Music from central and Eastern Europe is popping up everywhere these days, much of it already in the standard repertoire. Besides the Kennedy Center’s ongoing festival, “Music of Budapest, Prague and Vienna,” concerts focused on these three cities have spread beyond the center. Such was the case Saturday, when the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra played (to a full house) at the Strathmore concert hall. Apparently by sheer coincidence, the Czech conductor Jiri Belohlavek led the BSO in works by Dvorak and Janacek (Prague), Kodaly (Hungary) and Beethoven (yes, he was German but rose to stardom in Vienna). Belohlavek is chief conductor of the BBC Symphony Orchestra. Read full article > >

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Review: Jiri Belohlavek leads Baltimore Symphony at Strathmore

Germany and the Czech Republic advise women with potentially faulty breast implants made by France’s PIP company to have them removed.

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Germany advises implant removal

Leaders from around the world joined the people of the Czech Republic to mourn playwright, dissident and former President Vaclav Havel at a mass on Friday.

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Mourners in Czech Republic Honor Vaclav Havel

The state funeral of former Czech President Vaclav Havel is taking place in the capital, Prague, attended by leaders from around the world.

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VIDEO: Leaders honour Havel at funeral

Leaders from around the world prepare to attend the funeral of former Czech President Vaclav Havel in Prague.

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Leaders prepare to honour Havel

Thousands of people walk behind the coffin of the late Czech leader Vaclav Havel to Prague Castle where he will lie in state.

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Thousands join Havel procession

Tributes have been flooding in from around the world following the death of the Czech Republic’s first President, Vaclav Havel.

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Tributes paid after Havel’s death

Václav Havel, a Czech writer who was imprisoned by his country’s former communist rulers, only to become a symbol of freedom and his nation’s first president in the post-communist era, died Sunday morning at his weekened home in the Czech Republic, the Associated Press reports. He was 75. The death was announced by his assistant, Sabina Tancecova, the Associated Press reports. Read full article > >

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Vaclav Havel, dissident playwright and former Czech president, dies

Vaclav Havel, the dissident playwright who became the Czech Republic’s first post-communist president, dies at the age of 75, Czech media reports say.

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Czech statesman Havel ‘is dead’

Visitors to the National Portrait Gallery’s BP Portrait Award choose a depiction of a Czech film-maker as their exhibition favourite.

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Visitors favour Czech’s portrait

Visitors to the National Portrait Gallery’s BP Portrait Award choose a depiction of a Czech film-maker as their exhibition favourite.

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Visitors favour Czech’s portrait

Casey Stoner extends his lead at the top of the MotoGP standings with a comfortable win in the Czech Republic.

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Stoner claims dominant Brno win

The epic clash that pits men, elves and dwarves against goblins and wargs in J.R.R. Tolkien’s 1937 novel , “The Hobbit,” has become a springtime tradition in the Czech Republic. Read full article > >

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Tolkien fans reenact ‘The Hobbit’ in the woods of the Czech Republic

All pregnant women should be screened for hidden signs of thyroid disease, according to Czech researchers.

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More screening in pregnancy urged

World leaders, keep your eye on this one: Czech President Vaclav Klaus was caught on camera stealing a pen at an address with Chilean President Sebastian Pinera. As Pinera speaks, Klaus is seen opening the pen case, inspecting the pen, and nodding in…

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Czech President Caught Stealing Pen