News 5.31.2008

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Copyright (c) 2008 Radio Prague (Cesky Rozhlas 7 - Radio Praha)

News Saturday, May 31st, 2008

By: Daniela Lazarova

* Two young Czechs who have been on a hunger strike since May 13th in
protest against the siting of a US radar in the Czech Republic have
asked to meet with President Klaus.

* The opposition Social Democrats are holding a two-day party
conference on policy matters in preparation for the autumn local and
Senate elections.

* Ex-president Vaclav Havel has launched a stinging attack on Civic
Democrats at Prague City Hall.

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Anti-radar protesters want meeting with president
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Two young Czechs who have been on a hunger strike since May 13th in
protest against the siting of a US radar in the Czech Republic have
asked to meet with President Klaus. Anti-radar activist Jan Tamas sent
the president an open letter requesting a meeting, shortly after Mr.
Klaus urged American Vice-President Dick Cheney to speed up the signing
of a bilateral agreement on the radar. In the letter Jan Tamas says he
is deeply disturbed by the fact that the president should be going
against the will of his people and suggests that by doing so Mr. Klaus
is trampling on democracy in the Czech Republic.

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Social Democrats debate policy matters
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The opposition Social Democrats are holding a two-day party conference
on policy matters in preparation for the autumn local and Senate
elections. Opposition leader Jiri Paroubek slammed the reforms of the
centre-right government and said that as soon as it got the chance his
party would scrap medical fees, prevent the introduction of university
fees and bring back blanket child benefits. The opposition leader said
he was confident that the autumn local and Senate elections would
reflect the public's widespread dissatisfaction with the present state
of affairs.

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Ex-president Havel slams work of Prague City Hall
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Ex-president Vaclav Havel has launched a stinging attack on Civic
Democrats at Prague City Hall. In an article published in Saturday's
Lidove Noviny Mr. Havel criticized the city hall for cutting subsidies
to the arts, for its lack of urban planning and for a reliance on
tourist revenues. In an unusually blunt intervention in domestic
politics the former president said the management of Prague City Hall
was hurting Prague's interests. City lawmakers have sparked a wave of
protests from Prague's theatrical world with a new programme of
subsidies which Mr. Havel said would strangle to death
non-profit-making theatres. The ex-president also criticized the city
hall for sanctioning what he called "uninspired architecture" with
giant warehouses and shopping centres "spreading like cancer" and the
fact that local life was being forced out of the city centre.

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Fight between skinheads and anarchists leaves six injured
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A fight between skinheads and anarchists that broke out unexpectedly on
Prague's Namesti Republiky on Saturday afternoon left six people
injured. The injured, aged between 18 and 38, suffered broken bones,
bruises and concussion. One youth got both his wrists broken.
Eyewitnesses said the groups appeared to have met by chance and a fight
broke out after some verbal provocation. Police are investigating the
incident.

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Milos Zeman may return to politics
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Former prime minister Milos Zeman is not ruling out the possibility of
running in direct presidential elections at some future date should he
receive broad public support. Responding to rumors that he was
considering a return to active politics, Mr. Zeman said that if
lawmakers changed the Constitution opening the way for direct
presidential elections and if he received broad support from the public
he might be tempted to re-enter politics. Mr. Zeman has been living a
quiet life in retirement ever since his unsuccessful candidacy for the
presidential post in 2003. His chances of getting elected were thwarted
by rebels in his own Social Democratic Party after which Mr. Zeman
vowed never to return to politics.

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Night blast in Jablonna nad Orlici
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A late-night explosion caused a panic in the town of Jablonna nad
Orlici on Friday night. The house where the explosion took place was
completely demolished by the blast and the windows of dozens of
surrounding houses were shattered within a 100-metre-radius. The owner
of the house was found buried under the rubble, badly injured. He was
flown to hospital and remains in critical condition. Police are
investigating the cause of the blast. According to unofficial sources a
gas leak may have been responsible.

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Tennis - French Open
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Czech Radek Stepanek won Saturday's match against Spanish 12th seed
Tommy Robredo knocking him out of the French Open in the third round
6-3 6-2 6-1. Stepanek, seeded 21st, will face either Australian Lleyton
Hewitt or Spaniard David Ferrer for a place in the quarter-finals.

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Football - Sivok transfer
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Czech international footballer Tomas Sivok confirmed on Saturday that
he had agreed to transfer to Turkish club Besiktas from Italy's Udine.
The 25-year-old defender, who had been on loan with Sparta Prague for
the past few months, is set to sign a four-year deal.

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Record-breaking heat-wave
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Meteorologists at Prague's Klementinum weather station on Saturday
reported the highest ever temperature recorded in the month of May i.e.
30,4 degrees Celsius. Saturday's temperature broke a record set in 1868
which was just one tenth of a degree lower.

