Last week 26/09

The summer sale season began. The media reported that the first European to die of swine flu had died in London. Prague officially withdrew its bid to hold the 2020 Summer Olympic Games. Antichrist headed from Cannes to Karlovy Vary. The media reported on the revolt that erupted in big Iranian cities after the country's current anti-Western President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad fraudulently won the presidential elections. It became clear that besides the billion in state aid, the organizers of this year's world ski championships in Liberec had racked up at least 100 million in additional debt, and Finance Minister Eduard Janota denied a request from committee chair Kateřina Neumannová that the state treasury provide the money to pay it off.
"A big part of that is not yet behind us," said International Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing Director Dominique Strauss-Kahn, warning Europeans against excessive optimism about the ongoing crisis. The Česká národní banka (Czech National Bank) notified citizens that Czech banks can expect hard times, but that they are healthy and would withstand the crisis. Analysts concluded that apartment prices would fall by about 10 percent. A new political party, TOP 09, applied for registration with the Interior Ministry. The number of Czech centenarians rose from 199 last autumn to 312 today.
Parliament overrode President Vaclav Klaus's veto and approved the anti-discrimination act. The media covered a report by UN World Food Program Executive Director Josette Sheeran, which calculated that there are one billion hungry people in the world today - 105 million more than six months ago.
"Because of high food prices now, we are seeing an average of four million new hungry people a week," said Sheeran, who called on rich countries to contribute to the fund for food aid this year, which is lacking five of the 6.5 billion dollars needed. Burger King headed for Czech train stations. Scaffolding injured a pedestrian in Moravské Budějovice when it was blown over by the wind. In its investigation of the former purchase of Sweden-British Gripen fighters by the Czech military, the Swedish prosecutor's office confirmed the old but never previously proven suspicion that BAE Systems executives had paid bribes to Czech politicians and officials during the transaction. The finance minister told the media that the state would offer public bonds to its citizens in November.
"I am glad that I am. That's enough for me," well-known rapper Radek Banga aka Gipsy replied to Lidové noviny magazine's question "Are you glad you're Roma?" The biggest domestic water company, Veolia Voda, launched a campaign to promote the drinking of tap water. The number of Czechs on Facebook passed one million. The Plastic People of the Universe signed up to play the Festival politické písně (Political Song Festival) in Sokolov. Český Krumlov celebrated the 700th anniversary of its founding by consecrating its restored Marian column. A secret race of antique mopeds cut through Prague. In a lightning-quick response, drivers pulled a driver and two small children out of a burning car near Kladno and saved their lives.
"I went there because I was invited by an older classmate at the faculty who look like a Greek god - blond, with beautifully bold features… And I felt honored by joining, I was proud," interim Justice Minister Daniela Kovářová replied when asked by Ona Dnes magazine, "When you joined the Czechoslovak Communist Party at university in 1987, did you believe in the Communist ideology, or was it more of a calculated move?"; Minister Kovářová became known before taking up her duties for the statement that among her main interests are "sex and food, possibly sex before food; or food after sex." A healthy, two-month-old baby boy was found in the baby box in Kadaň. After buying Primalex, the American company PPG acquired the Czech company Balakryl. During his visit to Paris, Prime Minister Jan Fischer expressed support for European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso, who is seeking another term in office. Magdalena Kožená sang at the Smetanova Litomyšl (Smetana's Litomyšl) festival. A Poštovní spořitelna ("Postal Savings Bank") survey revealed that one quarter of Czechs have no savings or are living on credit. The number of ill Czechs dropped by one-third compared to the previous year.
"The first 14 days of sick pay are no longer paid to the employees by the state, but by their companies, and they are better watchdogs," said Labor & Social Affairs Ministry spokeswoman Štěpánka Filipová, explaining the Czech population's miraculous healing. A new railway timetable was implemented. June 13 was tax freedom day, marking the first day of the year when Czechs stopped working for the state. The Plzeň diocese introduced a new emergency phone line, 777 167 004, making it possible to reach a priest who can come to the sick immediately and administer last rites.