The European Union stands divided on the idea of banning Russian tourists form visiting Europe. A meeting is likely to be held in Prague tomorrow to discuss about this ban.

EU stands divided on visa ban for Russians, meeting to be held in Prague tomorrow

People gathered in Prague to view Russian tanks, missiles, and a self-propelled mortar system that Ukrainian forces had captured and put on display.

Russian tanks, Howitzers-Ukraine war trophies  on display in Prague

Six-year-old Eva swings into a backbend with ease, then assesses herself in the large mirror at the end of the&nbsp;dance&nbsp;studio and rewards herself with a contented smile.

Two dozen Ukrainian&nbsp;children&nbsp;in the room, including one boy, try to do the same, but only a few manage, while the rest end up sitting and watching in awe.

They all attend a free&nbsp;ballet&nbsp;course for Ukrainian&nbsp;refugee&nbsp;children, opened by&nbsp;Prague's National Theatre at the end of March, a month after Russia began its invasion of&nbsp;Ukraine.

Also read |<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/i-hope-the-world-comes-back-to-its-senses-world-treats-black-and-white-lives-unequally-says-who-chief-470945">&nbsp;'I hope the world comes back to its senses': World treats 'black and white lives' unequally, says WHO chief</a>

"My daughter and I went to see the Sleeping Beauty&nbsp;ballet&nbsp;at the state opera... We jumped at the opportunity!" said Eva's mother, Yuliya Petronchak.

She and Eva left the western Ukrainian city of Lviv for&nbsp;Prague&nbsp;on the first day of the invasion to escape "the constant air alarms", while Eva's father stayed at home.

More than 4.5 million&nbsp;refugees&nbsp;have left&nbsp;Ukraine&nbsp;since the invasion started on February 24, and around 300,000 have ended up in the Czech Republic.

Like many&nbsp;children&nbsp;taking part in the course, Eva has experience from home -- she went to the State Choreographic School in Lviv for six months before leaving.

The cradle of classical&nbsp;dance

"I have already spotted some talents," said Jana Jodasova, a former dancer at the National Theatre for 20 years who now teaches&nbsp;ballet.

At the beginning of the lesson, she helps the little dancers choose leotards and&nbsp;ballet&nbsp;shoes out of three bags provided by the parents of Czech&nbsp;children&nbsp;attending her regular classes.

Watch |&nbsp;Gravitas: Finland prepares for a potential war with Russia

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-finland-prepares-for-a-potential-war-with-russia-470829/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

She assesses the fit and sometimes sends a dancer back to the changing room with a different leotard.

The properly dressed little ballerinas meanwhile practise pirouettes on their own or test the firmness of the bars on the sides of the&nbsp;dance&nbsp;studio.

Jodasova came up with the idea soon after the Russian invasion started as she watched "the horrors" on TV.

"Russia and&nbsp;Ukraine&nbsp;are the cradle of classical&nbsp;dance, most kids over there go to&nbsp;ballet&nbsp;classes at least for some time," the energetic 59-year-old told AFP.

"Ballet&nbsp;is one of the things they can't live without."

Moments later, she faces a crowd of around a hundred mothers with their&nbsp;children&nbsp;queueing outside the building to register for the free course.

Arms and legs

The new role has forced Jodasova to dig up her long-forgotten command of Russian, forced onto Czechs and other nations under Moscow's communist realm until 1989.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russia-ukraine-conflict-russias-tit-for-tat-move-slaps-sanctions-on-us-canada-470856">Russia-Ukraine conflict: Moscow’s tit-for-tat move;&nbsp;slaps sanctions on US, Canada</a>

"I communicate with the&nbsp;children&nbsp;using my arms and legs and very poor Russian. But I feel we can understand each other," she said.

When she struggles, she turns to eight-year-old Alisa Kolesnikova, who was born to Russian parents in&nbsp;Prague&nbsp;and who attends Jodasova's regular course for local&nbsp;children.

Alisa, who has attended the&nbsp;ballet&nbsp;school for three years and wants to become a ballerina, relishes the opportunity as she guides the&nbsp;refugee&nbsp;children&nbsp;through the practice.

"I really love to show things to the kids, especially the beginners," the ginger-haired, blue-eyed dancer told AFP.

Hoping to return&nbsp;

One of the youngest&nbsp;children&nbsp;at the&nbsp;refugee&nbsp;course, five-year-old Vasilisa Malakutska, is no beginner either.

"I first took her to a&nbsp;ballet&nbsp;class when she was four and she didn't feel too well about it, but I think now is the right time," said her mother Ekaterina Malakutska, a marketing expert from Kyiv.

She is contemplating a&nbsp;ballet&nbsp;career for her daughter, just like Yuliya Petronchak is for little Eva.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/dont-send-weapons-to-ukraine-look-for-rapprochement-between-nato-russia-after-war-says-frances-le-pen-470834">Don’t send weapons to Ukraine, look for rapprochement between NATO, Russia after war, says France's Le Pen</a>

"Either a ballerina or a doctor," university teacher Petronchak told AFP, adding that although Eva was happy at the&nbsp;Prague&nbsp;course, her future was in&nbsp;Ukraine.

"The&nbsp;safety&nbsp;of the child is key. But if there are no alarms in western&nbsp;Ukraine... we hope to return. As soon as possible."

Six-year-old Eva swings into a backbend with ease, then assesses herself in the large mirror at the end of the dance studio and rewards herself with a contented smile.