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Weather
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The coming days are expected to be warm and sunny with day temperatures
between 23 and 27 degrees Celsius.

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Articles posted on www.radio.cz today
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SoundCzech
To have enough time
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Hello and welcome to another edition of Sound Czech -Radio Prague's
Czech language programme which helps you learn idioms through song
lyrics. Today, we'll be listening to a song by the legendary duo Jiri
Suchy and Jiri Slitr called "Praminek vlasu", which translates as "A
Lock of Hair". The phrase to listen out for is "je totiz nedele a mam
dost casu".

http://www.radio.cz/en/article/104639

Magazine
Magazine 5.31.2008
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Eating under cover of night: Prague has joined a number of world cities
in providing an unusual experience: wining and dining in utter
darkness. Why is the Czech Football Union dying of embarrassment? And,
a multi-fruit tree in celebration of the EU. Find out more in Magazine
with Daniela Lazarova.

http://www.radio.cz/en/article/104602

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all rights reserved. http://www.radio.cz, E-mail: cr@radio.cz

Radio Prague Today 5.31.2008

Radio Prague Today

Articles posted on www.radio.cz today

News

Two young Czechs who have been on a hunger strike since May 13th in protest against the siting of a US radar in the Czech Republic have asked to meet with President Klaus.

The opposition Social Democrats are holding a two-day party conference on policy matters in preparation for the autumn local and Senate elections.

Ex-president Václav Havel has launched a stinging attack on Civic Democrats at Prague City Hall.

SoundCzech: To have enough time

Hello and welcome to another edition of Sound Czech –Radio Prague's Czech language programme which helps you learn idioms through song lyrics. Today, we'll be listening to a song by the legendary duo Jiří Suchý and Jiří Šlitr called "Pramínek vlasů", which translates as "A Lock of Hair". The phrase to listen out for is "je totiž neděle a mám dost času".

Magazine: Magazine 5.31.2008

Eating under cover of night: Prague has joined a number of world cities in providing an unusual experience: wining and dining in utter darkness. Why is the Czech Football Union dying of embarrassment? And, a multi-fruit tree in celebration of the EU. Find out more in Magazine with Daniela Lazarová.

This e-mail is sent to you automatically according to the settings you chose at http://www.radio.cz/en/subscribe. To change the settings, click here.

© 2008, Radio Prague - the international service of Czech Radio, all rights reserved.

http://www.radio.cz, E-mail: cr@radio.cz

RCI Cyberjournal

Opposition has another go at fallen minister

Canadian economy shrank

Ottawa's cellphone auction a success

OTTAWA: OPPOSITION KEEPS POUNDING OVER FM'S RESIGNATION

The opposition in the House of Commons continued for the fourth straight day to raise questions about the resignation on Monday of former Foreign Minister Maxime Bernier. Prime Minister Stephen Harper announced it, citing the former minister's having left classified documents at the residence of his former lady friend, a security breach. The Liberals criticized the Conservative government's decision to confide an investigation of the matter to foreign affairs officials. Liberal Member of Parliament Bob Rae said that the same officials may themselves be implicated in the affair, which is why a independent inquiry is required. Conservative House leader Peter Van Loan replied that the department can draw on "other resources of government" if necessary. The Liberals and Bloc Québécois also raised again the question of whether Mr. Bernier's companion, Julie Couillard, was issued a government spousal passport. Without saying "no," Mr. Van Loan answered that only spouses or common-law partners were eligible to receive such passports. Miss Couillard's relationship with the former attracted considerable comment at the beginning of the month when it emerged that she had had intimate relationships with three different men connected to the Hells Angels criminal biker gang.

TORONTO: ECONOMY SHRANK

Statistics Canada reports that the country's economy declined by .1 per cent in the first quarter in the first such quarterly shrinkage in almost five years. StatsCan attributes the decline chiefly to widespread cutbacks in the manufacturing sector, especially with motor vehicles. The agency also reports, however, that gross domestic product would have grown by .1 per cent in the quarter but for the vehicle industry and its downstream repercussions.

MONTREAL: FINANCE MINISTERS NONETHELESS UPBEAT

Despite the apparently dispiriting news from StatsCan, the country's finance ministers expressed optimism at the conclusion of their annual two-day meeting that the country won't fall into recession . Federal Minister Jim Flaherty says the economy's fundamentals are strong and predicts that the automobile and forestry sectors, the main sources of the quarterly decline, will recover. But Ontario's finance minister, Dwight Duncan, while acknowledging the economy's basic strengths, said the recovery would be hastened if the federal government joined in targeting those two sectors for immediate financial aid.

