news digest/sport

IN BRIEF
The Cabinet voted down visas for Bulgarians and Romanians, and did not pass a US proposal which would have called for an electronic signature for e-business. Investment incentives for Siemens-Matsushita, which will invest 43.2 million USD, half in technology, passed. The firm will create 510 jobs in Šumperk, where unemployment is 11.4%.
A customs agent is accused of abuse of power and accepting a bribe of 2,600 Kč for allowing goods to pass the border without proper fees.
Judge Libor Vávra: It's not the money that matters, but the way the Chamber took away judges' 14th pay. He will appeal the ruling.
EU coordinator Telička and Austrian Foreign Ministry Deputy Rohan agreed better communication between the CR and Austria is necessary. Just 36% of Austrians are for the CR joining the EU.
23,488 are doing time in Czech prisons, which are 19.8% overfilled.
Firms and people owe the city of Prague 9.5 billion Kč, mostly from purchase of apartment buildings.
Ministry of the Environment officials say all of their control systems are Y2K compliant. When Jan. 1 rolls around, nothing will happen, they say.
'Thanks' petition organizers will register as a civic association, says ex-student Josef Brož, LN reports.
Six organizer Mejstřík: ODS congress didn't comprehend what is going on now. The party is closed.
Ransdorf, Exner, Dolejš and Rujbrová were elected KSČM vice chairmen at the Communists' conference this weekend.
Mobilephone operators EuroTel and RadioMobil cover 99% of the CR with their 900 MHz signal, they say.
Metrostav owners KB and ČS are selling it to Creditanstalt, which is in the process of reviewing firm financial records.
A registered cash register bill is in its first reading this week. The SO Trade Organization says it could raise 6.7 billion Kč per year.
The CR will petition for exclusivity for beer names 'Budweiser' and 'Pilsner' after EU accession. American and German beers tend to use those titles.
(čtk, glg)