Six-year-old Eva swings into a backbend with ease, then assesses herself in the large mirror at the end of the dance studio and rewards herself with a contented smile. Two dozen Ukrainian children in the room, including one boy, try to do the same, but only a few manage, while the rest end up sitting and watching in awe. They all attend a free ballet course for Ukrainian refugee children, opened by Prague's National Theatre at the end of March, a month after Russia began its invasion of Ukraine. Also read | 'I hope the world comes back to its senses': World treats 'black and white lives' unequally, says WHO chief "My daughter and I went to see the Sleeping Beauty ballet at the state opera... We jumped at the opportunity!" said Eva's mother, Yuliya Petronchak. She and Eva left the western Ukrainian city of Lviv for Prague on the first day of the invasion to escape "the constant air alarms", while Eva's father stayed at home. More than 4.5 million refugees have left Ukraine since the invasion started on February 24, and around 300,000 have ended up in the Czech Republic. Like many children taking part in the course, Eva has experience from home -- she went to the State Choreographic School in Lviv for six months before leaving. The cradle of classical dance "I have already spotted some talents," said Jana Jodasova, a former dancer at the National Theatre for 20 years who now teaches ballet. At the beginning of the lesson, she helps the little dancers choose leotards and ballet shoes out of three bags provided by the parents of Czech children attending her regular classes. Watch | Gravitas: Finland prepares for a potential war with Russia She assesses the fit and sometimes sends a dancer back to the changing room with a different leotard. The properly dressed little ballerinas meanwhile practise pirouettes on their own or test the firmness of the bars on the sides of the dance studio. Jodasova came up with the idea soon after the Russian invasion started as she watched "the horrors" on TV. "Russia and Ukraine are the cradle of classical dance, most kids over there go to ballet classes at least for some time," the energetic 59-year-old told AFP. "Ballet is one of the things they can't live without." Moments later, she faces a crowd of around a hundred mothers with their children queueing outside the building to register for the free course. Arms and legs The new role has forced Jodasova to dig up her long-forgotten command of Russian, forced onto Czechs and other nations under Moscow's communist realm until 1989. Also read | Russia-Ukraine conflict: Moscow’s tit-for-tat move; slaps sanctions on US, Canada "I communicate with the children using my arms and legs and very poor Russian. But I feel we can understand each other," she said. When she struggles, she turns to eight-year-old Alisa Kolesnikova, who was born to Russian parents in Prague and who attends Jodasova's regular course for local children. Alisa, who has attended the ballet school for three years and wants to become a ballerina, relishes the opportunity as she guides the refugee children through the practice. "I really love to show things to the kids, especially the beginners," the ginger-haired, blue-eyed dancer told AFP. Hoping to return One of the youngest children at the refugee course, five-year-old Vasilisa Malakutska, is no beginner either. "I first took her to a ballet class when she was four and she didn't feel too well about it, but I think now is the right time," said her mother Ekaterina Malakutska, a marketing expert from Kyiv. She is contemplating a ballet career for her daughter, just like Yuliya Petronchak is for little Eva. Also read | Don’t send weapons to Ukraine, look for rapprochement between NATO, Russia after war, says France's Le Pen "Either a ballerina or a doctor," university teacher Petronchak told AFP, adding that although Eva was happy at the Prague course, her future was in Ukraine. "The safety of the child is key. But if there are no alarms in western Ukraine... we hope to return. As soon as possible."

Ukraine refugee children dance in safety in Prague

Over 2,000 people took to the streets of the Czech capital Prague, protesting against the new coronavirus restrictions imposed by the government. Europe once again has become the epicentre of the deadly virus. As the government is imposing new restrictions to battle the virus, many regions in the continent are seeing regular protests.

Protestors in Prague, most of them not wearing a face mask, called on the government to lift bans&nbsp;gatherings, cancel limited hours for bars and allow unvaccinated people to participate in events.

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In the capital of the Czech Republic, they protest against mandatory vaccination and restrictions due to coronavirus 
In the Czech Republic, 64.5% of the population is fully vaccinated. <a href="https://t.co/saGoRQnI9q">pic.twitter.com/saGoRQnI9q</a>
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This comes after the government had imposed a 30-day state of emergency, under which a ban was imposed on Christmas markets across the country.&nbsp;

Police took action after some protestors got out of control. The protesters waved national flags and carried signs with slogans that read: "Get vaccinated? Over your dead bodies".

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/europeans-protest-against-partial-lockdown-in-several-countries-7-people-injured-in-rotterdam-430724">Also read |&nbsp;Europeans protest against partial lockdown in several countries; 7 people injured in Rotterdam</a>

Czech hospitals have limited operations in the past few days as the number of patients with coronavirus has doubled.

As of now, only 58.5 per cent of Czechs are vaccinated against coronavirus. Earlier, Prime Minister Petr Fiala urged people to get vaccinated and protect themselves from the virus.

Not just Prague, but people in Austria have also been angered after the landlocked country made vaccines mandatory and introduced a full lockdown.

Restrictions have also been imposed for the unvaccinated people in Germany. People have been banned from restaurants.

Europe continues to record a wave of Covid-19 cases with countries struggling to battle the deadly coronavirus.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

Over 2,000 people took to the streets of the Czech capital Prague, protesting against the new coronavirus restrictions imposed by the government. Europe once again has become the epicentre of the deadly virus.

Over 2,000 people took to the streets of the Czech capital Prague, protesting against the new coronavirus restrictions imposed by the government. Europe once again has become the epicentre of the deadly virus. As the government is imposing new restrictions to battle the virus, many regions in the continent are seeing regular protests. Protestors in Prague, most of them not wearing a face mask, called on the government to lift bans gatherings, cancel limited hours for bars and allow unvaccinated people to participate in events. In the capital of the Czech Republic, they protest against mandatory vaccination and restrictions due to coronavirus In the Czech Republic, 64.5% of the population is fully vaccinated. pic.twitter.com/saGoRQnI9q — Supergran6 (@Supergranagain) November 27, 2021 × This comes after the government had imposed a 30-day state of emergency, under which a ban was imposed on Christmas markets across the country. Police took action after some protestors got out of control. The protesters waved national flags and carried signs with slogans that read: "Get vaccinated? Over your dead bodies". Also read | Europeans protest against partial lockdown in several countries; 7 people injured in Rotterdam Czech hospitals have limited operations in the past few days as the number of patients with coronavirus has doubled. As of now, only 58.5 per cent of Czechs are vaccinated against coronavirus. Earlier, Prime Minister Petr Fiala urged people to get vaccinated and protect themselves from the virus. Not just Prague, but people in Austria have also been angered after the landlocked country made vaccines mandatory and introduced a full lockdown. Restrictions have also been imposed for the unvaccinated people in Germany. People have been banned from restaurants. Europe continues to record a wave of Covid-19 cases with countries struggling to battle the deadly coronavirus. (With inputs from agencies)

Over 2,000 people protest in Prague after government declares state of emergency

Four-legged stars ruled the red carpet at a Czech film premiere, debuting a movie on rescued dogs which were first portrayed in a surprise hit book and whose stories have helped finance a new shelter for fellow canines. 'Gump - the Dog that Taught People to Live' appeared as a book in 2019 and follows the journey of Gump, and other dogs which were mistreated - told from their perspective.

Dog days: Czech canine film stars hit the red carpet, and a new shelter

Hundreds of protesters gathered in Prague, Czech Republic on Sunday with empty beer glasses to rally against the closing of pubs and restaurants in the country.

Czechs wave empty beer mugs in lockdown protest

Judit Polgar might be the one woman in the world who knows how Beth, the heroine of the hit Netflix series 'The Queen’s Gambit,' really feels. Like Beth, Polgar, who is from Hungary, stood out during her career because she regularly beat the world’s top players, including Garry Kasparov, in 2002, when he was ranked No&nbsp;1.

Polgar, the only woman to ever be ranked in the Top 10 or to play for the overall world championship, retired from competitive chess in 2014. Watching the series, which she described as an “incredible performance,” gave her a sense of déjà vu, particularly in the later episodes.

But there was one respect in which she could not identify with Beth’s experience: how the male competitors treated her.

