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One on OneJiří Boudník – still haunted by experiences at Ground Zero in wake of 9/11 attacks
On September 11, 2001, the Czech-born architect Jiří Boudník was working
across the East River from the World Trade Center, on the Brooklyn side of
the Brooklyn Bridge. He tried and failed to reach the Twin Towers on 9/11
itself, but returned the following day and spent six months taking part in
the clean-up operation at Ground Zero, experiencing horrors that stay with
him to this day. More
Current AffairsEmergency skyscraper parachutes originally designed and tested by Czech firm
On the occasion of the 5th anniversary of the terrorist attacks on New York
and Washington, some attention in the Czech Republic has focused on special
emergency parachutes originally developed by a Czech firm that could save
lives under horrifying and hopeless conditions like those witnessed on
September 11th at the World Trade Center.
More
Current AffairsNew book by Czech journalist looks back at 9/11 and more
This week, the world is remembering the victims of the 9/11 terrorist
attacks in the United States. To mark the anniversary, a book was launched
in Prague on Monday, written by Czech journalist Veronika Bednarova, who
actually was very close to the World Trade Center at the time of the
tragedy. In her book, whose title translates as "My American
Beauty" she gives her personal account of the tragedy but also much
more.
More
One on OneMartin Palous - remembering 9/11 and the world today
In this week's One on One, my guest is Martin Palous, the new Czech
Ambassador to the United Nations. Martin Palous has long been a leading
Czech intellectual and his c.v. lists many important positions and
publications. He was one of the first people to sign Charter 77 and was
the dissident group's spokesman in 1986. When change came in late 1989 he
was a key figure in the Civic Forum movement, and since the Velvet
Revolution he has held numerous positions in politics, the civil service,
and academia. Martin Palous was the freshly-appointed Czech Ambassador to
Washington, D.C. when the 9/11 attacks happened in September 2001, and
held the post in Washington until 2005. On the occasion of the fifth
anniversary of 9/11, Martin Palous recalls where he was on September 11th,
2001.
More
Current AffairsAnti-terrorism centre one of possible solutions towards preventing potential attacks
Five years after 9/11 and roughly a month after British intelligence
thwarted an alleged plot by terrorists to blow up US airliners over the
Atlantic, the Czech Republic is still undecided over how to further
improve and streamline its own communication and data sharing between the
police and intelligence services. Shortly before leaving office, former
Interior Minister Frantisek Bublan advocated founding a special centre
that would improve the chances of preventing potential attacks on European
soil, by working more closely with BIS counter-intelligence, the Office for
Foreign Relations and Information, and military intelligence.
More
Current AffairsBracing for a terrorist attack
The sound of sirens - the Czech Republic's early-warning system - is one
that many people have come to dread. Some remember the sound from the time
of the floods three years ago, but today fears are just as strong of a
man-made catastrophe. Since the terrorist attacks in New York, Madrid and
London the fear of a possible bomb attack is never far from people's
minds. Although the Czech intelligence services say they have no
indication of any imminent threat to this country, the Czech government
wants to make sure that the country's police and rescue services are
capable of dealing with a large-scale disaster.
More
MailboxMailbox
In this week's edition of Mailbox we introduce the listeners' competition
question for June, and look at some of the festivals in the Czech Republic
this summer. Listeners quoted: Kenneth Marks and Fawaz Hamoui.
More
Current AffairsSenator warns that even the Czech Republic could become a target for a terrorist attack
Last month's terrorist bombings in Madrid meant that Friday's conference in
the Czech senate on Democracy and Security was a timely one. The
conference discussed the best ways for democratic governments to fight the
threat of terrorism whilst maintaining civil liberties.
More
Current AffairsNational Security Council meets to discuss plan for fighting terrorism
Amidst all the hubbub surrounding the sacking of Health Minister Marie
Souckova and the kidnapping of Czech journalists in Iraq, it may have gone
unnoticed that the Czech National Security Council, which is headed by
Interior Minister Stanislav Gross, met on Tuesday to discuss the measures
that are in place to counter the potential threat of terrorist attacks in
the Czech Republic.
More
Current AffairsDebate on journalism ethics in the era of terrorism
With the war against terrorism at the forefront of public attention for
many months there is a growing public debate on its various aspects -
including one big question: is the media giving us a true picture of what
is going on. Last week the Anglo-American College in Prague, in
cooperation with the US embassy, organized a round table debate called
"Truth and Consequences" to which it invited leading Czech and
foreign war reporters. Charles Hood is director of Journalism at the
Anglo-American College in Prague and Radio Prague asked him what he
thought was the main message that emerged from the debate:
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