Daily news summary

Czech minister in talks over children removed from family by Norway social services

Czech Foreign Minister Lubomír Zaorálek has met for talks with Norway’s State Secretary Bard Glad Pedersen over the situation of two Czech children removed from the family by Norwegian social services, the news agency ČTK reported. The children were taken away in 2011 over suspicions of sexual abuse; a year later, the children were place in foster families despite the fact that a police investigation found no evidence of abuse. Mr Zaorálek said he discussed the case with Secretary Pedersen, and recommended the family raise a complaint at the European Court of Human Rights, and file a petition for a revision of the case with Norwegian courts.

Survey: Half of Czechs plan to care of themselves in retirement

Every other Czech believes they will be able to take care of themselves in retirement, according to a survey by the Sodexho firm carried out in May and released on Sunday. Meanwhile, some 45 percent of those polled said they believed their children would take care of them; some 10 percent also said they were planning to rely on specialized institutional care. A mere one percent of people who took party in the survey said they were going to depend on state assistance.

Slight changes to Czech Railways timetables

The country’s state-owned rail operator Czech Railways introduces slight changes to its timetable on Sunday. The only major alteration concerns the Ostravan express between Prague and Bohumín via Ostrava which now terminates in Olomouc and runs under the name Moravan. Other, minor changes only apply to regional and local connections, a Czech Railways spokeswoman said. The operator will also launch new Austrian-made Railjet trains on the Prague-Vienna route.

Slovak girl wins Czech-Slovak Miss Roma beauty pageant

A 17-year-old girl from Slovakia won the Miss Roma 2014 beauty pageant held in the eastern Czech town Hodonín on Saturday night, the news website novinky.cz reported. Romany girls from Slovakia also finished on second and third place. The contest included a czardas dance which the jury said played a big role in evaluating the finalists. Organizers believe the beauty contest is a way of fostering Romany girls’ self-confidence.

Czech Dino Park operator expands to Spain

The Plzeň-based West Media firm which operates a network of dinosaur-themed amusement parks in the Czech Republic and Slovakia is expanding to Spain, the news agency ČTK reported on Sunday. Its first Dino Park in Spain should open near the town of Benidorm on the Mediterranean Costa Blanca, in early July. It has taken the company about a year to set up the park in Spain, which will have 26 models of prehistoric animals, the firm said. Its first Dino Park opened in Plzeň in 2002.

Man faces 18 years for murdering his landlord

A court in Plzeň on Sunday sent to custody a 53-year-old who was arrested on Friday for having shot dead his 51-year-old landlord. The suspect reportedly shot his victim in the head several times with a legally-held firearm before turning himself in to the police. He had owed several months of rent, and the attacked the victim after having been asked to move out, according to media reports. The man faces up to 18 years in prison.

Aviation museum draws most visitors during Prague museum night

The aviation museum in the Prague district of Kbely drew over 24,000 visitors during the 11th annual Prague Museum Night on Saturday, the highest number of all participating venues. The event saw 39 museums, galleries and other venues in the capital open their doors to the public between 7 PM on Saturday and 1 AM on Sunday; organizers said the institutions, including the National Museum, the Václav Havel Library and the Police Museum, in total registered nearly 170,000 visits, some 20,000 more than last year.