“They were too nice to her,” Polgar said. When Polgar was proving herself and rising in the world rankings, the men often made disparaging comments about her ability and sometimes jokes, which they thought were funny but were actually hurtful, she said.

And no one ever resigned to her, as Shapkin did to Beth in Episode 7 by gallantly holding her hand near his lips.

“There were opponents who refused to shake hands,” she recalled. “There was one who hit his head on the board after he lost.”

Not every woman has had negative experiences. Irina Krush, who won her eighth US&nbsp;Women’s Championship last month, said she felt as if the chess community and men in particular were supportive of her when she was an up-and-coming player. She said of the series, “The spirit of what they are showing conforms to my experience.”

Whether what happens to Beth is typical or not, the popularity of 'The Queen’s Gambit' has inspired anew a debate about inequality and sexism in chess and what, if anything, can be done about them.

Though chess would seem like one area where men and women should be able to compete on equal footing, historically, few women have been able to do so. Among the more than 1,700 regular grandmasters worldwide, only 37, including Polgar and Krush, are women. Currently, only one woman, Hou Yifan of China, ranks in the Top 100, at No&nbsp;88, and she has been playing infrequently, even before the pandemic.

The superiority of men in the game is so well established that the best female players have freely acknowledged it. In a recent issue of Mint, in an article titled 'Why Women Lose at Chess,' Koneru Humpy, an Indian player currently ranked No&nbsp;3 among women, said men are just better players. “It’s proven,” she said. “You have to accept it.”

The dearth of women at the top of the game is one reason that there are separate tournaments for women, including a world championship; the World Chess Federation even created titles for women, such as women grandmaster.

Having such institutionalized, second-class status might seem like a bad idea, but not according to Anastasiya Karlovich, a grandmaster who was the press officer for the World Chess Federation for several years. She said the women’s titles permit more female players to earn a living as professionals, thereby increasing their participation in the game.

Karlovich said the Netflix show has helped her indirectly: It has made the parents of her chess students look at her differently.

“They have more respect for me. They understand better the life of a player,” she said.

While some men have speculated that the reason there are so few top female players is because they are not wired for it — Kasparov once said that it is not in their nature — women think the overriding reason is cultural expectations and bias.

Krush said the cultural cleaving between boys and girls happens at a young age. Scrolling through lists of the top players in the United States who are 7, 8 and 9, Krush pointed out that there are only a handful of girls in the Top 10.

That creates and reinforces another problem that discourages women’s participation: too few social contacts. Jennifer Shahade, a two-time U.S. women’s champion who has written two books about women in chess ('Chess Bitch' and 'Play Like a Girl!') and is the women’s program director at the US Chess Federation, said teenage girls tend to stop playing chess because there are so few of them and they want the social support. That Beth is a loner is likely an important reason she does not quit playing in tournaments.

Of 74,000 members in total, the US Chess Federation said it has about 10,500 female members. Shahade wants to increase that number, as well as their participation. To that end, she and the federation started an online chess club in April to keep female players engaged during the pandemic. In the last few weeks, there have been between 80 and 140 participants, with quite a few older players. The last meeting also had a special guest: Kasparov, who has become a big booster of women’s chess since his retirement from competition in 2005. He was also a consultant on the Netflix series.

To keep the momentum going, Shahade is launching a new online group called the “Madwoman’s Book Club.” The title refers to a pejorative name used for the queen in the 15th and 16th centuries after it became the most powerful piece on the board. The first meeting, this Friday, already has 100 people signed up.

The subject of the discussion should come as no surprise: 'The Queen’s Gambit'&nbsp;by Walter Tevis, the book on which the Netflix series is based. 
&nbsp;

Judit Polgar might be the one woman in the world who knows how Beth, the heroine of the hit Netflix series 'The Queen’s Gambit,' really feels. Like Beth, Polgar, who is from Hungary, stood out during her career because she regularly beat the world’s top players, including Garry Kasparov, in 2002, when he was ranked No 1.

Judit Polgar might be the one woman in the world who knows how Beth, the heroine of the hit Netflix series 'The Queen’s Gambit,' really feels. Like Beth, Polgar, who is from Hungary, stood out during her career because she regularly beat the world’s top players, including Garry Kasparov, in 2002, when he was ranked No 1. Polgar, the only woman to ever be ranked in the Top 10 or to play for the overall world championship, retired from competitive chess in 2014. Watching the series, which she described as an “incredible performance,” gave her a sense of déjà vu, particularly in the later episodes. But there was one respect in which she could not identify with Beth’s experience: how the male competitors treated her. “They were too nice to her,” Polgar said. When Polgar was proving herself and rising in the world rankings, the men often made disparaging comments about her ability and sometimes jokes, which they thought were funny but were actually hurtful, she said. And no one ever resigned to her, as Shapkin did to Beth in Episode 7 by gallantly holding her hand near his lips. “There were opponents who refused to shake hands,” she recalled. “There was one who hit his head on the board after he lost.” Not every woman has had negative experiences. Irina Krush, who won her eighth US Women’s Championship last month, said she felt as if the chess community and men in particular were supportive of her when she was an up-and-coming player. She said of the series, “The spirit of what they are showing conforms to my experience.” Whether what happens to Beth is typical or not, the popularity of 'The Queen’s Gambit' has inspired anew a debate about inequality and sexism in chess and what, if anything, can be done about them. Though chess would seem like one area where men and women should be able to compete on equal footing, historically, few women have been able to do so. Among the more than 1,700 regular grandmasters worldwide, only 37, including Polgar and Krush, are women. Currently, only one woman, Hou Yifan of China, ranks in the Top 100, at No 88, and she has been playing infrequently, even before the pandemic. The superiority of men in the game is so well established that the best female players have freely acknowledged it. In a recent issue of Mint, in an article titled 'Why Women Lose at Chess,' Koneru Humpy, an Indian player currently ranked No 3 among women, said men are just better players. “It’s proven,” she said. “You have to accept it.” The dearth of women at the top of the game is one reason that there are separate tournaments for women, including a world championship; the World Chess Federation even created titles for women, such as women grandmaster. Having such institutionalized, second-class status might seem like a bad idea, but not according to Anastasiya Karlovich, a grandmaster who was the press officer for the World Chess Federation for several years. She said the women’s titles permit more female players to earn a living as professionals, thereby increasing their participation in the game. Karlovich said the Netflix show has helped her indirectly: It has made the parents of her chess students look at her differently. “They have more respect for me. They understand better the life of a player,” she said. While some men have speculated that the reason there are so few top female players is because they are not wired for it — Kasparov once said that it is not in their nature — women think the overriding reason is cultural expectations and bias. Krush said the cultural cleaving between boys and girls happens at a young age. Scrolling through lists of the top players in the United States who are 7, 8 and 9, Krush pointed out that there are only a handful of girls in the Top 10. That creates and reinforces another problem that discourages women’s participation: too few social contacts. Jennifer Shahade, a two-time U.S. women’s champion who has written two books about women in chess ('Chess Bitch' and 'Play Like a Girl!') and is the women’s program director at the US Chess Federation, said teenage girls tend to stop playing chess because there are so few of them and they want the social support. That Beth is a loner is likely an important reason she does not quit playing in tournaments. Of 74,000 members in total, the US Chess Federation said it has about 10,500 female members. Shahade wants to increase that number, as well as their participation. To that end, she and the federation started an online chess club in April to keep female players engaged during the pandemic. In the last few weeks, there have been between 80 and 140 participants, with quite a few older players. The last meeting also had a special guest: Kasparov, who has become a big booster of women’s chess since his retirement from competition in 2005. He was also a consultant on the Netflix series. To keep the momentum going, Shahade is launching a new online group called the “Madwoman’s Book Club.” The title refers to a pejorative name used for the queen in the 15th and 16th centuries after it became the most powerful piece on the board. The first meeting, this Friday, already has 100 people signed up. The subject of the discussion should come as no surprise: 'The Queen’s Gambit' by Walter Tevis, the book on which the Netflix series is based.

