Wednesday News Briefing

President Vaclav Klaus has declared a partial amnesty to mark the 20th anniversary of the Czech Republic's independence. The act will take effect Jan. 2. Klaus announced the amnesty in his New Year's speech, the last he delivered in his second and last five-year term. The amnesty relates to unsuspended prison sentences that were imposed by the end of last year, do not exceed one year and have not yet been served. The Justice Ministry estimates some 6,000 inmates will be released as a result of the act.  

Conditions in the Czech manufacturing industry in December deteriorated to the worst level since July 2009, with the Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) dropping to 46 points from November's 48.2 points, the consultancy firm Markit Economics announced today. At the same time, it was the fastest overall deterioration of business conditions in the Czech manufacturing industry since July 2009. The index, which covers production and new orders, employment and inventories among others, has been below 50 points for the past nine months. Quarter-on-quarter, the index fell from 48.7 points in Q3 to 47.1 points.   

A 20-member team of Czech scientists and specialists from Masaryk University left for the Mendel polar base in Antarctica Jan. 1. The scientists will study the local climate conditions on the deiced northern part of James Ross Island, as well as measure and assess the speed of melting glaciers and permafrost. They will also observe the effects of harmful ultra-violet radiation during the annual decrease of stratospheric ozone over Antarctica. 

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