TORONTO: FARM MINISTERS DISCUSS WTO

While the finance ministers were meeting in Montreal, their agriculture colleagues were convened in Toronto. Federal Minister Gerry Ritz said that one of their concerns involved the Canada's negotiations with the World Trade Organization. Canada places quotas on imports of dairy products, poultry and eggs, and is worried that WTO proposals would either force Canada to increase the quotas or to reduce the penalties for exceeding them.

PRINCE ALBERT: WESTERN PREMIERS AGREE, DISAGREE ON ENVIRONMENT

The four western and three territorial premiers held their annual meeting on Friday and the environment was a main concern. The agreed that Alberta and Saskatchewan will lead a national "carbon capture" initiative by which harmful greenhouse gases would be buried instead of escaping into the atmosphere. B.C. Premier Gordon Campbell noted that his government is already involved in a project with a private partner to study the feasibility of carbon capture. There was disagreement over the imposition of a "carbon tax" on industrial polluters and on a cap-and-trade system. The former would allow government to impose pollution ceilings on polluters and the latter would allow companies that keep below their cap to receive payments from firms that can't or won't. Nunavut Premier Paul Okalik said his territory could never afford to pay a carbon tax.

OTTAWA: OPPOSITION AGAIN DEMANDS REPATRIATION OF GUANTANAMO CANADIAN

The official opposition Liberal Party has again demanded that the Conservative Party government request that the U.S. hand over the only Westerner still held prisoner at Guantanamo, Cuba, as a terrorism suspect. The Liberals were reacting to the replacement on Thursday of the military judge presiding over the special tribunal set up to judge 21-year-old Omar Khadr. Col. Peter Brownback had resisted setting a trial date and had ordered prosecutors to supply a classified prison log to the defence, which contends that Khadr has been coerced into making confessions. The Liberals said in the House of Commons on Friday that the judge's replacement is proof that the legal process at Guantanamo is rigged. But Deepak Obhrai, the parliamentary secretary to the minister of foreign affairs, replied that the government has asked for and received assurance that the Canadian is being treated fairly and won't intervene while the legal process and appeals continue.

TORONTO: STUDENT TERROR SUSPECT WINS UNIVERSITY PRIZE

A 26-year-old student seeking to earn a master's degree in business at Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo, ON, has been awarded a $5,000 prize by the school for entrepreneurship. Suresh Sriskandarajah is only one of 13 business students to win a prize funded by CIBC. Two years ago, he was arrested in Canada at the request of the U.S. government on the grounds that he's an accomplice of the Sri Lankan Tamil Tigers group, which is listed in Canada and the U.S. as a terrorist group. The U.S. FBI accuses him of trying to obtain thousands of dollars to acquire sensitive British software used to design submarines and warships and also of trying to obtain night-vision goggles from a firm in B.C. The student has pursued his studies while out on bail pending his extradition hearing.

ST. CATHERINES: TEMPORARY MEXICAN APPEALS TO STAY

A Mexican seasonal worker suffering from failing kidneys is asking to be allowed to stay in Canada on humanitarian and compassionate grounds. Thirty-six-year-old Hermelindo Gutierrez has worked through the federal seasonal agricultural program in the last several years on a farm for eight months a year, returning to Mexico the other four months. In March 2005, he was diagnosed with kidney failure and requires dialysis three times a week. Mr. Gutierrez was refused refugee status in December, a decision under appeal. He isn't covered by health insurance in Mexico and says he couldn't afford dialysis there. His lawyer says he'll try to prove that his client would undergo a specific undue hardship if returned to Mexico, namely death. Mr. Gutierrez' wife also has made a refugee request, the decision being pending.

IRELAND

One-hundred-and-eleven nations, including Canada, have formally agreed on the text of a treaty to ban cluster bombs after two weeks of negotiation in Dublin. UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon urged states quickly to sign and to ratify the draft treaty. The agreement was reached after Britain promised to stop using the weapon. Opponents of its use argue that the bomblets released from a bomb exploded in the air often lie on the ground unexploded for months or years, threatening civilians long after a conflict has ended. The UN says the weapon has caused more than 13,000 injuries or deaths around the world, many in Vietnam, Laos and Afghanistan. The U.S., China, Russia and Israel reject the treaty. The tentative accord contains a clause which allows troops of a signatory state to co-operate with a non-signer like the U.S. A member of the Canadian delegation described the clause as a legal protection "...to accommodate situations in combined operations that may be beyond our control."

ZIMBABWE

The country's main opposition party, the Movement for Democratic Change, has declared itself the de fact governing party and has called a session of "Parliament." Party leader Morgan Tsangvirei addressed the "Parliament" meeting at Harare International Conference Centre that the country will experience "a new and different era of governance." The MDC won 110 of the legislature's 210 seats in the March elections. Mr. Tsangvirei won a plurality of votes for the presidency over President Robert Mugabe and a runoff vote will be held on June 27. The opposition accuses the president's supporters of engaging in a massive campaign of voter intimidation.