How 'The Queen's Gambit' started a new debate about sexism in chess

Thousands of Czechs celebrated the coming end of most COVID-19 restrictions in the country with a dinner in the capital on Tuesday night.

Dinner on Prague bridge to celebrate easing

Czechs parked their cars to watch plays and film screenings in Prague as the country eases out of a lockdown imposed to curb the spread of the coronavirus infection.

Czechs park up for drive-in theatre, cinema as lockdown eases

Russia has formally protested to the Czech Foreign Ministry over a media report claiming that their spies may have plotted to poison the mayor of Prague and another local official.

Respekt weekly had, on Monday, claimed that Czech intelligence services suspected a Russian agent was sent to Prague three weeks ago to poison Prague mayor Zdenek Hrib and Prague 6 district's Mayor Ondrej Kolar with ricin -- a highly potent toxin.

The Russian embassy in Prague, to this end, clarified in a statement: "The allegations in the story are absolutely baseless and designed to 'discredit' Russia."

Hrib and Kolar have both angered Moscow and both have been strongly criticised recently by Russian officials.

(with inputs)

Russia has formally protested to the Czech Foreign Ministry over a media report claiming that their spies may have plotted to poison the mayor of Prague and another local official.

Russia has formally protested to the Czech Foreign Ministry over a media report claiming that their spies may have plotted to poison the mayor of Prague and another local official. Respekt weekly had, on Monday, claimed that Czech intelligence services suspected a Russian agent was sent to Prague three weeks ago to poison Prague mayor Zdenek Hrib and Prague 6 district's Mayor Ondrej Kolar with ricin -- a highly potent toxin. The Russian embassy in Prague, to this end, clarified in a statement: "The allegations in the story are absolutely baseless and designed to 'discredit' Russia." Hrib and Kolar have both angered Moscow and both have been strongly criticised recently by Russian officials. (with inputs)

Russia dismisses reports of plot to poison Prague mayor

Eight people were killed and 30 were injured in a fire at a Czech home for people with disabilities early on Sunday, fire and state officials said.

The blaze occurred in a home where mostly men with mental and other disabilities lived, in Vejprty on the country's northwest border with Germany.

It was the second deadliest blaze in the country's three-decade post-communist history. In 2010, a fire in an abandoned building often used by homeless people in Prague killed nine people. A hotel fire in the capital in 1995 killed eight.

The fire at the Vejprty home started in one room before spreading to three others, Michal Zavora, commanding officer of the region's fire services, told state broadcaster Czech Television.

He said the eight died from smoke inhalation.

<img alt="A police officer cordons off the area next to a home for people with disabilities which was affected by a fire in Vejprty" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="d9d678bc-b7a5-4fae-846a-535713ac0321" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20%2833%29_0.jpg" /> 
[ A police officer cordons off the area next to a home for people with disabilities which was affected by a fire in Vejprty (Courtesy: Reuters) ]&nbsp;

Prime Minister <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/volodymyr-zelensky-says-ukraine-getting-tired-of-trump-scandal-263215">Andrej Babis</a> travelled to Vejprty, about 130 km (80 miles) northwest of Prague, and promised state help with the investigation into the fire, whose cause was unknown.

"It is a huge tragedy," he told reporters.

The blaze was reported just before 5 a.m. (0400 GMT) on Sunday. Firefighters were on the scene within 10 minutes and able to keep the fire from spreading.

Poor weather prevented helicopters from being able to help transport of those injured. German rescue units took part in the operation, officials said.

Among the injured was a police officer but none of the home's workers was hurt.

The centre housed people aged from 18 to the elderly, according to Czech TV.

Eight people were killed and 30 were injured in a fire at a Czech home for people with disabilities early on Sunday, fire and state officials said. The blaze occurred in a home where mostly men with mental and other disabilities lived, in Vejprty on the country's northwest border with Germany.

Eight people were killed and 30 were injured in a fire at a Czech home for people with disabilities early on Sunday, fire and state officials said. The blaze occurred in a home where mostly men with mental and other disabilities lived, in Vejprty on the country's northwest border with Germany. It was the second deadliest blaze in the country's three-decade post-communist history. In 2010, a fire in an abandoned building often used by homeless people in Prague killed nine people. A hotel fire in the capital in 1995 killed eight. The fire at the Vejprty home started in one room before spreading to three others, Michal Zavora, commanding officer of the region's fire services, told state broadcaster Czech Television. He said the eight died from smoke inhalation. [ A police officer cordons off the area next to a home for people with disabilities which was affected by a fire in Vejprty (Courtesy: Reuters) ] Prime Minister Andrej Babis travelled to Vejprty, about 130 km (80 miles) northwest of Prague, and promised state help with the investigation into the fire, whose cause was unknown. "It is a huge tragedy," he told reporters. The blaze was reported just before 5 a.m. (0400 GMT) on Sunday. Firefighters were on the scene within 10 minutes and able to keep the fire from spreading. Poor weather prevented helicopters from being able to help transport of those injured. German rescue units took part in the operation, officials said. Among the injured was a police officer but none of the home's workers was hurt. The centre housed people aged from 18 to the elderly, according to Czech TV.

Fire at Czech home for disabled people kills eight

Barcelona were booed off the pitch by their supporters as their patchy form continued with a 0-0 draw at home to Slavia Prague in their Champions League Group F game on Tuesday.

Ernesto Valverde's side had fallen to a 3-1<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/barcelona-crash-to-defeat-at-levante-after-second-half-collapse-259630"> defeat at Levante</a> in La Liga on the weekend and could not give the rousing response they craved, failing to break down a diligent and bold Slavia side.

