News
Czechs donate largest amount for overseas disaster relief in history of state
The Czech public has donated almost 150 million crowns (around 5 million euros) to relief in Southeast Asia. A spokesperson for aid agency People in Need said it was the biggest collection to help overseas disaster victims in the history of the Czech Republic. The Czech government has sent 15 million crowns in aid, and pledged another 200 million for redevelopment in the region.
Number of Czechs unaccounted for falls to 13, seven believed dead
The number of Czech citizens still unaccounted for in the wake of the Indian Ocean disaster fell to 13 on Friday. Seven of those who are missing are believed dead, though only one Czech fatality - a 24-year-old woman - has been confirmed so far.
Meanwhile, experts from the Prague police have been taking DNA samples from relatives of the seven Czechs believed to have died, the daily Pravo reported on Friday. The results of the DNA tests will be sent to the affected region, where they will be compared with tests carried out on victims of the disaster.
Phone tapping not more common than elsewhere in Europe, say police
Telephone surveillance is not more common in the Czech Republic than in other European countries, according to a new report presented by police chief Jiri Kolar and Interior Minister Frantisek Bublan on Friday. It was commissioned on the instigation of President Vaclav Klaus, after a number of high profile cases of alleged phone tapping. Civic Democrat MP Jiri Bily says the study is not objective or independent because it was carried out by the police themselves; he has called on the Justice Ministry to begin a fresh inquiry.
Three injured in Prague centre shooting incident
Three people were injured in a shoot-out in Prague on Friday morning. A 27-year-old Bulgarian man was seriously injured during the incident, which took place on Dlouha Street at around 6 am. Two other men escaped with light injuries.
Russians found buried in woods, countrymen accused of deaths
The bodies of two Russian men have been found buried in woods near Karlovy Vary, police said on Friday. The two, a father and son, had been missing since last March. Police suspect Russian criminals of being behind the killings.
Poll: Czech football manager Bruckner fourth best in world
The Czech football manager, Karel Bruckner, has been named fourth best international trainer in the world in a poll by the International Federation of Football History and Statistics. Bruckner, who is 65, led the Czech squad to third place in the European Championships in Portugal last summer.
Weather
The mild weather we have been having lately looks set to continue, with temperatures of up to 11 degrees Celsius expected. It should be cloudy with some sunny spells.
