Copyright (c) 2010 Radio Prague (Cesky Rozhlas 7 - Radio Praha)
News Tuesday, March 30th, 2010
By: Ian Willoughby
* The mass production of meta-amphetamine remains the most serious
problem in the area of drug crime, say the Czech police.
* The Czech and Slovak prime ministers discussed energy security and
other issues at a meeting on Tuesday.
* After 160 years, Czech Post is discontinuing its telegram service.
========================================================================
Mass production of meta-amphetamine still biggest problem for drug
police
------------------------------------------------------------------------
The mass production of meta-amphetamine in illegal laboratories remains
the biggest single problem faced by the Czech police when it comes to
drug crime. The head of the police's anti-drug force, Jakub Frydrych,
told reporters on Tuesday the situation was partly caused by the
availability of over-the-counter medicines containing pseudo-ephedrine,
which is used to make meta-amphetamine. Mr Frydrych said the Czech
Republic continued to be Europe's biggest producer of the drug; he
added that the difficulty of securing convictions was a bigger issue
than the actual number of illegal labs. Last year 314 labs were
uncovered by the police; in 2008 the figure was 434.
========================================================================
Czech and Slovak leaders discuss energy security and other issues
------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Czech and Slovak prime ministers discussed a number of topics in
the Czech town of Sezimovo Usti on Tuesday. Among the main items on the
agenda of talks between Jan Fischer and Robert Fico was energy
security, in particular the planned completion of a nuclear power
station at Jaslovske Bohunice in Slovakia. The two leaders also spoke
about road and motorway construction, and their states working together
in the European Union and NATO. Mr Fico said relations between Slovaks
and Czechs were better than they had been when the two nations were
part of one country.
========================================================================
President Klaus discusses Czech troop numbers in Afghanistan with NATO
military chief
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Czech President Vaclav Klaus met NATO's supreme allied commander in
Europe, Admiral James Stavridis, at Prague Castle on Tuesday. Their
talks were dominated by the issue of the Czech Republic's military
presence in Afghanistan, with Admiral Stavridis reiterating NATO's
request for more soldiers to be sent. The Czech Parliament is set to
vote on a proposal to increase the number of Czech soldiers there by
around 10 percent. However, the planned troop increase could be blocked
by the left-wing parties in the lower house. There are currently 535
Czech troops in Afghanistan; the government wants to send 55 more.
========================================================================
Czech Post discontinues telegram service after over century and half
------------------------------------------------------------------------
After 160 years, Czech Post is to discontinue its telegram service on
Wednesday. Czech Post says that following the advent of mobile phone
text messaging and email, the number of people who send telegrams in
the Czech Republic has dwindled to a few dozen a month and maintaining
the service is no longer viable. However, telegrams will not disappear
completely; Telefonica O2 says it will continue to offer a version of
the service.
========================================================================
Man shot dead after altercation in Sokolov
------------------------------------------------------------------------
The driver of a road repair truck shot dead the driver of a car in
Sokolov, west Bohemia on Tuesday. After an argument the road worker
produced a pistol from the cabin of his lorry and shot the motorist
several times before kicking him and telling him to stand up, a witness
told TV Nova. The two men are believed to have known one another.
Afterwards the road worker waited for the police, who arrested him on
their arrival.
========================================================================
Czech Railways hires first woman train driver since 1980s
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Czech Railways has a female train driver for the first time since the
1980s, a company spokesperson said on Tuesday. The only woman driver
working on the Czech Republic's dense rail network passed the necessary
test last week and after training will take over the controls for the
first time in the middle of April. The freight operator CD Cargo also
has one female engine driver.
========================================================================
New music TV station focuses on music from 1960s to 1990s
------------------------------------------------------------------------
A new channel named Retro Music Television began broadcasting in the
Czech Republic on Tuesday. The first video on the station, which plays
both Czech and foreign hits from the 1960s to the 1990s, was for Depese
by Marta Kubisova. Retro Music Television, which will be on air 24
hours a day, was set up by a group of people who were involved in the
establishment of the Ocko music station. It promises themed programmes
dedicated to genres like soul and hits from films.