With Luis Suarez injured, Barca lacked a cutting edge and visiting goalkeeper Ondrej Kolar produced an admirable display to shut out the Catalans, thwarting Lionel Messi and Sergi Roberto from close range in the second half.

Messi also struck the top of the post in the first period following a thrilling solo charge from his own half and then teed up Arturo Vidal for a tap-in late in the game but the effort was ruled out for offside against the Argentine.

"Playing like this it's difficult to see us winning the Champions League," said Barca defender Gerard Pique.

"We had chances to score but the ball wouldn't go in. Results aren't going our way in these last two games, and when you go two games without winning at Barca the fans expect more because expectations are so high."

Barca lead the group on eight points after four games, while Slavia are bottom with two.

The Czechs, who were unfortunate to lose 2-1 at home to Barcelona two weeks ago, made a bright start and nearly took an early lead with a heavily-deflected shot which was repelled by the Catalans' goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen.

They did manage to find the net at the end of the first half but the goal was disallowed for a clear offside.

The visitors had bright spells in the second half although they did not manage to test Ter Stegen further, and angry boos and whistles rang out around the Camp Nou at fulltime.

"It's a difficult moment for us but the fans have the right to express how they feel and it's up to us to deal with it," said Barca defender Clement Lenglet.

"We knew Slavia were a dangerous opponent who had quality and we were not taken by surprise by them. We suffered at various stages of the game.

"We don't have any time to sit around and get worried, we have to keep working and play every three days. We're going to turn this around."

There was more bad news for Barca after the game, with the club revealing first-choice left back Jordi Alba had injured his hamstring.

The club's statement did not say how long the Spaniard would be out for but Spanish media reports said he could be missing for three weeks.

Barcelona were booed off the pitch by their supporters as their patchy form continued with a 0-0 draw at home to Slavia Prague in their Champions League Group F game on Tuesday.

Barcelona were booed off the pitch by their supporters as their patchy form continued with a 0-0 draw at home to Slavia Prague in their Champions League Group F game on Tuesday. Ernesto Valverde's side had fallen to a 3-1 defeat at Levante in La Liga on the weekend and could not give the rousing response they craved, failing to break down a diligent and bold Slavia side. With Luis Suarez injured, Barca lacked a cutting edge and visiting goalkeeper Ondrej Kolar produced an admirable display to shut out the Catalans, thwarting Lionel Messi and Sergi Roberto from close range in the second half. Messi also struck the top of the post in the first period following a thrilling solo charge from his own half and then teed up Arturo Vidal for a tap-in late in the game but the effort was ruled out for offside against the Argentine. "Playing like this it's difficult to see us winning the Champions League," said Barca defender Gerard Pique. "We had chances to score but the ball wouldn't go in. Results aren't going our way in these last two games, and when you go two games without winning at Barca the fans expect more because expectations are so high." Barca lead the group on eight points after four games, while Slavia are bottom with two. The Czechs, who were unfortunate to lose 2-1 at home to Barcelona two weeks ago, made a bright start and nearly took an early lead with a heavily-deflected shot which was repelled by the Catalans' goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen. They did manage to find the net at the end of the first half but the goal was disallowed for a clear offside. The visitors had bright spells in the second half although they did not manage to test Ter Stegen further, and angry boos and whistles rang out around the Camp Nou at fulltime. "It's a difficult moment for us but the fans have the right to express how they feel and it's up to us to deal with it," said Barca defender Clement Lenglet. "We knew Slavia were a dangerous opponent who had quality and we were not taken by surprise by them. We suffered at various stages of the game. "We don't have any time to sit around and get worried, we have to keep working and play every three days. We're going to turn this around." There was more bad news for Barca after the game, with the club revealing first-choice left back Jordi Alba had injured his hamstring. The club's statement did not say how long the Spaniard would be out for but Spanish media reports said he could be missing for three weeks.

Champions League: Camp Nou turns on toothless Barca after draw with Slavia

Lionel Messi claimed another goal-scoring record as Barcelona edged a spirited Slavia Prague 2-1 on Wednesday to stay top of Champions League Group F.

Messi opened the scoring after three minutes, beating Slavia goalkeeper Ondrej Kolar with a low left-footed shot to become the first player ever to score at least once in 15 consecutive Champions League seasons.

The 32-year-old Argentinian first robbed midfielder Petr Sevcik outside the Slavia box before an exchange with Arthur put him neatly through the static Slavia defence.

Barca earned a second on 57 minutes when Slavia winger Peter Olayinka deflected a Luis Suarez close-range shot from an impossible angle into his own nett as the hosts failed to clear Messi's free-kick.

Olayinka sealed Barca's sixth straight competitive win but deprived Suarez of a goal that would end his four-year drought in away games in European cup competitions.

Before that, left-back Jan Boril equalised for Slavia five minutes after half-time, capitalising on a superb pass threaded by Lukas Masopust that found him one-on-one with goalkeeper Marc Andre ter Stegen.

Barcelona top Group F with seven points from three games and are three ahead of Inter Milan who beat Borussia Dortmund 2-0. Slavia sits at the bottom with a single point.

"The result could have been better, but Slavia took risks, they played very well and made us defend a lot," said Barcelona coach Ernesto Valverde.

"We started very well, we dominated the game, but we also lost the ball a few times and they threatened,&nbsp;they really made us suffer because when they struggle, they boost their offence and that's exactly what they did today."

He added: "We are at the top of the table and we play the next two games at home. They will show us where we are."

Commenting on Messi making history, Valverde said: "It is really an incredible record. I hope Leo will continue to do well."

Slavia coach Jindrich Trpisovsky bemoaned Slavia's bad luck with the ugly second goal.

"It's a shame to lose with a goal like this," he said.

Valverde made two changes from last weekend's 3-0 win at Eibar, calling up Nelson Semedo and Gerard Pique to replace Samuel Umtiti and Sergi Roberto, both sidelined with knee injuries.

Jaroslav Zeleny almost grabbed a goal for Slavia on 20 minutes after a superb pass from Boril, but his shot bounced off the feet of a diving ter Stegen.

At the other end of the pitch, Messi curled a free-kick into the Slavia box but Clement Lenglet's poke was too weak to surprise Kolar, while minutes later Suarez blasted the ball over the crossbar.

Slavia came close again when Zeleny put through Masopust whose low shot was stopped by ter Stegen, and only seconds later the German keeper had a hard time clearing Olayinka's shot over the crossbar.

Kolar then denied Suarez after a fine pass from Messi before kicking out Frenkie de Jong's powerful low attempt from inside the box.

Slavia had a third good chance just before half-time, but Lukas Masopust missed narrowly with a low left-footed effort across the goal.

"The opening minutes were dreadful, but if I look beyond the first twenty minutes I must say the boys played a fantastic game," said Trpisovsky.

