News

Petrol stations raise prices around the country

Motorists have been cuing at petrol stations around the country to fill up their tanks ahead of projected price hikes. In just 24 hours, the price of a litre of petrol has already increased by up to 3 crowns on Saturday. Petrol stations say limited stocks are forcing them to raise prices; with some stations planning to have prices up by 6 crowns by Monday.

Police monitor techno party

Police are monitoring a techno party near the south Bohemian town of Pilsen this weekend. Some 3,000 people have attended the rave so far. One man had to be rushed to hospital after he overdosed on party drugs. He is now in stable condition. The event is closely monitored following a police intervention in a techno party last month, which left dozens injured on both sides. Police say the party this weekend, has been peaceful, no-one is trampling on private property, and nearby villages are not complaining of excessive noise.

Czech National Library receives UNESCO Memory of the World Prize

The Czech National Library has been awarded the UNESCO/Jikji Memory of the World Prize. The library is the first to receive the 30,000 US dollar prize, which is given every two years in recognition of a contribution to the preservation and accessibility of documentary heritage. The prize giving ceremony took place in Cheongju in the Republic of Korea. The National Library, which is one of the forerunners in making rare book collections available electronically, was selected from a short-list of seven, out of a total of 36, nominations. Its format for structuring digital copies has been adopted by UNESCO as a standard for its Memory of the World Programme.

Nationwide campaign hopes to raise Hepatitis C awareness among younger Czechs

A campaign is currently underway around the country aimed at informing the younger generation of the dangers of Hepatitis C and the ways it can be transmitted. Information flyers are distributed at schools, dormitories, night clubs, and health centres. Sixty percent of Hepatitis C patients in the Czech Republic are intravenous drug users; other groups at risk are people who acquire tattoos and piercings, and sexually promiscuous individuals. Campaign organisers say most Czechs are unaware that the virus is transmitted primarily by blood and can stay in one's system undetected for decades. The virus can lead to various cirrhoses and liver cancer, which some 30 percent of patients die from.

Weather

The next few days are expected to have partially clear skies and occasional rain with day-time highs of 25 degrees Celsius.