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Czechs begin horse-trading over choice for new PM

By Robert Muller and Jan Lopatka PRAGUE (Reuters) - Czech Prime Minister Petr Necas formally handed in his resignation on Monday after a bribery and spying scandal that centred on an aide, but it will take at least a week of horse-trading before a replacement is put forward.

Czech PM steps down over graft, spying scandal

Czech Prime Minister Petr Necas resigned on Monday over a bribery and spying scandal involving his top aide that has plunged the recession-hit EU state into a fresh political crisis. "Mr President, in line with the constitution... I resign," Necas told his rival President Milos Zeman, who called for talks with political parties from Friday to discuss the government's future. Zeman asked the rightwing Necas, who has been in office for just three years at the head of a shaky coalition government, to stay on as caretaker leader until a new administration is named.

Dutch teen footballers jailed for kicking linesman to death

By Svebor Kranjc LELYSTAD, The Netherlands (Reuters) - A Dutch court found six teenage footballers and a player's father guilty on Monday of beating an amateur linesman to death, an incident that shocked the nation and prompted soul-searching over soccer violence and race. Linesman Richard Nieuwenhuizen, 41, was attacked by the soccer players - mostly of Moroccan origin - while he was officiating at an under-17 match at Almere, near Amsterdam.

EU, US to launch talks for world's biggest trade pact

The EU and United States are set to launch negotiations on Monday to create the world's biggest free-trade pact despite a hard line by France to protect its film and culture sectors from Hollywood. Such a deal is touted as a potentially huge boost to business, economic growth and job creation, but the culture issue is seen as potentially offering a bargaining chip to the US side.

Czech PM to step down over graft, spy scandal

Czech Prime Minister Petr Necas is to formally resign on Monday over a corruption and spying scandal involving his top aide, plunging the recession-hit EU state into fresh political turmoil. The crisis was sparked by the indictment on Friday of Necas' chief of staff -- and alleged lover -- Jana Nagyova with bribery and complicity in the abuse of power. Police accuse her of asking military spies to tail Necas' estranged wife Radka. The 48-year-old prime minister had announced earlier last week that his marriage was over after 25 years.

EU's Barroso says French bid to protect culture 'reactionary'

The head of the EU executive, Jose Manuel Barroso, has slammed France's determination to protect Europe's film and cultural industries in upcoming negotiations with the United States on the biggest trade pact in history. "Some say they belong to the left, but in fact they are culturally extremely reactionary," the president of the European Commission said in an interview with the International Herald Tribune published Monday.

Czech ruling party seeks replacement for ousted PM

By Jan Lopatka PRAGUE (Reuters) - The Czech Republic's main ruling party was due to meet on Monday to search for a candidate to succeed Prime Minister Petr Necas who quit on Sunday after a spying and bribery scandal that centered on his closest aide. Necas was due to formally hand in his resignation to President Milos Zeman on Monday afternoon, starting the formal process of replacing the entire center-right cabinet which fell automatically with the prime minister.

Czech PM to step down over graft, spy scandal

Czech Prime Minister Petr Necas is to formally resign on Monday over a corruption and spying scandal involving his top aide, plunging the recession-hit EU state into fresh political turmoil. The crisis was sparked by the indictment on Friday of Necas's chief of staff -- and alleged lover -- Jana Nagyova with complicity in the "abuse of power and with bribery". Police accuse her of asking military spies to tail Necas's estranged wife Radka.

EU's Barroso says French bid to protect culture 'reactionary'

The head of the EU executive, Jose Manuel Barroso, has slammed France's determination to protect Europe's film and cultural industries in upcoming negotiations with the United States to agree a giant free trade pact. "Some say they belong to the left, but in fact they are culturally extremely reactionary," the president of the European Commission said in an interview with the International Herald Tribune published Monday.

French govt humiliated in poll for disgraced minister's seat

France's socialist government suffered the indignity of a first-round exit in a parliamentary by-election to replace a disgrace minister forced out over a tax-dodging scandal. Former budget minister Jerome Cahuzac, who is facing charges of tax fraud, stepped down from his parliamentary seat in April. In Sunday's by-election for his seat in Lot-et-Garonne, southwest France, the socialist candidate was pushed into third place -- and thus eliminated.
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