After the break, Slavia midfielder Nicolae Stanciu missed narrowly from long range and skipper Tomas Soucek headed over the crossbar.

Messi saw two shots cleared by Kolar and failed to finish into a gaping goal, while Suarez's low shot went just wide.

Slavia put the visitors under heavy pressure in the closing minutes but the Barcelona defence did a good job blocking all their shots and ter Stegen stopped Olayinka's stoppage-time header on the line.

Lionel Messi claimed another goal-scoring record as Barcelona edged a spirited Slavia Prague 2-1 on Wednesday to stay top of Champions League Group F. Messi opened the scoring after three minutes, beating Slavia goalkeeper Ondrej Kolar with a low left-footed shot to become the first player ever to score at least once in 15 consecutive Champions League seasons.

Lionel Messi claimed another goal-scoring record as Barcelona edged a spirited Slavia Prague 2-1 on Wednesday to stay top of Champions League Group F. Messi opened the scoring after three minutes, beating Slavia goalkeeper Ondrej Kolar with a low left-footed shot to become the first player ever to score at least once in 15 consecutive Champions League seasons. The 32-year-old Argentinian first robbed midfielder Petr Sevcik outside the Slavia box before an exchange with Arthur put him neatly through the static Slavia defence. Barca earned a second on 57 minutes when Slavia winger Peter Olayinka deflected a Luis Suarez close-range shot from an impossible angle into his own nett as the hosts failed to clear Messi's free-kick. Olayinka sealed Barca's sixth straight competitive win but deprived Suarez of a goal that would end his four-year drought in away games in European cup competitions. Before that, left-back Jan Boril equalised for Slavia five minutes after half-time, capitalising on a superb pass threaded by Lukas Masopust that found him one-on-one with goalkeeper Marc Andre ter Stegen. Barcelona top Group F with seven points from three games and are three ahead of Inter Milan who beat Borussia Dortmund 2-0. Slavia sits at the bottom with a single point. "The result could have been better, but Slavia took risks, they played very well and made us defend a lot," said Barcelona coach Ernesto Valverde. "We started very well, we dominated the game, but we also lost the ball a few times and they threatened, they really made us suffer because when they struggle, they boost their offence and that's exactly what they did today." He added: "We are at the top of the table and we play the next two games at home. They will show us where we are." Commenting on Messi making history, Valverde said: "It is really an incredible record. I hope Leo will continue to do well." Slavia coach Jindrich Trpisovsky bemoaned Slavia's bad luck with the ugly second goal. "It's a shame to lose with a goal like this," he said. Valverde made two changes from last weekend's 3-0 win at Eibar, calling up Nelson Semedo and Gerard Pique to replace Samuel Umtiti and Sergi Roberto, both sidelined with knee injuries. Jaroslav Zeleny almost grabbed a goal for Slavia on 20 minutes after a superb pass from Boril, but his shot bounced off the feet of a diving ter Stegen. At the other end of the pitch, Messi curled a free-kick into the Slavia box but Clement Lenglet's poke was too weak to surprise Kolar, while minutes later Suarez blasted the ball over the crossbar. Slavia came close again when Zeleny put through Masopust whose low shot was stopped by ter Stegen, and only seconds later the German keeper had a hard time clearing Olayinka's shot over the crossbar. Kolar then denied Suarez after a fine pass from Messi before kicking out Frenkie de Jong's powerful low attempt from inside the box. Slavia had a third good chance just before half-time, but Lukas Masopust missed narrowly with a low left-footed effort across the goal. "The opening minutes were dreadful, but if I look beyond the first twenty minutes I must say the boys played a fantastic game," said Trpisovsky. After the break, Slavia midfielder Nicolae Stanciu missed narrowly from long range and skipper Tomas Soucek headed over the crossbar. Messi saw two shots cleared by Kolar and failed to finish into a gaping goal, while Suarez's low shot went just wide. Slavia put the visitors under heavy pressure in the closing minutes but the Barcelona defence did a good job blocking all their shots and ter Stegen stopped Olayinka's stoppage-time header on the line.

Messi's historic goal helps Barcelona edge Slavia Prague

Czech billionaire Prime Minister Andrej Babis said Saturday he would not resign if indicted for his alleged role in a two-million-euro EU subsidy fraud.

Police this week recommended that Babis be indicted over the case which could see him and several others, including family members, spending five to ten years in prison.

"I would not resign because I have been saying from the beginning that this is a political process," Babis told the DNES broadsheet which he owns.

The 64-year-old agro-chemicals mogul pegged by Forbes as the second-wealthiest Czech is suspected of abusing EU funds to build the luxury Stork Nest resort and farm near Prague in 2007.

He allegedly took the farm out of his sprawling Agrofert food, chemicals and media holding to make it eligible for a subsidy awarded to small companies before eventually putting it back.

Charged by police in 2017, Babis and several others -- including his wife, brother-in-law and daughter -- are suspected of subsidy fraud and harming the EU's financial interests.

"If I weren't in politics, nobody would have heard about the Stork Nest," Babis told DNES.

"People keep plotting affairs against me, delving into the past. This affair is 12 years old," he said, calling charges against his family "incredible filth".

President Milos Zeman, who could remove the embattled prime minister, said Thursday he would not do so.

"An indicted prime minister is not a sentenced prime minister," said the 74-year-old pro-Russian, pro-Chinese veteran left-winger and a staunch Babis ally.&nbsp;

The prime minister's populist ANO movement leads a minority coalition government with leftwing Social Democrats.

It also has tacit backing from the Communists -- a first in the post-Communist country's history.

Late last year, the government survived a confidence vote after media reported that Babis aides had taken his son Andrej Babis Jr. to Russian-occupied Crimea against the son's wishes to hinder the fraud probe.

ANO currently has the highest backing by far of any Czech party, despite the Stork Nest affair and allegations that Babis was a Communist secret police agent in the 1980s.

ANO was credited with 33 per cent backing in a March-April poll by the Kantar CZ agency for Czech Television, ahead of the second-placed Pirates party with 19 per cent.

Czech billionaire Prime Minister Andrej Babis said Saturday he would not resign if indicted for his alleged role in a two-million-euro EU subsidy fraud. Police this week recommended that Babis be indicted over the case which could see him and several others, including family members, spending five to ten years in prison.

