News of Radio Prague
NATO Parliamentary Assembly: U.N. should play important role in Iraq
The NATO Parliamentary Assembly meeting in Prague has said the U.N. should play an important role in the reconstruction of Iraq. Members of the Assembly, representing the 19 NATO countries, said a new U.N. Security Council resolution would help stabilise the country. The Czech Republic joined NATO in 1999, and last year hosted the first ever NATO summit to be held in the former Soviet bloc.
Czechs to send emergency relief to Algeria
The Czech Republic is to send a planeload of emergency supplies to Algeria to help the rescue effort following Wednesday's devastating earthquake. An army plane carrying tents, blankets and medical supplies will leave for Algeria on Monday. The plane will bring back a team of Czech emergency workers who have been working in the country since Thursday.
Civic Democrat Necas: Slovak Romanies not welcome here
A senior member of the opposition Civic Democrats, Petr Necas, has said that Slovak Romanies are not welcome in the Czech Republic. Mr Necas, speaking on a TV discussion programme, said Slovakia was a democratic country and there was no reason for Slovak Roma to seek asylum in the Czech Republic. Around 500 Slovak families - mostly believed to be Romanies - have applied for asylum in the Czech Republic this year, citing poor living conditions and discrimination back home.
Anti-human trafficking conference held in Prague
Meanwhile government representatives from 55 countries have been attending a Prague conference on human trafficking. Delegates to the conference, organised by the Organisation for Security and Co-Operation in Europe (OSCE), urged banks, employment agencies and other businesses to join the international campaign against human trafficking. The government representatives said that businesses must become more involved in the campaign, arguing that governments cannot fight the battle against human trafficking on their own.
Bag containing plastic explosive found on rubbish dump
A paper bag containing five kilograms of plastic explosive has been found on a rubbish dump near the south Bohemian city of Ceske Budejovice. Police have taken away the material - described as nitro-glycerine - for examination.
Police in Prague arrest couple accused of producing pervitine
Police in Prague have arrested a man and a woman suspected of producing and selling the illegal drug pervitine. A police raid uncovered pervitine with a street value of 1.3 million crowns in a number of properties in Prague. Pervitine, an amphetamine similar to speed, is mostly produced in makeshift laboratories.
Czech and Slovak leaders finish fun-run hand in hand
The prime ministers of the Czech Republic and Slovakia - both keen marathon runners - chose a symbolic finish to a 10-km race in East Bohemia on Saturday by crossing the finishing line at the same time. Slovak Prime Minister Mikulas Dzurinda was in the lead, but deliberately fell back to cross the finishing line hand in hand with his Czech counterpart Vladimir Spidla. Czechoslovakia was one country from 1918 to 1992.
Weather
Monday will be another hot and sultry day, with temperatures in the daytime reaching highs of 27 degrees Celsius. However the weather will be cloudier than in recent days, with the chance of thunderstorms throughout the country.
