Copyright (c) 2010 Radio Prague (Cesky Rozhlas 7 - Radio Praha)
News Monday, February 1st, 2010
By: Christian Falvey
* The government has approved a defence proposal to increase the number
of Czech troops serving in Afghanistan.
* The municipal government of Karlovy Vary wants to keep the town off
the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites.
* Prague Castle's famous Zlata ulicka is to close for at least one year
for extensive restoration.
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Government approves troop increase in Afghanistan
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The government has approved a plan by the Ministry of Defence to boost
the number of Czech troops serving in Afghanistan by 55. Fifteen of the
additional soldiers will be involved in training the Afghan police,
while the remainder will be helping to defend a Polish base with two
Czech-made gunnery radars. The reinforcements were requested by the US
and the ministry was originally considering sending a larger force and
Czech combat aircraft. The Social Democratic Party is strongly opposed
to any increase beyond the 535 soldiers currently approved by
Parliament for service in Afghanistan. Defence Minister Martin Bartak
has said that the reinforcement may be compensated for by decreasing
the Czech Republic's force in Kosovo.
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Karlovy Vary wants to renegotiate UNESCO protection
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The municipal government of Karlovy Vary wants to keep the greater part
of the West Bohemian town off the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites.
According to the town's mayor Werner Hauptmann, UNESCO protection would
cover such an extensive area as to jeopardise development projects. The
town may now seek protection only for its specific historic structures.
Karlovy Vary has already filed a joint application with the towns of
Marianske Lazne and Frantiskove Lazne for the induction of a triangle
of historic spa towns though, and renegotiating the proposal could
greatly delay what would be the 13th World Heritage Site in the Czech
Republic. The National Heritage Institute says it is concerned the new
proposal is detrimental to relations with UNESCO and that it will
ultimately be dealt with by foreign experts not involved in local
interests.
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Zlata ulicka to close for a year
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Prague Castle's famous Zlata ulicka, or Golden Lane, is to be closed
for at least one year for its most extensive restoration ever. The busy
tourist destination will be closed from March and work will focus
primarily on the obsolete sewer system, which Prague Castle
Administration says risks destabilising the entire street. Work will
likely be slowed by the archaeological research that almost always
accompanies excavating work in Prague's historical areas. In this case,
workers will be excavating some six meters and thereby giving
archaeologists their first opportunity to carefully examine this part
of Prague Castle. Zlata ulicka preserves the last remnants of the small
residential buildings that were home to soldiers and goldsmiths until
the mid-19th century.
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Scientists discover method for healing spinal chord injuries in rats
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Czech scientists at the Institute for Experimental Medicine have
succeeded in healing chronic spinal chord injuries in rats. The team
discovered that new nerve fibres could be generated by injecting
hydrogel with stem cells into the injured area. The treatment resulted
in the rats' mobility being improved and the feeling returned to their
hind legs within six months. The scientists now hope to be able to test
the method on humans, who are often left immobilised by such injuries.
The particular benefit of the discovery is that only a small number of
patients are able to undergo other stem cell treatments within
sufficient time of their injury. Clinical tests are expected to be run
on the hydrogel within the year, after which time it can be tested on
humans.
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Government allows mandatory H1N1 vaccinations, decision on chief
hygiene officer
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The Czech government on Monday agreed to instate mandatory swine flu
vaccinations for certain individuals, leaving the decision on whether
to do so to Chief Hygiene Officer Michael Vit. The Ministry of Health
had proposed that 200,000 individuals - namely policemen, firemen and
healthcare workers - be vaccinated in order to ensure the running of
the state and received the approval of the National Security Council on
Friday. Dr. Vit will put the proposal into effect based on statistics
on acute respiratory illnesses, other forms of influenza and the
monitoring of the State Health Institute. There are currently 1016
cases of swine flu per 100,000 people and there have been 95 deaths
connected to the virus since October. Currently one-fourth of the
vaccine stock purchased by the state has been used.
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Brno scientists discover African fish that lives only several weeks
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Scientists from the Institute of Vertebrate Biology in Brno have
discovered a new species of fish in the African savannah. The fish,
which has been named Nothobranchius Kadelka after the well-known Brno
scientist Jaroslav Kadlec, is particularly rare for its extremely short
lifespan, consisting of only several weeks. The Nothobranchius inhabit
pools created in the savannah in Mozambique during the rainy season and
their lifespan is adapted to the fact that the pools dry up very
quickly. The scientists hope their studies of the fish may indicate how
various chemical substances effect aging in humans as well.