Czech billionaire Prime Minister Andrej Babis said Saturday he would not resign if indicted for his alleged role in a two-million-euro EU subsidy fraud. Police this week recommended that Babis be indicted over the case which could see him and several others, including family members, spending five to ten years in prison. "I would not resign because I have been saying from the beginning that this is a political process," Babis told the DNES broadsheet which he owns. The 64-year-old agro-chemicals mogul pegged by Forbes as the second-wealthiest Czech is suspected of abusing EU funds to build the luxury Stork Nest resort and farm near Prague in 2007. He allegedly took the farm out of his sprawling Agrofert food, chemicals and media holding to make it eligible for a subsidy awarded to small companies before eventually putting it back. Charged by police in 2017, Babis and several others -- including his wife, brother-in-law and daughter -- are suspected of subsidy fraud and harming the EU's financial interests. "If I weren't in politics, nobody would have heard about the Stork Nest," Babis told DNES. "People keep plotting affairs against me, delving into the past. This affair is 12 years old," he said, calling charges against his family "incredible filth". President Milos Zeman, who could remove the embattled prime minister, said Thursday he would not do so. "An indicted prime minister is not a sentenced prime minister," said the 74-year-old pro-Russian, pro-Chinese veteran left-winger and a staunch Babis ally. The prime minister's populist ANO movement leads a minority coalition government with leftwing Social Democrats. It also has tacit backing from the Communists -- a first in the post-Communist country's history. Late last year, the government survived a confidence vote after media reported that Babis aides had taken his son Andrej Babis Jr. to Russian-occupied Crimea against the son's wishes to hinder the fraud probe. ANO currently has the highest backing by far of any Czech party, despite the Stork Nest affair and allegations that Babis was a Communist secret police agent in the 1980s. ANO was credited with 33 per cent backing in a March-April poll by the Kantar CZ agency for Czech Television, ahead of the second-placed Pirates party with 19 per cent.

Czech PM Andrej Babis says won't resign if indicted over EU fraud

The art of traditional puppetry goes back eight generations in the Kopecky family, which over a period of two centuries, has been behind one of the most charming and popular forms of theatre in the Czech Republic.

Matej Kopecky and his wife Vladimira belong to the seventh generation. Their prestigious itinerant theatre continues to attract young crowds captivated by shows full of humour and which inevitably come to a close with a happy ending.

"In our country, it would be unthinkable not to have a happy ending, which is different from the north of Europe, where the tales are crueller," Matej told EFE. At the age of 65, he refuses to renounce his nomadic lifestyle.

His expertises are renowned in the Czech Republic and beyond and have landed him roles in films like "The Adventures of Pinocchio" (1996), directed by Steve Barron and starring Martin Landau as Mister Gepetto.

Matek and Mirka, as the husband and wife duo are familiarly known, are the faces of a saga that has its origins in the 18th century with Matej Kopecky (1775-1847), who in 1825 began to tour around Bohemia in a caravan of marionettes, performing shows on the road.

The puppet master not only found success in the countryside, where the form of theatre chimed with the locals, but it took hold in urban areas with the advent of the Romanticism movement.

The art form, therefore, influenced key figures such as Czech composer Bedrich Smetana, who many attribute with fomenting the idea of a Czech national identity, said Jan Dvorak, an art critic, fellow puppeteer and author of "Matej, Mata, Matusek and the sixth generation of the Kopecky family."

Nowadays, 200 years since their predecessors blaze the puppetry trail, Matej and Mirka restrict their shows to the winter period, putting on about 20 performances a month.

At the beginning of February, they brought "The Winter Tales of Mala Strana," a love story written by one of their sons, to the stage at the Podebrady theatre in eastern Prague.

The performance alternates between puppetry, comedy and musical, it regales the audience with the tale of three snowmen who, in trying to find their place in the city, make friends with a lost dog who needs to find its way home.

Performing in front of hundreds of people seems to give vital energy to Matej, who would like to spend five more years living his nomadic lifestyle, as his ancestors did.

"Every actor is an exhibitionist and of course they like success and applause," he said. "If everything ends well and chimes with the public, it is more satisfying than money," he added.

The Theater of Spejbl and Hurbinek in Prague, where Matej Kopecky Jnr&nbsp;works is the last art space entirely dedicated to puppet shows.

"Puppet theatre is the most traditional form that exists, based in ancient techniques of manipulating strings from above," said the member of the eighth generation of the puppeteer family.

"You are born with it and also we grew up in a theatre and we lived in the theatre's accommodation, so it is part of our lives," he added.

The art of traditional puppetry goes back eight generations in the Kopecky family, which over a period of two centuries, has been behind one of the most charming and popular forms of theatre in the Czech Republic.

The art of traditional puppetry goes back eight generations in the Kopecky family, which over a period of two centuries, has been behind one of the most charming and popular forms of theatre in the Czech Republic. Matej Kopecky and his wife Vladimira belong to the seventh generation. Their prestigious itinerant theatre continues to attract young crowds captivated by shows full of humour and which inevitably come to a close with a happy ending. "In our country, it would be unthinkable not to have a happy ending, which is different from the north of Europe, where the tales are crueller," Matej told EFE. At the age of 65, he refuses to renounce his nomadic lifestyle. His expertises are renowned in the Czech Republic and beyond and have landed him roles in films like "The Adventures of Pinocchio" (1996), directed by Steve Barron and starring Martin Landau as Mister Gepetto. Matek and Mirka, as the husband and wife duo are familiarly known, are the faces of a saga that has its origins in the 18th century with Matej Kopecky (1775-1847), who in 1825 began to tour around Bohemia in a caravan of marionettes, performing shows on the road. The puppet master not only found success in the countryside, where the form of theatre chimed with the locals, but it took hold in urban areas with the advent of the Romanticism movement. The art form, therefore, influenced key figures such as Czech composer Bedrich Smetana, who many attribute with fomenting the idea of a Czech national identity, said Jan Dvorak, an art critic, fellow puppeteer and author of "Matej, Mata, Matusek and the sixth generation of the Kopecky family." Nowadays, 200 years since their predecessors blaze the puppetry trail, Matej and Mirka restrict their shows to the winter period, putting on about 20 performances a month. At the beginning of February, they brought "The Winter Tales of Mala Strana," a love story written by one of their sons, to the stage at the Podebrady theatre in eastern Prague. The performance alternates between puppetry, comedy and musical, it regales the audience with the tale of three snowmen who, in trying to find their place in the city, make friends with a lost dog who needs to find its way home. Performing in front of hundreds of people seems to give vital energy to Matej, who would like to spend five more years living his nomadic lifestyle, as his ancestors did. "Every actor is an exhibitionist and of course they like success and applause," he said. "If everything ends well and chimes with the public, it is more satisfying than money," he added. The Theater of Spejbl and Hurbinek in Prague, where Matej Kopecky Jnr works is the last art space entirely dedicated to puppet shows. "Puppet theatre is the most traditional form that exists, based in ancient techniques of manipulating strings from above," said the member of the eighth generation of the puppeteer family. "You are born with it and also we grew up in a theatre and we lived in the theatre's accommodation, so it is part of our lives," he added.

The family breathing life into 200 years of puppetry in the Czech Republic

A billionaire populist dubbed the &quot;Czech Trump&quot; vowed a new stage in Czech politics as voters head to the polls&nbsp;Saturday&nbsp;in day two of an election expected to sweep him into power.

