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David Rath, the prime ministers' controversial nominee for the post of health minister has promised to suspend all his private enterprise activities during his time in public service. Mr. Rath was appointed deputy health minister last week after President Klaus refused to approve his nomination for the top job citing conflict of interest. The Prime Minister renominated him for the post on Friday, threatening legal action to push the appointment through. A lightening survey indicates that the majority of Czechs support President Klaus' argument. Mr. Rath has said he would suspend his chairmanship of the Czech Medical Chamber for the duration, if he were appointed to the post of health minister.

The Czech Agriculture Ministry has stepped up bird-flu controls, introducing a series of new measures effective immediately. The ministry announced a ban on the sale of poultry and live birds at markets and exhibitions and has cancelled pigeon racing contests and budgerigar exhibitions across the country. Czech breeders have also been requested not to take part in any international events. There is a ban on outdoor breeding for poultry farms and small breeders.

Prime Minister Jiri Paroubek has said his Cabinet will cooperate with the international watchdog Transparency International in curbing corruption in the Czech Republic. Mr. Paroubek said in a TV debate on Sunday that he would welcome input from Transparency International on laws which are considered essential tools in fighting corruption, such as an effective conflict of interest law, a law on public tenders and an insolvency law relating to bankruptcy procedures. A recent report by Transparency International suggests that the Czech Republic has a serious problem fighting corruption.

The British singer and songwriter Phil Collins has had to cancel next week's concerts in Prague due to ill health. The concerts have been re-scheduled for November 23 and 24th. The agency Interconcerts said Mr. Collins had fallen ill on his world tour and would be unable to meet his obligations in Prague next week. All tickets remain valid.

The Czech born financial magnate Viktor Kozeny who is wanted for extensive fraud and bribery both in the Czech Republic and the United States will remain in custody in the Bahamas. A local court judge refused to release Kozeny on bail and set December 5th as the deadline by which the Bahamian Foreign Ministry is to submit evidence in support of a US request for Kozeny's extradition. The Czech born fugitive billionaire faces prosecution in the USA after squandering millions of dollars from American investors in Azeri privatization schemes. The Czech Republic failed in its efforts to get Kozeny extradited and tried in the Czech Republic.

The Czech Agriculture Ministry has stepped up bird-flu controls, introducing a series of new measures effective immediately. The ministry announced a ban on the sale of poultry and live birds at markets and exhibitions and has cancelled pigeon racing contests and budgerigar exhibitions across the country. Czech breeders have also been requested not to take part in any international events. There is a ban on outdoor breeding for poultry farms and small breeders.

The clash of wills between the president and prime minister over who should lead the health sector continues. President Klaus refused to appoint the Prime Minister's nominee David Rath on Thursday, citing conflict of interests since Mr. Rath heads of the main doctors' association, the Czech Medical Chamber. The Prime Minister first sought a way around the rejection, appointing Mr. Rath deputy health minister, then re-nominated him for the post of health minister on Friday, threatening legal action to push the appointment through. Both the prime minister and president have said they are ready to call in the Constitutional Court to resolve the dispute.

The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development has expressed concern over the fact that the Czech Republic cancelled at short notice a working visit by an international anti-corruption team. An OECD team of experts in fighting corruption were expected to make a routine fact-finding mission to several Czech ministries and key institutions in the first half of October. The visit was cancelled by the Czech authorities citing technical problems. The OECD has asked for a new date as soon as possible. A recent report published by Transparency International suggests that the country has a serious problem fighting corruption. The Czech Republic's Corruption Perception Index has not improved in recent years and the country is believed to the third most corrupt state of the European Union.

Pavel Mokry was elected president of the Czech Football Federation in a vote in which he narrowly beat former international Ivan Hasek. Mokry, 51, previously vice-president of the federation, is a former player in the fourth division, who turned referee and then football official. Friday's vote was the third attempt at selecting a replacement for the former president Jan Obst.

Sixteen black buck antelopes died in a fire that broke out overnight at a zoo in the west Bohemian town of Pilsen. The fire killed the whole breeding herd, apart from one animal that had been kept in a separate sty. It was the biggest herd of black antelopes in the country. A spokesman for the zoo said the fire may have been caused by a fault in the heating system. Police are still investigating the cause.