Former head of Ku Klux Klan is in Austria after Czech expulsion, cancellation of lectures

October 6th, 2009 Biden heads to Poland, Romania, Czech RepublicWASHINGTON — Vice President Joe Biden is heading to Europe to meet with NATO allies. The White House on Tuesday said Biden will visit Poland, Romania and Czech Republic from October 20-24.

September 30th, 2009 Thousands turn out for Czech papal MassBRNO, Czech Republic — Tens of thousands of pilgrims have packed an airfield in the southern Czech city of Brno as Pope Benedict XVI prepares to celebrate an outdoor Mass. Faithful from the Czech Republic and neighboring countries — including Austria, Germany, Poland and Slovakia — sang and waved Czech and Vatican flags as they awaited the pope.

September 25th, 2009 Tenn. coach apologizes for KKK joke at fundraiserKNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Tennessee coach Bruce Pearl apologized for a joking remark that linked the rural home of one his players to the Ku Klux Klan.

September 17th, 2009 Obama phones Czech premier on missile defensePRAGUE — The Czech government says President Barack Obama has phoned the country's prime minister to discuss a controversial U.S. missile defense plan.

September 16th, 2009 Pulitzer Prize-winning NC newspaper publisher diesWILMINGTON, N.C. — W. Horace Carter, a North Carolina newspaper publisher whose crusades against the Ku Klux Klan earned a Pulitzer Prize, has died.

July 5th, 2009 Vanhoenacker, Bayliss win Ironman AustriaKLAGENFURT, Austria — Marino Vanhoenacker of Belgium has set a course record in winning his fourth straight Ironman Austria triathlon, while Bella Bayliss of Britain has won the women's event. Vanhoenacker finished in 8 hours, 1 minute, 38 seconds on Sunday, beating last year's winning time by 4:29.

June 3rd, 2009 Pa. school board upholds eyebrow shaver expulsionPENN HILLS, Pa. — A Pittsburgh-area school board has upheld the expulsion of a 15-year-old middle school student who was found to have an eyebrow shaver in her handbag during a random search.

May 9th, 2009 Czech central bank cuts interest rates to 1.5 pctPRAGUE — The Czech Republic's central bank has cut its key interest rate by a quarter percentage point to 1.5 percent to help the economy combat reccession. It is the lowest rate since the country came into existence after the split of former Czechoslovakia in 1993.

May 8th, 2009 Sweden beats Czech Republic 3-1 at hockey worldsBERN, Switzerland — Sweden beat the Czech Republic 2-1 Thursday to reach the semifinals at the hockey world championship. Sweden will next play Friday against Canada, which defeated Latvia 4-2 in another quarterfinal.

May 3rd, 2009 6 hikers killed in avalanche in Austrian AlpsINNSBRUCK, Austria — Six people were killed when an avalanche trapped them under eight feet (2.5 meters) of snow as they hiked in the Alps of Western Austria, according to authorities. A 45-year-old man was the sole survivor when the group was hit by the avalanche at an altitude of about 3,000 meters (9,850 feet), rescuers said Sunday.

April 26th, 2009 Czech Republic takes 2-1 lead over US in Fed CupBRNO, Czech Republic — Lucie Safarova beat Bethanie Mattek-Sands 6-3, 6-1 Sunday to give the Czech Republic a 2-1 lead over the United States in the Fed Cup semifinals. The Czech Republic needs just one more win in the best-of-five series to reach its first Fed Cup final since the country came into existence after the breakup of Czechoslovakia in 1993.

April 25th, 2009 Former KKK leader ordered to leave Czech RepublicPRAGUE — Czech authorities have released former Ku Klux Klan leader David Duke from detention and ordered him to leave the country. Police spokeswoman Katerina Rendlova says Duke must leave the Czech Republic by midnight Saturday after he was detained on suspicion of denying the Holocaust.

April 24th, 2009 Former KKK leader detained in PraguePRAGUE — Former Ku Klux Klan leader David Duke was detained by police in the Czech Republic on Friday on suspicion of denying the Holocaust. Police spokesman Jan Mikulovsky said the action was taken because Duke does that in his book "My Awakening," which is punishable by up to three years in Czech prisons.

March 3rd, 2009 VIENNA - The tenure of Austria coach Karel Brueckner was cut short Monday, when the Austrian football association (OeFB) announced it had severed its contract with the seasoned Czech trainer after a string of losses. The 69-year-old coach had taken over the team last July after Austria's unsuccessful showing at the Euro 2008 championships.

February 24th, 2009 VIENNA - The Czech Republic leads the world in drinking beer with Austria in the second place, the Austrian brewery association said Monday. Each Czech on an average drank 159 litres of beer in 2007, according to the latest available figures.