Press Review

Czech soldiers in Kuwait, Friday's presidential election and the scandal at the Czech Statistics Office - these are some of the stories making today's headlines. Most front pages feature a photo of actors Jack Nicholson and Nicole Kidman proudly holding their Golden Globes at the Los Angeles ceremony.

PRAVO and LIDOVE NOVINY show Defence Minister Jaroslav Tvrdik on a visit to the Czech unit's base in Kuwait. In the photo Mr Tvrdik, who is wearing a sharp suit and tie, is accompanied by Christian Democrat MP Vlasta Parkanova wearing desert camouflage complete with a wide-brimmed hat and fashionable sunglasses.

PRAVO reports that nine Czech soldiers serving in Kuwait were involved in a car accident at the time of Minister Tvrdik's visit. Two men were injured - one of them has a broken leg. The paper also says that a certain number of soldiers from the anti-chemical unit feel under great pressure facing the possibility of war in neighbouring Iraq and that they decided to cut short their stay in Kuwait and return home.

The paper says that twenty-seven men have asked to be replaced so far and that another twenty are to apply by the end of January. Beside the danger of a possible attack, the soldiers also complain about the claustrophobic atmosphere at their base - Camp Dauha - which they are not allowed to leave. The base was originally designed for 1300 people but is now inhabited by thousands of American troops, PRAVO notes.

MLADA FRONTA DNES leads with a story on the Social Democrats' presidential candidate, former party leader Milos Zeman. The paper writes that Mr Zeman has left his country refuge, returned to Prague and set up his office on the premises of the parliament's lower house. There he plans to meet party bosses and MPs and try and rally their support for the election. The vice chairwoman of the lower house, Social Democrat Jitka Kupcova, has lent Mr Zeman her office, dubbing it "Zeman's negotiation headquarters".

LIDOVE NOVINY features an interview with the third presidential candidate, 74-year old Senator Jaroslava Moserova, under a headline saying: "I want to prove a woman can get to Prague Castle." Ms Moserova says that even if she weren't elected, her candidacy has a symbolic meaning - it is important to show that a woman can run for president, too. When asked by LIDOVE NOVINY if she is ready to lose, Ms Moserova replied she was not a vain man.

MLADA FRONTA DNES reports on the flooded Prague metro again. The paper writes that somebody has stolen a top-secret animated map of the network demonstrating the process of flooding minute by minute, which a specialised company created for the Prague transport service. The thief has put the animation on the Internet for everybody to see what actually happened in August. The director of Metroprojekt, the company that produced the map, told MLADA FRONTA DNES they were considering legal action against the perpetrator.

Staying with MLADA FRONTA DNES, the paper says President Vaclav Havel has started moving out his belongings from his office in Prague Castle. Among them is a unique bookcase - a gift from renowned interior designer Borek Sipek. Mr Havel is now planning to install the piece of furniture at his country house in East Bohemia. The paper writes that it will now be up to Vaclav Havel's successor how he or she will furnish the presidential office.