• "Pendolino" express train to carry first passengers
    12/20/2004

    Czech Railways' new express train, the "Pendolino", will carry its first passengers during a test ride on Thursday. A spokesman for Czech Railways said the company will test the train on several regular express routes in the coming months to complete its trial operation. As of next December, the Italian-made Pendolino is expected to be used on international lines. The train's speed record in the Czech Republic is 237 kilometres per hour.
    Author: Pavla Horáková

  • Police chief: Phone bugging levels comparable to elsewhere in Europe
    12/19/2004

    The head of the Czech police force says a new police report has found the amount of telephone bugging in the Czech Republic is comparable to that in other European countries. Police chief Jiri Kolar said he had not been surprised by the results of the study, which was ordered after a phone tapping scandal. But Mr Kolar's opponent on a TV debate programme, Jiri Bily of the opposition Civic Democrats, questioned the report's conclusions.
    Author: Ian Willoughby

  • CSA reports 20 percent increase in number of passengers to New York
    12/19/2004

    Czech Airlines has announced an increase of over 20 percent in the number of passengers it is flying to New York, with a total of 155,000 people flying CSA to the city this year. A spokesperson for Czech Airlines said the fact more than half the tickets were sold in America meant the airline was by far the biggest Czech exporter on the US market.
    Author: Ian Willoughby

  • Karasek among participants in marathon street reading of New Testament
    12/19/2004

    MP and priest Svatopluk Karasek was among dozens of participants in a marathon of reading from the New Testament of the Bible on a Prague street on Saturday. Organisers said the aim of the event, which was being held for the second time, was to bring the Bible closer to people.
    Author: Ian Willoughby

  • Concerts mark fourth Sunday of Advent, shoppers enjoy "Golden Sunday"
    12/19/2004

    Meanwhile, concerts marking the fourth Sunday of Advent have been held in Prague and elsewhere in the Czech Republic. The 19th is also Zlata nedele, or Golden Sunday, the culmination of the last shopping weekend before Christmas.
    Author: Ian Willoughby

  • Sebrle named Sportsperson of the Year after Olympic success
    12/19/2004

    Roman Sebrle has been named Czech Sportsperson of the Year at a ceremony in Prague. Sebrle, who took gold in the decathlon at the Athens Olympic Games, finished ahead of footballer Milan Baros and high-jumper Jaroslav Baba in the poll of Czech sports journalists.
    Author: Ian Willoughby

  • Czechs second in ice hockey's Rosno Cup in Moscow
    12/19/2004

    The Czech Republic have finished second in the Rosno Cup ice hockey tournament in Moscow, after losing 1:0 to hosts Russia in their last game on Sunday. The Czechs had previously beaten Sweden and lost to Finland in the competition. The results leave the Czech Republic third in the four-nation Euro Hockey Tour.
    Author: Ian Willoughby

  • Social Democrats in turmoil as head of deputies group threatens resignation
    12/18/2004

    The largest party in the governing coalition, the Social Democrats, has been thrown into turmoil by the news the head of its deputies group has threatened to step down if there is not more unity in the party. Petr Ibl said he was considering resigning because of his disgust at the situation within the party and recent criticism from chairman Stanislav Gross. The Social Democrats, who have been led by Mr Gross since the summer, have suffered defeats in various elections this year.
    Author: Ian Willoughby

  • Senior Prague police officers arrested by Interior Ministry inspectors
    12/18/2004

    Two senior Prague police officers have been arrested by a team of inspectors from the Interior Ministry. But neither the Ministry nor the state prosecutor has revealed what crime the two are accused of. The daily Mlada fronta Dnes speculated they had been arrested in connection with an investigation into ties between the police and crime gangs.
    Author: Ian Willoughby

  • Man arrested after his Rottweilers attack eight-year-old girl, man
    12/18/2004

    A man whose two Rottweiler dogs attacked an eight-year-old girl and her father last month has been arrested. The newspaper Pravo reported the girl would suffer permanent scarring as a result of the attack. If the dogs' owner is found responsible he could face up to two years in prison. The lower house this week rejected a bill which would have introduced tougher sentences for people whose dogs cause death or serious injury.
    Author: Ian Willoughby

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