UN

The World Health Organization has called for a total ban on all advertising for tobacco products. The UN body issued its call on world tobaccoless day. The WHO says it wants to protect the health of 1.8 billion young people who are targeted by smoking ads. The organizations says that recent research shows that the more young people are exposed to such incentives, the more likely they are to end up smoking. The WHO published a report last February that indicates that 100 million people in the course of the 20th century died from having smoked.

BOLIVIA

Two more eastern Bolivian provinces will hold referendums on political autonomy on Sunday. The votes in Beni and Pando departments follow a referendum in Santa Cruz on May 4 the residents of which overwhelmingly voted for autonomy. A fourth referendum on the same issue will be held in late June in Tarija. The referendums reflect the power struggle between the conservative eastern regions and western Bolivia, where aboriginals predominate. Bolivia's first native president, Evo Morales, was elected in January 2006. Conservatives in the east, which contains most of the country's natural resources, oppose his plan to rewrite the constitution to give more political power to the country's poor, Indian majority.

SPAIN

Protests against rising fuel prices spread from France across southern Europe Friday. In Spain, almost the entire fishing fleet, the largest in Europe, remained in port in protest. In Italy, thousands more fisherman went on strike, shutting the industry down on both its main coasts. Portugal's fishing fleet also remained in port. Javier Garat, the secretary general of the Spanish fishermen's federation predicts the entire European fishing fleet will remain on strike for the next two to three weeks. Fishermen in Scotland and Belgium did not go on strike, although they have had talks with their respective governments over rising costs.

MONTREAL: CELLPHONE AUCTION RAISES BILLION

The Canadian government's wireless spectrum auction has received $1.2 billion in bids from the three established cellphone firms as well as newcomers to the market. The government is auctioning off 105 megahertz of radio spectrum to be used to cellphone service. Forty megahertz are reserved for firms not yet on the market. Telus Corp., one of the three established competitors, bid $183.5 million for 68 licences, while Quebecor Inc., a new player, bid $274.9 million for 24 spectrum licences. The auction is intended to introduce more competition into the cellphone business.

TORONTO: BANK PROFITS TANK

Canada's biggest banks have had their earnings almost halved in the second quarter to $2.47 billion, compared with last year's second-quarter results. The cause is the credit crunch that start in the U.S. last summer and battered the American housing sector. The crisis has affected consumer spending, corporate lending and mortgages in Canada. On Thursday, the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce reported a $1.1-billion quarterly loss. The banking results published Friday show that the Bank of Nova Scotia has outstripped the Royal Bank as the country's most profitable.

MONTREAL: CLIMATE CHANGE EXCHANGE LAUNCHED

The Montreal Climate Exchange was officially launched on Friday. Quebec Premier Jean Charest and federal Environment Minister John Baird were on hand for the inauguration. The exchange will allow industries that do not yet have the technology to begin cutting emissions to buy carbon credits so they can meet government-mandated targets. Companies that can meet emissions targets will get credits, which they will be able to trade at market value on this new exchange. The Montreal Climate Exchange is a joint venture with the Chicago Climate exchange and the Montreal Exchange, which is being merged with the TSX.

MONTREAL: QUEBEC PENSION BOSS QUITS

Henri-Paul Rousseau, the president and CEO of Canada's biggest pension fund, la Caisse de dépot et placement du Québec, has announced his resignation. Mr. Rousseau will become vice-chairman of Power Corp. of Canada starting next January. Mr. Rousseau has guided the fortunes of la Caisse since September 2002 and since then has doubted its assets, which are now worth $155 billion. His departure comes as credit markets show signs of recovery from the crisis caused by last summer's collapse of the U.S. subprime mortgage market. The crisis has caused a freeze of $32 billion of non-banking commercial paper in Canada, much of it held by la Caisse.

MARKETS

TSX on Friday: 12,638, down 8 points. Canadian dollar: US$100.70 cents, down 0.40 of a cent. Euro: C$1.5449, up 1.14 cents. Light, sweet crude: US$127.35, up $0.73.

HOCKEY

The Detroit Red Wings and Pittsburgh Penguins have another day to get ready for Game 4 of the Stanley Cup final. Pittsburgh needs a win at home Saturday night to even the best-of-seven series at two games apiece. The Penguins have won 17 games in a row at the Mellon Arena.

OLYMPICS

Vancouver's Olympic organizers say the rights of
women ski jumpers aren't being violated by a decision not to include
them in the 2010 Winter Games.
The organization filed a statement of defence Friday against a lawsuit launched by nine jumpers earlier this month.
The suit said leaving their sport out of the Games violated the
Charter of Rights and Freedoms' guarantee of equality.
Men's ski jumping is included at the Games.