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Record numbers of visitors at Czech ski resorts
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Czech ski resorts have reported one of their best weekends ever, as
favourable weather conditions brought tens of thousands of visitors to
the mountains. More than 12,000 skiers were estimated to have visited
the Krkonos Mts. on Sunday, with the popular destination of Spindleruv
Mlyn alone receiving around 6,500 people. The heavy traffic formed long
and slow-moving columns of cars in a number of areas. Visitor numbers
were also supported by the fact that schools in 14 districts have begun
spring break. The resorts report snow bases of 60 to 120 centimetres.
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Attack on Topolanek a misdemeanour
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The district prosecutor's office in Brno has said that an attack on
Civic Democrat chairman Mirek Topolanek in which he was injured with a
stone last August, will be deemed a misdemeanour rather than a criminal
offence. Four men are charged with the attack, which left the former
prime minister with light injuries to his head. Police have only been
able to ascertain that the men threw eggs at Mr Topolanek and do not
know who threw the stone. The men were originally to be charged with
riotous conduct; they now face a maximum fine of 5,000 crowns each. Mr
Topolanek said on Monday that he considers the act an organised rather
than spontaneous attack and sharply criticised investigators for being
unable to bring the attackers to court.
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Young man electrocuted while riding on train roof
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Police in the town of Cercany to the south-east of Prague have said
that an 18-year-old male was found dead last week at the train station
after riding on the roof of a train. The man was apparently
electrocuted by the train's contact wires, which have a charge of 3000
volts. The police are continuing to investigate and have ordered an
autopsy. A valid ticket for part of the train's route to Prague was
found in the young man's possession.
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Harsh conditions claim three lives in mountain regions
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Heavy snow and treacherous off-trail conditions in the mountainous
regions of the Czech Republic have caused three deaths over as many
days. Rescue services on Sunday discovered an unconscious man suffering
from severe hypothermia after snowshoeing in the Sumava National Park.
The unknown man later died in hospital. Avalanches resulted in two
deaths at the weekend. In one incident a man was killed by an avalanche
in the Jesenik Mountains when skiing off-track. The day before, a
13-year-old boy was killed when a cornice collapsed in a quarry where
he and a friend were playing. Avalanche warnings are in place
throughout the mountain regions due to the combination of strong winds,
fresh snow and relatively high daytime temperatures.
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Weather
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Conditions over the coming days are expected to be most cloudy with
snow and strong winds on Tuesday and Wednesday, and daytime
temperatures of -1 to -5 degrees Celsius.
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Articles posted on www.radio.cz today
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Current Affairs
NGOs project seeks to improve relations with regional governments
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Meant to create more synergy between non-profits, the private and
public sectors, a project entitled "Czech NGO Weeks" will bring a
number of events, seminars and exhibitions to regions throughout the
country in February and March. Kveta Moravkova, one of the campaign's
organisers with the NGO Association in the Czech Republic, discusses
the aims of the campaign.
http://www.radio.cz/en/article/124619
Current Affairs
Native village of Jan Hus plans to build new visitor centre
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The village of Husinec, in south Bohemia, wants to open a new centre
commemorating its most famous son, the 15th century religious reformer
Jan Hus. While the municipality hopes the new visitor and research
centre will open in time for the 600th anniversary of his death in five
years' time, critics say the project is over the top.
http://www.radio.cz/en/article/124614
Current Affairs
20 years ago officials disbanded notorious Communist-era StB secret
police
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Exactly 20 years have passed since officials in Czechoslovakia
disbanded the notorious Communist-era secret police the StB. The order
came on January 31, 1990 from then interior minister Richard Sacher;
within 15 days some 13,000 StB officers had handed in their weapons and
their badges.
http://www.radio.cz/en/article/124607
Sports News
Sports News 2.1.2010
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In Sports News this Monday: Zdenek Stybar becomes the first Czech in 19
years to win the Cyclo-cross World Championships, in front of a home
crowd in Tabor; Czech Karolina Pliskova takes the junior title at the
Australian Open; and goalie Tomas Vokoun sets a new personal record for
shutouts in one season in ice the NHL.
http://www.radio.cz/en/article/124606
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