Last week 31/08

The new Batman film, The Dark Knight, descended on North American cinemas. The media carried the report that Radovan Karadžić had been discovered in Belgrade after a 13-year search. Meteorologists announced that the cool October-like weather was coming to an end and that summer was returning to the Czech Republic. „I'm quite dreading that in Beijing you can't see for more than five meters in front of you in the morning. So, I guess I should start smoking or going to smoky pubs - otherwise I really have no idea of how to prepare for it,“ discus thrower Věra Cechlová told Lidové noviny, explaining how she is preparing for the upcoming Olympic Games in China. A train with new nuclear fuel for Temelín traveled through the Czech Republic. The Czech currency dipped to below 23 crowns per euro, and Czech National Bank Governor Zdeněk Tůma threatened to reduce interest rates. Wages in euros rose by one-third. Near Rousínov, a train hit two horses crossing the tracks on the Rumburk-Nymburk route. One-hundred photos by sage and photographer Miroslav Tichý were exhibited in the Pompidou center in Paris. The Tigers, an elite military helicopter squadron, moved from Přerov to Náměště. The Kremlin threatened that, if the USA continues with its anti-missile defense plans for the West, Russia would respond to the construction of the „Czech“ radar by moving its attack bombers to Cuba. „By being here, we want to show people that the battle is not over yet and that, if we manage to activate even a fraction of those seven million Czechs who are against the radar, we have a chance,“ local activists opposed to the American base told Právo, explaining why they decided to set up a tent on Wenceslas Square where visitors can sign a petition against the radar, which, according to the newspaper's sources has already been signed by 15,000 of those „seven million Czechs“ in one month. Tom Waits sang at the Congress Center. Czech Antarctic researchers complained to domestic newspapers that a polar bear had damaged equipment at their meteorological station. The Czech Republic worked its way up to 74th place on a list of countries ranked according to the proportion of women in parliament. ČEZ, which has a monopoly on the Czech electricity market, raised its share of electricity generated from biomass by a full 60 percent – from 106 to 169 of the total 70,000 gigawatt hours. Expensive oil forced airlines to raise their prices and cancel flights. České dráhy (Czech Railways) launched a contest to name the best-looking railway workers (male and female); the winners will be given a chance to ride to Vienna with Karel Gott on the Pendolino.

„I proceeded from the notion that, in declaring assets, one is only supposed to declare shares in companies and not income from their sale,“ said Transport Minister Aleš Řebíček (Civic Democratic Party – ODS), explaining why he failed to include the 44 million he earned from the sale of unidentified shares in his original, belatedly filed declaration of assets; he made the amount public only after newspapers reported on uncertainties surrounding his possible connection with the state-favored, privately owned construction company Viamont. Amid concerns about the destructive incursions by blueberry pickers in the Krkonoše mountains, the Krkonoše national park authority restricted access to a large part of the park. Minister Cyril Svoboda suggested renaming his party, the Křesťanská a demokratická unie - Československá strana lidová (Christian Democratic Union - Czechoslovak People's Party (KDU-ČSL)), the Lidová strana („People's Party“). Demand for package holidays abroad shot up following forecasts calling for a rainy and cool August. „I'm walking through the orchard by the hotel and I see a horde of Czechs combing an ornamental apple tree that was meant to beautify the place. A little way away is a fruit stand, but the Czechs want free fruit - to hell with that kind of tourism!“ - Mladá fronta Dnes quotes a contribution to one of the many Croatian blogs where locals remark on the quality and merits of holidaymakers visiting their country. On its second attempt, the Turkmenistan government permitted a plane carrying a contingent of Czech soldiers to Afghanistan to fly over its territory. Scientist Pavel Pavel moved a 40-tonne balancing boulder called Čertův kámen („Devil's Rock“), which wobbles above the cottages near Domažlice and threatens to come tumbling down one day, 10 centimeters; Babylon, a non-profit association, would like to relocate the boulder to a more stable place. The Czech Republic was invaded by Polygonaceae (knotweed). The Terno supermarket chain sent an apology, a gift basket and a promise of undisturbed shopping to the Šestáks, a Roma family who had been prevented from entering the shop by a security guard who said, „We don't let Gypsies inside the store.“ A copy of the Munich Agreement went on permanent display at the Kolovratský palác (Kolowrat Palace) in Prague.