Copyright (c) 2010 Radio Prague (Cesky Rozhlas 7 - Radio Praha)
News Sunday, February 28th, 2010
By: Jan Velinger
* Transport unions could organise a series of strikes if tax changes
reducing employee benefits are not modified.
* Belgian soldiers taking part in military training in the Czech
Republic crashed an armoured personnel carrier on Saturday.
* Cross-country skier Lukas Bauer is gearing up for the Men's 50
kilometre Classic - a chance for the Czech Republic to clinch a final
medal at this year's Winter Olympic Games.
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Transport union leader warns of series of strikes
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Transport unions could organise a series of strikes if tax changes
reducing employee benefits are not modified by Parliament. The warning
was issued by the head of the Czech Transport Workers' Union Lubos
Pomajbik on Sunday. Speaking on Czech TV, the union leader said he had
the full support of other union members. The caretaker government late
last week scrambled to try and avert a strike originally planned for
Monday that threatened to see public transport grind to a halt; that
strike has now been postponed until Thursday, leaving Parliament time
to act. The right-of-centre Civic Democrats have come out strongly
against the unions: Civic Democrat deputy leader Petr Bendl expressed
confidence on Sunday that his party would not support any changes to
the tax legislation in either the Chamber of Deputies or the Senate,
where centre-right parties hold the majority.
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Belgian soldiers crash personnel carrier
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Belgian troops taking part in military training near Karlovy Vary on
Saturday crashed an armoured personnel carrier. Four soldiers were
taken to hospital with cuts and bruises. A breathalyser test ruled out
alcohol as a factor in the crash; all four were released by Saturday
afternoon. The Czech news agency, CTK, reported that the Belgian
military has leased the roughly 33,000 hectares of grounds owned by the
Czech Army for extensive training by a brigade of 1,800 soldiers over
14 days. The Czech Defence Ministry said it is one of the largest
training operations on Czech soil over the last five years.
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Svejnar dismisses report he could run as regional candidate in May
election
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Respected Czech-American economist Jan Svejnar, who ran unsuccessfully
against Vaclav Klaus for the post of president in 2008, has dismissed
media reports suggesting he could run as a regional election leader for
the Social Democratic Party in the upcoming national election. His aide
Daniel Herman released the information on Saturday in reaction to an
article in the Czech daily Pravo, which cited two unnamed sources
within the Social Democratic Party, who suggested Mr Svejnar might get
on board. The Social Democrats have also dismissed the article as
speculation. Mr Svejnar was supported by both the Social Democratic
Party and the Greens in his 2008 presidential bid, but is not a member
of either political party.
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February sees lowest number of road fatalities in 20 years
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The month of February has seen the fewest number of deaths in traffic
accidents on Czech roads in 20 years, police statistics have shown. 24
people died in accidents in February compared to 52 over the same month
last year. Police attribute the drop in fatalities to fewer people
heading onto the road in February due to often difficult snowy
conditions. The Transport Ministry, meanwhile, is taking a pro-active
approach in trying to lower the number of fatalities on Czech roads,
planning to release its hard-hitting television campaign Nemyslis -
zaplatis (Don't think? You'll pay the price) on Facebook.
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Melting snow leads to more low-level flood warnings
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Melting snows across the country have now raised water levels on rivers
in 18 areas leading meteorologists to issue low-level flood warnings. A
2nd degree warning (a mid-level alert) is in place on the Radbuza in
western Bohemia. 1st degree alerts are also in place in other parts of
the country, including the Labe (Elbe) River in northern Bohemia. This
winter saw snowfall within norms, specialists have said, but a higher
concentration in cities like the Czech capital, where snow only began
disappearing with the coming of milder conditions in recent days.
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New album by jazz guitarist Doruzka to be released in Czech Republic in
March
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Noted Czech jazz guitarist David Doruzka has recorded a new album which
will go into distribution in the Czech Republic in March, the artist
has told the Czech news agency. Doruzka recorded the album, called
Wandering Song, with Spanish pianist and organist Albert Sanz, together
with renowned drummer Jorge Rossy. David Doruzka, who is 30, received
critical acclaim in the Czech Republic for his previous album Silent
Dawning two years ago, for which he was awarded Best Jazz Recording at
the Andel (Angel) awards.