Weather

British Columbia on Saturday: sun south, rain north, high 20 Celsius Vancouver. Yukon, Northwest Territories: sun. Nunavut: cloud. Whitehorse 16, Yellowknife 12, Iqaluit 5. Alberta: sun. Saskatchewan: sun south, rain north. Manitoba: cloud. Edmonton 21, Regina 24, Winnipeg 19. Ontario, Quebec: rain. Toronto 22, Ottawa 17, Montreal 21. Maritimes: rain. Newfoundland and Labrador: sun. Fredericton 14, Halifax, Charlottetown 17, St. John's 16.

News 5.30.2008

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Copyright (c) 2008 Radio Prague (Cesky Rozhlas 7 - Radio Praha)

News Friday, May 30th, 2008

By: Jan Velinger

* President Vaclav Klaus has told the Washington Times that a decision
on a US radar base in the Czech Republic is up to the Czech government
and "not Russia's business".

* Parliamentary leaders of the Visegrad Four are meeting in the Czech
capital to discuss the EU's Lisbon Treaty.

* The Czech Republic's national football team has defeated Scotland 3:1
in a final match ahead of Euro 2008.

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Klaus tells Washington Times radar base not Russia's business
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Czech President Vaclav Klaus, on a visit to the US this week, told the
US newspaper the Washington Times that an American radar base planned
in the Czech Republic was a decision for the Czech government and "not
Russia's business". Russia continues to strongly oppose the project,
rejecting claims US missile defence was protection against rogue
states. In his interview, the Czech president said there was little
chance Russia would drop its objections. Earlier, Mr Klaus met with US
vice president Dick Cheney to discuss the radar, which has been
proposed as part of a broader US missile defence shield in Europe. The
Czech government has agreed on the treaty covering the base, expected
to be signed in the coming months. Despite the government's backing,
polls have repeatedly suggested that two-thirds of the public continues
to oppose the project.

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Visegrad Four representatives meet to discuss Lisbon Treaty
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Parliamentary leaders of the Visegrad Four - Slovakia, Poland, Hungary
and the Czech Republic - have begun a two-day meeting in Prague to
discuss the Lisbon Treaty. The Czech Republic has not yet ratified the
agreement, which replaces the failed EU constitution. On Thursday
Deputy Prime Minister Alexandr Vondra said the Czech government
supported the treaty but made clear the cabinet will now wait to see
how it is assessed by the Czech Constitutional Court - a decision is
expected in the autumn. The Czech Republic is the only Visegrad country
that has not ratified the treaty, which has been passed by 15 out of
the 27 EU countries overall.

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Sarkozy to visit Prague in mid-June
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French President Nicolas Sarkozy is scheduled to travel to the Czech
Republic next month to meet with the prime ministers of the Visegrad
Four. The visit has been set for June 16 and is to take place in the
Czech Senate. Topics on the agenda will include the upcoming EU
presidencies; France is to take up the presidency on July 1, the Czech
Republic on the first of January. Among priorities for the French are
energy and the climate while the Czech Republic is focussing on the
removal of barriers between EU states. Nicolas Sarkozy's visit to
Prague will be the first by a French president since 1997 - excluding
Jacques Chirac's attendance at the NATO summit in 2002.

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Prague clamps down on littering
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The city of Prague is set to join a number of Czech municipalities
clamping down on littering and other soiling of city streets. On
Thursday legislators at City Hall passed a decree allowing police to
fine anyone caught throwing cigarette butts or chewing gum on the
street 1,000 crowns. A refusal to pay, leading to administrative
proceedings, could see the fine raised to 30,000 (the equivalent of
around 1,800 US dollars). The law applies not only to the throwing away
of wrappers but also of food scraps. Similarly, anyone failing to pick
up after their dog or caught spitting or urinating in public could also
be fined. Some have expressed scepticism the legislation will be
effective but towns already with experience with such bans have
attested to positive results. The changes are to take effect in Prague
on July 1.

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Finance ministry ordered to pay European Democrats, Independents,
compensation
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A Prague court has ruled that the finance ministry must pay 800,000
crowns in compensation to the Independents and European Democrats for
subsidies the ministry failed to pay out after the European Democrats
earned mandates in local elections in 2002. Following the parties'
success in the elections they were entitled to an annual state subsidy
of 250,000 crowns for each mandate gained. But Bohuslav Sobotka, then
finance minister, and his successor Vlastimil Tlusty, both maintained
that the subsidies could onlz go to a party or a coalition of parties,
not an association comprising a political party and independent
candidates. The defence lawyer for the European Democrats and
Independents has maintained on the basis of the law the compensation
could come directly from the former ministers' pockets.

