and was joint winner of the prestigious Four Hills event.
    Author: Ian Willoughby

  • Former first lady Dagmar Havlova returns to stage
    03/18/2006

    Dagmar Havlova, the actress wife of former Czech president Vaclav Havel, made her first stage appearance in almost a decade on Friday evening when she appeared in a production of Moment of Truth by US playwright Israel Horovitz. Critics have described the performance at Prague's Vinohradske Divadlo as a resounding success, while Mr Havel said he was very glad his wife had returned to her profession.
    Author: Ian Willoughby

  • Senators modify bill on artificial fertilisation
    03/17/2006

    The Senate has lifted a previous age restriction for artificial fertilisation in the case of married or common law couples wishing to have children. But, age restrictions will apply for example for anonymous egg or sperm donors, 35 and 40 years of age, respectively. The changes are part of the provision on artificial reproduction in legislation on embryonic cell research. Senators also decided that married couples would not have to undergo an expensive genetic examination procedure that would have complicated efforts in having a child, besides leading to additional expenses. The bill will now go back to the chamber of deputies for reconsideration.
    Author: Jan Velinger

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