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Bauer gears up for Men's 50 km Mass Start Classic at Olympic Games
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Czech cross-country skier Lukas Bauer, who has won two bronze medals at
the Winter Olympics in Vancouver, will race in the Men's 50 kilometre,
Mass Start Classic later on Sunday. It is a last chance for a final
medal for the Czech Republic, which has a tally of six so far. Bauer
himself expressed confidence ahead of the race, saying that he
considered himself a favourite. But he added that much would depend on
the course itself as well as weather conditions and said anyone could
surprise. The Czech Republic has three other racers who will also be
taking part: Milan Sperl, Jiri Magal and Martin Jaks.
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Bank finishes 11th in men's slalom at Whistler
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Czech alpine skier Ondrej Bank was unable to hold on to a promising
sixth place in the men's slalom at Vancouver on Saturday, slipping to a
final 11th spot after his second run. All the same, the skier indicated
he is satisfied with his performance at this year's Winter Olympics,
which included an earlier 7th place finish in the Super-Combined
Downhill. He did say, however, that he hoped to do better in the
future. Saturday's men's slalom was won by Italian skier Giuliano
Razzoli, followed by Ivica Kostelic of Croatia, and Sweden's Andre
Myhrer.
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Football season resumes
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The second half of the 2009/2010 football season got underway in the
Gambrinus Liga on Saturday, seeing the following matches: Brno against
Liberec, Sparta Prague against Pribram and Slavia Prague against
Bohemians Prague. Brno edged Liberec 1:0, Sparta and Pribram tied 1:1,
and Slavia defeated Bohemians Prague 1:0 in their derby.
Matches on Sunday included Ceske Budejovice against Teplice which ended
in a 0:0 draw, and Bohemians 1905 against Jablonec, which Jablonec won
3:0.
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Meteorologists warn of strong winds
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Meteorologists have warned of strong winds in parts of the Czech
Republic on Sunday, including areas in northern Moravia and Silesia.
Sunday evening strong winds are also expected to hit the Czech capital
and parts of Central and northern Bohemia. Experts said that the gales
were not likely to be dangerous, ranging between 55 and 90 kilometres
per hour. The winds are expected to continue in other areas on Monday,
including around Pardubice and Olomouc, as well as in northern Moravia.
In the mountains, winds are expected to hit 125 kilometres per hour.
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Forecast
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Partly cloudy skies with periods of sunshine are expected into Monday.
Daytime temperatures should reach highs of around 8 degrees Celsius.
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Articles posted on www.radio.cz today
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Letter from Prague
The appeal of officialdom at a distance
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Some people might have great expectations when they get those slips
from the post office saying that a recommended letter awaits them at
the counter. Perhaps a gift from a relative has turned up. I get a
frisson of fear.
http://www.radio.cz/en/article/125422
Mailbox
Mailbox 2.28.2010
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Today in Mailbox: The Vancouver Olympics, the Bata canal in South
Moravia, the fourteen regions of the Czech Republic. Listeners quoted:
Nobuya Kato, Alastair Pamphilon, Nashir Uddin.
http://www.radio.cz/en/article/125415
Czech Books
Edwin Muir: a Scottish poet in Prague
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Literature sometimes makes for some unusual connections. What, for
example, could Franz Kafka possibly have in common with the Orkney
Islands off the north coast of Scotland? To find the answer we start at
the busy British Council office, just a couple of streets down from
Czech Radio's headquarters. Just after World War II, the British
Council here was headed by Edwin Muir, who was born in 1887 in Orkney
and grew up on the tiny island of Wyre. He is one of Scotland's best
known 20th century poets, but it is also quite possible that you will
have come across his name and that of his wife Willa on the inside
cover of one of Franz Kafka's novels or stories. They translated many
of his works and did much to establish his reputation in the
English-speaking world. What is less well-known about Edwin Muir is the
time he spent in Prague, first in the 1920s and then again between 1946
and 1949. Clarice Cloutier, who teaches literature at two Prague
universities, has written about Edwin Muir's link to this city - a link
which, she tells me, is a good deal more than skin deep:
http://www.radio.cz/en/article/125383
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