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Survey suggests tenth of population suffers health disability
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A unique survey released by the Czech Statistical Office on Friday has
suggested that people with some kind of health disability make up 10
percent of the Czech population (around 1 million people). The study
took into account random reports from 548 general practitioners and
paediatricians. The authors processed information about more than ten
thousand patients in making their estimate. Of 1.15 million people
suffering a disability 52 percent are men, 48, women. 72 percent, the
survey found, were not professionally active, while 79 percent lived
off their pension.

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Social Democrat leader backs Kaplicky project
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The leader of the opposition Social Democrats Jiri Paroubek met with
architect Jan Kaplicky on Friday to express support for his avant garde
design for the new national library, a building originally planned for
Prague's Letna Plain nicknamed "the Octopus" or "the Blob". The project
came to a standstill after objections were voiced by City Hall,
including the mayor, and disputes emerged over funding as well as
zoning on the original property. On Friday, Mr Paroubek said that if
his party were in government the building would receive the 3 to 4
billion crowns needed for its construction. The topic of the national
library is now likely to become a heated ahead of the next elections.
The head of the national library, Vlastimil Jezek, will reportedly also
meet with Mr Paroubek to try and drum up new support for the stalled
project.

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Z1 to launch digital broadcast Sunday
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A new private news and current affairs station, Z1, will launch digital
broadcasting this Sunday. Its programme will be available in Prague,
Brno, Ostrava and Pilsen for the time being. The new station will
feature well-known Czech journalists such as Veronika Sedlackova and
the former head of Czech Radio's Radiozurnal (Radio Journal) Barbora
Tacheci. Heads at Z1, which is funded by investors J&T, have
acknowledged the aim of trying to capture 3 percent of the market, a
goal which some media experts see as long-term and difficult to
achieve. Charles University specialist Milan Smid has suggested the
station will be successful even with less, providing it is able to
break through as a serious news source.

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Football: Czech Republic defeat Scotland 3:1 in final match ahead of
Euro 2008
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The Czech Republic's national football team defeated Scotland 3:1 in a
friendly in Prague on Friday evening. The game was the last for the
squad before the European Championship, Euro 2008, kicks off on June 7.
The Czechs' Libor Sionko opened the scoring in the 59th minute. His
goal was followed by a goal by Kadlec 6 minutes from time. Scotland got
one back on a goal by Clarkson, but Sionko then added a 2nd goal. The
Czech Republic will play the opening match at Euro 2008 against
co-hosts Switzerland.

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Weather
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Mostly clear skies are expected into the weekend with a chance of
sudden clouding over and thunderstorms. Daytime temperatures on
Saturday are expected to reach highs of 29 degrees Celsius.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Articles posted on www.radio.cz today
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ICE - Insight Central Europe
ICE - Insight Central Europe 5.30.2008
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In this week's Insight Central Europe: There's a building boom on
across much of Central Europe and we investigate what that means for
the urban landscape - from Warsaw, to Prague to Bratislava and
Ljubljana. We'll hear how the Slovak capital fears developers are given
too much freedom, how Warsaw is trying to find its heart, and how
Prague is putting up shopping malls. Hear these stories and more in
this special edition of Insight Central Europe. Catch a podcast at

http://oe1.orf.at/podcast/

http://www.radio.cz/en/article/104638

ICE - special
Slovenia remembers its great architect - and his timeless appeal
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To mark the 50th anniversary of the death of its greatest architect,
Slovenia has unleashed a flurry of exhibitions and symposiums abroad to
try to bring more recognition to Joze Plecnik. With shows currently
running in Belgium and Japan, Slovenian architects are also hoping to
breathe new life into the so-called Slovenian School of Architecture.

http://www.radio.cz/en/article/104637

ICE - special
Bratislava's building boom - do developers have too much freedom?
------------------------------------------------------------------------

There's a building boom going on across much of Central Europe. In
capitals like Prague, Warsaw and Bratislava cranes dominate the skyline
as builders try to keep up with demand created by rapid economic
growth. That growth is creating jobs and wealth and new architectural
gems. But it's also bringing problems including traffic chaos and fears
for the urban environment. Our special program this week begins on a
building site in Bratislava.

http://www.radio.cz/en/article/104636

ICE - special
Prague: Shopping malls are popping up all over
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One change in the urban landscape in the Czech Republic in recent years
has been a massive increase in the number of shopping malls. Rare a
decade ago, large shopping centres are now part of the everyday lives
of millions of Czechs. And while the number of malls keeps on growing,
some major retailers are also making inroads into the corner shop
market. Radio Prague's Ian Willoughby reports.

http://www.radio.cz/en/article/104635

ICE - special
Warsaw's communist past and capital present live in buildings and spaces
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Warsaw is a city whose skyline is dominated by the Stalinist-era Palace
of Culture and where a heated debate is under way on how to turn the
vast space around it into a genuine human-scale city centre.

