Woman dies during violent storms
One person was killed during violent storms which hit the Czech Republic on Wednesday night.
A woman of 45 died a few hours after being hit by a falling tree at Svitavy in east Bohemia; she had apparently been sitting at a table in a beer garden, a rescue services spokesperson said. Fire brigades were called out to deal with fallen trees and other problems at hundreds of places around the country. Thousands of households were left without electricity, some trains were cancelled and some flights from Prague Airport were briefly delayed. The storms also interrupted some Radio Prague shortwave broadcasts.
Topolánek presents Sir Nicholas Winton with PM’s medal
The Czech leader Mirek Topolánek has presented a prime minister’s medal to Sir Nicholas Winton, an Englishman who saved the lives of hundreds of Czechoslovak Jewish children during World War II. Mr Topolánek said he hoped Czech children today would learn about Sir Nicholas’s story. Mr Winton, who is 99, told reporters in Prague he was moved to receive such an award. During the war he managed to get 669 Czechoslovak Jewish children to safety in the UK; today “Winton’s Children” have around 5,000 descendants.
Hybášková ordered to apologise to Tlustý over corruption allegation
Jana Hybášková, an MEP for the European Democrats, has been ordered by the Prague High Court to apologise to Civic Democrat MP Vlastimil Tlustý for accusing him of corruption. Ms Hybášková also has to pay financial compensation of CZK 50,000 to Mr Tlustý. He had been demanding CZK one million, after the MEP accused him of seeking a bribe of that amount in exchange for support for a subsidy for her party.
Čech reacts angrily to blame for early exit from Euro 2008
The Czech footballer Petr Čech has reacted angrily to comments by the former business manager of the national team Vlastimil Košťál, who blamed the Czech Republic’s early exit from Euro 2008 on a mistake by the goalkeeper. Čech issued a statement saying Mr Košťál had been happy enough to take the glory whenever the Czech team was successful and had not behaved like a “team player”. Vlastimil Košťál is one of the most unpopular figures in Czech football. Respected coach Ivan Hašek recently turned down the chance to manage the national team because of Mr Košťál’s role as deputy chairman of the Czech football association.
Celine Dion makes first appearance in Prague
The Canadian singer Celine Dion is appearing in the Czech Republic for the first time on Thursday night. The former winner of the Eurovision Song Contest will perform in the round at Prague’s O2 Arena on a special stage delivered by 21 trucks. The show will be part of Dion’s Taking Chances tour, supporting a CD of the same name.
Weather
It should remain mostly sunny over the next few days, with temperatures of up to 29 degrees Celsius.
(radio-Prague)
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