========================================================================
Vitkovice to face Slavia in Extraliga semi-finals
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Vitkovice have completed the line-up for the semi-final playoffs in
Czech ice hockey's Extraliga. The north Moravian club overcame Sparta
Prague 3:1 at home on Monday evening to win the best-of-seven tie 4:3
on games. That result sets up something of a grudge match against
Slavia Prague in the semis, with Vitkovice's coach Alois Hadamczik not
on good terms with his opposite number at Slavia, Vladimir Ruzicka. The
other Extraliga semi-final features Pardubice and Liberec.
Meanwhile, Marian Jelinek is to stay on as manager of Plzen next
season. The club came first in the Extraliga in the regular season, but
were knocked out in the playoff quarter-finals.
========================================================================
Slavia Prague part company with Jarolim after five years
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Slavia Prague football club have parted company with manager Karel
Jarolim after a string of poor results. Jarolim was at Slavia for five
years and oversaw one of the most successful periods in their modern
history, when they opened a new stadium, won the Czech league two years
running and reached the Champions League for the first time. However,
this season Slavia have failed to challenge for the title and currently
lie in eighth place. The club's management first threatened to sack
Jarolim before later offering to keep him on for the rest of the
season; in the end the coach himself decided to quit. He has been
replaced by Frantisek Cipro.
========================================================================
Berdych to face Federer for place in semi-finals in Miami
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tomas Berdych has reached the last 16 at tennis's Miami Masters. The
Czech men's number two beat Horacio Zeballos 6-4 7-5 in the third round
on Monday to set up a clash with world number one Roger Federer of
Switzerland for a place in semi-finals. Berdych is ranked 16th in the
tournament.
========================================================================
Weather
------------------------------------------------------------------------
The next few days should see sunny spells with some rain. Temperatures
will reach up to 13 degrees Celsius.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Articles posted on www.radio.cz today
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Current Affairs
Czech ski cross champion, fellow athletes, set sights on Alaska
------------------------------------------------------------------------
The professional ski season has drawn to a close but four Czech
athletes, including the Czech ski cross champion Tomas Kraus, aren't
ready to pull out the golf clubs just yet. In a day's time, he and a
well-known freeride skier and two of the country's best snowboarders
will head to Alaska, where they plan to tackle extreme inclines and
pristine powder over the course of 12 days. The result should be a
short documentary about skiing or snowboarding at its very best.
http://www.radio.cz/en/article/126450
Current Affairs
85,000 join Facebook campaign against voluntary Romani lessons in
schools
------------------------------------------------------------------------
There's been an unexpectedly negative reaction to a proposal by the
Education Ministry to offer voluntary classes in Romani - the language
of the country's 300,000 Roma or gypsies - in Czech schools. A Facebook
campaign against the proposal has already attracted over 85,000
supporters, although the authorities appear undeterred.
http://www.radio.cz/en/article/126449
Current Affairs
Police: methamphetamine and marijuana remain top drug-related issues
------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Czech Republic has been dubbed the drug haven of the east because
of its liberal legislation and generally tolerant attitude to drugs.
But according to the annual report by the Czech anti-drug police squad,
released on Tuesday, the country also remains Europe's biggest producer
of methamphetamine. The police also warn of the availability of purer
and cheaper cocaine and heroin, while law enforcement agencies are
planning to crack down on the users of the most popular drug among
Czechs: marijuana.
http://www.radio.cz/en/article/126448
Talking Point
Proposal seeks to include right to adopt in registered partnership
legislation
------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Green Party has recently brought forward a proposal to change
legislation so that gay and lesbian individuals in the Czech Republic
who live in a registered partnership would be able to adopt children.
The proposal is based on an analysis by the Committee for Sexual
Minorities. Within Europe, individual adoption for gays and lesbians in
registered partnerships is legal in a number of countries, including
Germany, Norway and the UK.
http://www.radio.cz/en/article/126439
------------------------------------------------------------------------
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. (C) 2010, Radio Prague - the international service of Czech Radio,
all rights reserved. http://www.radio.cz, E-mail: cr@radio.cz
