Prague mayor gets permission for time off to climb Everest

Prague city mayor Pavel Bém has been given permission to take a long leave of absence in order to climb Mt. Everest. On Tuesday, Prague city council approved an agreement which allows the mayor, who is a keen mountaineer, to take two months unpaid in order to fulfil his dream of climbing the world's highest mountain. Mr Bem is to depart with a team of Czech and Slovak climbers for the Himalayas next week. He had been heavily criticised for taking so much time off from his duties as Prague mayor.