http://www.radio.cz/en/article/104634

Business News
Business News 5.30.2008
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This week in Business News: The government is to support Skoda
producing regions, Czech Airlines struggles with high fuel costs,
Czechs are starting to shop for cheaper groceries in Germany, household
debt growing faster than savings and gas prices are set to skyrocket
next year.

http://www.radio.cz/en/article/104633

Current Affairs
Khamoro Festival celebrates 10th anniversary in Prague
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The Khamoro Festival is an international Romany Festival held in Prague
each year. This year saw the 10th anniversary of the event, which
features Romany performers and musicians from around the world,
celebrating their rich cultural heritage with a packed programme of
performances. One of the highlights is a vibrant procession of dancing
and music which winds its colourful way from Mustek to Old Town Square.
Jamie Brindley followed the procession yesterday.

http://www.radio.cz/en/article/104605

Current Affairs
Prague to fine those caught littering
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Prague City Hall has launched a new campaign to clamp down on litter in
the capital. As of June 1, those caught littering in the city can
expect big fines. Councillors say the new system has already been
proved to work in other European capitals, though critics say the
clean-up drive just stinks.

http://www.radio.cz/en/article/104604

Current Affairs
Czech scientists call for rational debate on GMO
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A week before a key vote by EU environment ministers on tightening GMO
cultivation rules, leading Czech scientists have called on European
politicians to start a rational debate on the future of genetically
modified plants. Claiming that GMOs are safe both for consumers and the
environment, Czech experts would like to see the European Union embrace
a more liberal attitude towards biotech crops.

http://www.radio.cz/en/article/104603

Arts
Visa agency head outlines which Czech musicians play in the US, where
they play - and who they play to
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The New York-based company Tamizdat brings music from central and
eastern Europe to an American audience. They also act as an agency
helping musicians get work visas to perform in the US, and handle the
applications of virtually every Czech musician who plays in America.
For that reason, Tamizdat owner Matthew Covey has an extensive
knowledge of Czech artists and the US - which groups visit the States,
where they play, and who they play to.

http://www.radio.cz/en/article/104590

ICE - news
Budapest favourite for EU research institute - but Warsaw
blocksBrussels threatens Poland over shipyard subsidiesCzechs continue
hunger strike protest over US radar basesTransparency: Graft hitting
Hungary's competitivenessSlovakia devalues the koruna to fight
inflationAmnesty: Slovenia's "erased" still suffering
discriminationAustria welcomes agreement on cluster munitions ban
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http://www.radio.cz/en/article/104591

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Radio Prague Today 5.30.2008

Radio Prague Today

Articles posted on www.radio.cz today

News

President Václav Klaus has told the Washington Times that a decision on a US radar base in the Czech Republic is up to the Czech government and "not Russia's business".

Parliamentary leaders of the Visegrad Four are meeting in the Czech capital to discuss the EU's Lisbon Treaty.

The Czech Republic's national football team has defeated Scotland 3:1 in a final match ahead of Euro 2008.

ICE - Insight Central Europe: ICE - Insight Central Europe 5.30.2008

In this week's Insight Central Europe: There's a building boom on across much of Central Europe and we investigate what that means for the urban landscape - from Warsaw, to Prague to Bratislava and Ljubljana. We'll hear how the Slovak capital fears developers are given too much freedom, how Warsaw is trying to find its heart, and how Prague is putting up shopping malls. Hear these stories and more in this special edition of Insight Central Europe. Catch a podcast at http://oe1.orf.at/podcast/

ICE - special: Slovenia remembers its great architect - and his timeless appeal

To mark the 50th anniversary of the death of its greatest architect, Slovenia has unleashed a flurry of exhibitions and symposiums abroad to try to bring more recognition to Jože Plečnik. With shows currently running in Belgium and Japan, Slovenian architects are also hoping to breathe new life into the so-called Slovenian School of Architecture.

ICE - special: Bratislava's building boom - do developers have too much freedom?

There's a building boom going on across much of Central Europe. In capitals like Prague, Warsaw and Bratislava cranes dominate the skyline as builders try to keep up with demand created by rapid economic growth. That growth is creating jobs and wealth and new architectural gems. But it's also bringing problems including traffic chaos and fears for the urban environment. Our special program this week begins on a building site in Bratislava.

ICE - special: Prague: Shopping malls are popping up all over

One change in the urban landscape in the Czech Republic in recent years has been a massive increase in the number of shopping malls. Rare a decade ago, large shopping centres are now part of the everyday lives of millions of Czechs. And while the number of malls keeps on growing, some major retailers are also making inroads into the corner shop market. Radio Prague's Ian Willoughby reports.

ICE - special: Warsaw's communist past and capital present live in buildings and spaces

Warsaw is a city whose skyline is dominated by the Stalinist-era Palace of Culture and where a heated debate is under way on how to turn the vast space around it into a genuine human-scale city centre.