Betting on his anti-euro, anti-migrant and anti-corruption ticket, ANO (Yes) movement chief Andrej Babis topped opinion polls by a wide margin ahead of the ballot that ends&nbsp;Saturday afternoon.

Babis said he expected his country to &quot;enter a new stage&quot; after voting near Prague&nbsp;on Friday, adding it needed &quot;a government which will really tackle people&#39;s problems.&quot;

Voting at a school in central Prague, pensioner Vaclav Vachel told AFP that Babis&#39; anti-corruption drive was &quot;the key thing,&quot; seemingly unfazed by a fraud indictment Babis faces for alleged abuse of EU subsidies.

&quot;I don&#39;t like the EU at all... They&#39;re incompetent, those people in Brussels... They&#39;re a disaster, this (European Commission chief Jean-Claude) Juncker especially,&quot; he added.

Far-right and far-left anti-EU parties are eyeing strong gains which could lead to a fragmented parliament with up to nine parties and few natural coalition allies. Analysts warn of instability and that the Czech Republic&#39;s system of liberal democracy could be disturbed.

ANO has already held key posts in the outgoing rocky centre-left coalition under Social Democrat Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka, with Babis serving as finance minister from 2014 to May this year.

A 63-year-old Slovak-born chemicals, food and media tycoon, Babis captured around 25-30 percent support in recent surveys, putting ANO ahead of a current coalition partner, with the left-wing Social Democrats on just 12.5 percent.

&#39;Deep dissatisfaction&#39;

Parties protesting liberal democracy are poised to win a majority in parliament for the first time since communism fell in 1989, the leading Hospodarske Noviny daily said in a&nbsp;Friday editorial.

&quot;And for the first time we face the threat that an openly xenophobic, extremist movement will earn more than 10 percent&quot; of the vote, it added, pointing to the far-right anti-EU Freedom and Free Democracy (SPD) of Tokyo-born entrepreneur Tomio Okamura who won backing from France&#39;s far-right National Front.

The daily called the elections a &quot;turning point... both for the country&#39;s internal functioning and its anchoring in the European Union.&quot;

Despite their country&#39;s economic success, many Czechs who are heavily in debt or working long hours for low wages feel they have been left behind and are turning to anti-system parties to vent frustration, Hospodarske Noviny added.

With joblessness at 3.8 percent in September, the Czech economy which is heavily reliant on car exports is slated to grow by 3.6 percent this year.&nbsp;

While Babis has vowed to steer clear of the eurozone and echoes other eastern EU leaders who accuse Brussels of attempting to limit national sovereignty by imposing rules like migrant quotas, he favours a united Europe and balks at talk of a &quot;Czexit&quot;.

Le Pen endorsement

Babis&#39;s main rival, Social Democrats leader and Foreign Minister Lubomir Zaoralek, said&nbsp;Friday&nbsp;he hoped that the future government would ensure that the Czech Republic does not drift to the EU&#39;s periphery.

Opinion surveys showed the anti-EU Communists could win 10.5 percent, ahead of Okamura&#39;s SPD with 9.5 percent and the anti-establishment Pirates party with 8.5 percent.

The leader of France&#39;s far-right National Front Marine Le Pen sent Okamura a letter of support, saying that their parties want to create &quot;a Europe of nations and liberties to which we adhere.&quot;

On Saturday, voting for the 200-member lower house of parliament begins at 0600 GMT and ends at 1200 GMT, with no exit polls scheduled and results expected in the evening.

Betting on his anti-euro, anti-migrant, and anti-corruption ticket, ANO (Yes) movement chief Andrej Babis topped opinion polls by a wide margin

A billionaire populist dubbed the "Czech Trump" vowed a new stage in Czech politics as voters head to the polls Saturday in day two of an election expected to sweep him into power. Betting on his anti-euro, anti-migrant and anti-corruption ticket, ANO (Yes) movement chief Andrej Babis topped opinion polls by a wide margin ahead of the ballot that ends Saturday afternoon. Babis said he expected his country to "enter a new stage" after voting near Prague on Friday, adding it needed "a government which will really tackle people's problems." Voting at a school in central Prague, pensioner Vaclav Vachel told AFP that Babis' anti-corruption drive was "the key thing," seemingly unfazed by a fraud indictment Babis faces for alleged abuse of EU subsidies. "I don't like the EU at all... They're incompetent, those people in Brussels... They're a disaster, this (European Commission chief Jean-Claude) Juncker especially," he added. Far-right and far-left anti-EU parties are eyeing strong gains which could lead to a fragmented parliament with up to nine parties and few natural coalition allies. Analysts warn of instability and that the Czech Republic's system of liberal democracy could be disturbed. ANO has already held key posts in the outgoing rocky centre-left coalition under Social Democrat Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka, with Babis serving as finance minister from 2014 to May this year. A 63-year-old Slovak-born chemicals, food and media tycoon, Babis captured around 25-30 percent support in recent surveys, putting ANO ahead of a current coalition partner, with the left-wing Social Democrats on just 12.5 percent. 'Deep dissatisfaction' Parties protesting liberal democracy are poised to win a majority in parliament for the first time since communism fell in 1989, the leading Hospodarske Noviny daily said in a Friday editorial. "And for the first time we face the threat that an openly xenophobic, extremist movement will earn more than 10 percent" of the vote, it added, pointing to the far-right anti-EU Freedom and Free Democracy (SPD) of Tokyo-born entrepreneur Tomio Okamura who won backing from France's far-right National Front. The daily called the elections a "turning point... both for the country's internal functioning and its anchoring in the European Union." Despite their country's economic success, many Czechs who are heavily in debt or working long hours for low wages feel they have been left behind and are turning to anti-system parties to vent frustration, Hospodarske Noviny added. With joblessness at 3.8 percent in September, the Czech economy which is heavily reliant on car exports is slated to grow by 3.6 percent this year. While Babis has vowed to steer clear of the eurozone and echoes other eastern EU leaders who accuse Brussels of attempting to limit national sovereignty by imposing rules like migrant quotas, he favours a united Europe and balks at talk of a "Czexit". Le Pen endorsement Babis's main rival, Social Democrats leader and Foreign Minister Lubomir Zaoralek, said Friday he hoped that the future government would ensure that the Czech Republic does not drift to the EU's periphery. Opinion surveys showed the anti-EU Communists could win 10.5 percent, ahead of Okamura's SPD with 9.5 percent and the anti-establishment Pirates party with 8.5 percent. The leader of France's far-right National Front Marine Le Pen sent Okamura a letter of support, saying that their parties want to create "a Europe of nations and liberties to which we adhere." On Saturday, voting for the 200-member lower house of parliament begins at 0600 GMT and ends at 1200 GMT, with no exit polls scheduled and results expected in the evening.

'Czech Trump' expected to win election

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