News

Two year-old Hasan Khalaf, the son of Iraqi parents whose plight recently evoked a wave of sympathy in the Czech Republic, has been admitted to hospital for treatment of cerebral palsy. The boy's illness was Mrs Khalaf's main reason for coming to the country - the family arrived last Saturday at Prague airport, with representatives of a Paediatric Hospital Ward on hand to arrange treatment for the two year old. The treatment of the child, and acceptance of the Khalaf family in the Czech Republic, caps a dramatic turn in events: Mrs Khalaf was originally refused entry - allegedly for 'security reasons', despite the fact that she had a valid visa. The original refusal sparked angry protests from human rights activists, provoking widespread criticism of the foreign police.

The police is searching for a group of skinheads who smashed up a pub and beat up several people before the start of a planned rock concert in the Moravian town of Zlin on Saturday night. Eye witnesses said a group of eight skinheads burst into the club and attacked pub visitors at random, using truncheons and even pub chairs. "It was a demonstration of force and there was nothing we could do" one of the musicians told the CTK press agency. Although the pub owner alerted the police the skinheads allegedly jumped into their cars and drove off before their arrival. One person was taken to hospital with serious back injuries, the others escaped with cuts and bruises. The police has appealed for assistance in catching the culprits, asking eyewitnesses to disclose any information that might help to trace them.

Meanwhile, a row has broken out between President Klaus and Foreign Minister Cyril Svoboda in the wake of the signing of the EU accession treaty in Athens on Wednesday. President Klaus says he feels insulted by remarks that the Foreign Minister made when speaking to journalists in the wake of the ceremony. The Foreign Minister allegedly said that President Klaus' knowledge of the workings of the European Union was "superficial and inadequate". The President's spokesman Tomas Klavana said the remarks were "uncalled for, incorrect and misleading". The President has reportedly demanded an explanation in person but according to the Foreign Minister's spokesman Mr. Svoboda has no intention of going to Prague Castle "to be mentored by the head of state".

Members of the 7th Czech military field hospital said good-bye to their colleagues at a ceremony in Hradec Kralove on Thursday before leaving for their mission in Basra, southern Iraq. The first 40 members of the unit left on Thursday afternoon for Kuwait from where they will travel to Iraq. Further personnel will leave on Friday. The field hospital has two operating theatres, a quarantine section, a dentist's office with an X-ray machine and a pharmacy. The unit has about 270 members. The United States ambassador to Prague Craig Stapleton praised the Czech government for deciding to send the unit to Iraq. He said that although Iraq has been liberated, there is still work to be done.

On Tuesday, parliament approved Prime Minister Vladmir Spidla's plan to dispatch the medical unit to provide humanitarian support. The United States is helping to finance the operation. Mr Spidla has been emphasising the humanitarian focus of the hospital and the 400-member Czech army unit stationed in Kuwait that can detect against nuclear, biological and chemical weapons. Last year the Czech Republic stationed an army hospital in Afghanistan following a US-led war there. Before its mission ended in January the 6th field hospital treated nearly 14,000 Afghans.