Business News: Business News 5.30.2008

This week in Business News: The government is to support Škoda producing regions, Czech Airlines struggles with high fuel costs, Czechs are starting to shop for cheaper groceries in Germany, household debt growing faster than savings and gas prices are set to skyrocket next year.

Current Affairs: Khamoro Festival celebrates 10th anniversary in Prague

The Khamoro Festival is an international Romany Festival held in Prague each year. This year saw the 10th anniversary of the event, which features Romany performers and musicians from around the world, celebrating their rich cultural heritage with a packed programme of performances. One of the highlights is a vibrant procession of dancing and music which winds its colourful way from Mustek to Old Town Square. Jamie Brindley followed the procession yesterday.

Current Affairs: Prague to fine those caught littering

Prague City Hall has launched a new campaign to clamp down on litter in the capital. As of June 1, those caught littering in the city can expect big fines. Councillors say the new system has already been proved to work in other European capitals, though critics say the clean-up drive just stinks.

Current Affairs: Czech scientists call for rational debate on GMO

A week before a key vote by EU environment ministers on tightening GMO cultivation rules, leading Czech scientists have called on European politicians to start a rational debate on the future of genetically modified plants. Claiming that GMOs are safe both for consumers and the environment, Czech experts would like to see the European Union embrace a more liberal attitude towards biotech crops.

Arts: Visa agency head outlines which Czech musicians play in the US, where they play – and who they play to

The New York-based company Tamizdat brings music from central and eastern Europe to an American audience. They also act as an agency helping musicians get work visas to perform in the US, and handle the applications of virtually every Czech musician who plays in America. For that reason, Tamizdat owner Matthew Covey has an extensive knowledge of Czech artists and the US – which groups visit the States, where they play, and who they play to.

ICE - news: Budapest favourite for EU research institute – but Warsaw blocksBrussels threatens Poland over shipyard subsidiesCzechs continue hunger strike protest over US radar basesTransparency: Graft hitting Hungary's competitivenessSlovakia devalues the koruna to fight inflationAmnesty: Slovenia's "erased" still suffering discriminationAustria welcomes agreement on cluster munitions ban

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© 2008, Radio Prague - the international service of Czech Radio, all rights reserved.

http://www.radio.cz, E-mail: cr@radio.cz

Asia Compact | 30.05.2008, 18:00 UTC

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		Recommend to a friend   Feedback   Unsubscribe Newsletter | 30.05.2008, 18:00 UTC Asia Compact Your guide to information and selected links Overview of Topics Pressure Growing On Musharraf to Resign A Ray of Hope in Myanmar China 'Quake Lakes' Force New Evacuation Asia News 30 May 2008 15.30 UTC Asia Compact Quiz of the Month Pressure Growing On Musharraf to Resign Although Pakistan's President Musharraf has denied rumours about his impending resignation, it seems impossible for him to stop them. After the papers "The News" and "Jang" predicted on Thursday that the president was about to step down, in their Friday editions, several other newspapers advised the Head of State to leave office, among them the English language publications "The Nation" and the "Daily Times". [more] Political Crisis in Pakistan A Ray of Hope in Myanmar Almost four weeks after the cyclone Nargis hit Myanmar, foreign aid workers have started arriving in some of the critical areas to help victims in need of food, water and medicines. At least 134,000 people have been left dead or missing and an estimated 2.4 million people have been displaced after the tropical storm struck in early May. [more] Fears of Mass Migration Amid Growing Food Insecurity in Myanmar The UN Sees Improvement in Myanmar China 'Quake Lakes' Force New Evacuation Hundreds of thousands of people have been evacuated near a dangerously swelling lake in south western China. Efforts are underway to drain the lake to avert a new disaster. The lake in Beichuan County is one of several so called "quake lakes" formed in the aftermath of the May 12 earth quake, which has killed more than 68,000 people. [more] Donating for Quake Survivors Asia News 30 May 2008 15.30 UTC - 1.3 million residents near quake lake to evacuate - Nuclear envoys of two Koreas meet in Beijing - South Korean parties to file suit to stop US beef - Nepal's former king asked to leave royal palace - Thailand cuts diesel prices for buses - Germans to build Vietnam's wind turbine factory - China to ban free plastic bags for shoppers [more] Asia Compact The UN's biodiversity conference in Bonn has ended; are the rumours of Pakistan's President Pervez Musharraf's resignation a red herring, or a storm in a teacup?; and International aid flows into Myanmar, though it's still a trickle. [more] Listen to the latest programme Quiz of the Month Answer the following question to win a short-wave radio and other Deutsche Welle prizes! What is "sushi"? [more] Note To unsubscribe from this newsletter, please click here. If you have any questions or comments, please send us an E-mail: myasia@dw-world.de For more information, please click here. © 2008 DEUTSCHE WELLE | > Contact |