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The Sokol sports and exercise movement is celebrating the 80th anniversary of the opening of its headquarters, the Tyrsuv Dum building in Prague's Mala Strana. President TG Masaryk was among those who backed its construction, and 14,000 people attended the opening on May 22, 1925. A Sokol official at the time said only two buildings in Prague had been built with that much love and sacrifice: the National Theatre and Tyrsuv Dum.

Popular American hip-hop artist and producer Kanye West is to make a video for his single "Diamonds" in Prague, according to MTV. The rapper said he would film in the Czech capital because of the "timeless" quality of the city's architecture. In the past international stars such as INXS and Linkin Park have shot videos in Prague.

A group of former dissidents have hit back at a recent statement by Czech President Vaclav Klaus, who said that unelected non-governmental organisations had a dangerous influence on public life. In a letter to the president, the dissidents said discrediting NGOs was an attack on fundamental democratic principles guaranteed by the constitution. Signatories include Bishop Vaclav Maly, Rabbi Karol Sidon and former interior minister Jan Ruml.

Runners from Kenya have dominated the 11th annual Prague Marathon. The winner of the men's race was Kenya's Steven Matebo Cheptot in a time of 2 hours, 10 minutes and 42 seconds, while his countrymen took second and third place in Sunday's race. The women's race was won by the favourite Salina Jebet Kosgei, also of Kenya. Transport in the city was disrupted for several hours because of the marathon, which began and ended on Old Town Square and this year attracted a record 5,000 runners.

X-rays have confirmed that Czech ice hockey megastar Jaromir Jagr will not have to undergo an operation on a little finger injured at the recent World Championships, which were won by the Czech Republic. Jagr is currently in Paris, where he plans to support Czech tennis number one Radek Stepanek at the French Open.

The chairman of the Czech lower house, Lubomir Zaoralek, has called on North Korea to return to six-nation talks on the country's nuclear programme. Mr Zaoralek, who is leading a delegation of Czech MPs on a three-day visit to Pyongyang, said international negotiations were the best way to calm the situation and find a solution. He said the Czech Republic could serve as a mediator between North Korea and Czech allies such as the United States.

A delegation from the Czech lower house led by chairman Lubomir Zaoralek has begun a three-day visit to North Korea. The Czech MPs are due to discuss both a possible resumption of six-nation talks on North Korea's nuclear programme and co-operation between their two countries with officials in Pyongyang. Mr Zaoralek is the most senior official from Prague to visit North Korea since the foundation of the Czech Republic.

After 44 years the Czech Army has stopped using Russian made MiG 21 fighter planes, with the "last farewell" at a ceremony at Caslav airbase in central Bohemia on Saturday. In recent years most of the Army's MiGs were not functional; they have been replaced by Swedish made Gripen jets.

The Czech Film Centre has presented a project to film Bohumil Hrabal's novel I Served the King of England at its stand at the Cannes Film Festival in France. The film is being made by director Jiri Menzel, best known for the Oscar-winning Closely Observed Trains, which is also based on a Hrabal novel.

Czech senator Karel Schwarzenberg has been commenting on his expulsion from Cuba on Thursday, in the latest in a series of diplomatic rows between Havana and Prague. Speaking in Paris on his way back to the Czech Republic, Mr Schwarzenberg said his deportation had been quick and had passed without incident. But he added that Cuba's "exaggerated" reaction showed the nervousness of a regime visibly unsure of itself. Senator Schwarzenberg had planned to attend an unprecedented meeting of opponents of the Castro regime.