News

Man lights himself on fire on Wenceslas Square

A 36-year-old man has attempted to commit suicide by lighting his jacket on fire on Sunday afternoon after pouring an unknown flammable liquid on himself. Police officers who were standing nearby helped put out the flames. The man is currently being treated for possible injuries. His motives have not been clarified yet.

The incident happened near the National Museum building on Prague's Wenceslas Square close to the spot where a young student Jan Palach lit himself on fire on January 16, 1969 in protest against the Soviet occupation of Czechoslovakia. Palach died three days later.

President Klaus 'cannot forgive' Schwarzenberg

President Václav Klaus has condemned the presidential candidate Karel Schwarzenberg for his criticism of the Beneš decrees. The president told an online news server novinky.cz on Saturday evening that he cannot forgive the foreign minister for doubting the post-World War Two "settlement" instituted by president Eduard Beneš. Mr Schwarzenberg said in a presidential debate on Thursday that the deportation of Germans from Czechoslovakia at the end of the war would be considered a gross violation of human rights by today's standards. Responding to the president's statement, the presidential candidate said he feels the matter of the Beneš decrees to have been settled, and that nobody's property is at stake. Mr Schwarzenberg thus refered to Mr Klaus's long-term efforts to prevent descendants of Sudeten Germans from making claims on Czech land and property.

Public Affairs propose free services for those affected by amnesty

MPs from the Public Affairs party have put forward a proposal to free those seeking damages as a result of the amnesty from court fees. They also propose that plaintiffs would be able to request free legal counsel form the state. Chairman of the Civic Democratic MPs Marek Benda is sceptical of the proposal, while the opposition Social Democrats came out against the provision of free legal counsel.

Austrian man commits suicide with a bomb

In a south Bohemian town of České Velenice an Austrian man blew himself up with a bomb on Saturday. The 42-year-old had the bomb strapped to his body. No other person was hurt and no property was damaged. Police have not yet determined the origin of the explosive or the reason why the man committed suicide in Velenice.

Musicians to support Schwarzenberg at Sunday night concerts

Concerts will take place in more than 60 locations across the Czech Republic on Sunday night in support of one of the presidential candidates, Karel Schwarzenberg. Famous Czech acts like Tata Bojs, Čechomor and others will appear in support of the second-place winner of the first round of the presidential elections. A number of artists including Jiřina Bohdalová and Lucie Bílá have in the past weeks come out in support of the other presidential candidate Miloš Zeman.

Girls' volleyball team injured in van crash

Eight people were injured, with three people in serious condition, after a van collided with a concrete pole near the village of Drysice in southern Moravia. Nine passengers in the van were members of a girls' volleyball team and the coach. The girls in the van were all around 13 years of age.

Barta, Okamura offer alternatives to current government

A few hundred people opposed to the current government gathered in the National House in Prague's Vinohrady district on Saturday to listen to speakers offer alternatives to the current system of government. Among the speakers was the former head of the Public Affairs party Vít Barta, senator Tomio Okamura and the economist Pavel Kohout and representatives of the civic movement Holešovská výzva.

Berdych goes through to Australian quarterfinal

Tennis player Tomáš Berdych has advanced into the quarterfinals of the Australian Open on Sunday, beating the South African Kevin Anderson. Berdych, who has not lost a single set in the first Grand Slam of the year, dominated over Anderson with the final score 6:3, 6:2, 7:6. The sixth seeded Czech will most likely face the world number one Novak Djoković on Tuesday. The two faced each other 12 times, and Bedych beat the Serb won only one match at the 2010 Wimbledon.

Weather

It will be mostly overcast in the next few days with snow and freezing rain. Temperatures in the east will go up as high as 0 degrees Celsius, while in the west of the country daytime temperatures may dip as low as -7 degrees.