Prague

I'm an American tourist staying in Prague, in the Czech Republic. Prague is absolutely beautiful. Unfortunately, four of our 45 tour members have been robbed during our four-day stay here. A lady had her purse stolen, and three men had their pockets picked on the subway. My wife and I have traveled to many of the world's major cities, including Beijing, Moscow, Los Angeles, Tokyo, Berlin, London and Madrid. None of these cities have the tourist pickpocket problem that Prague has. I urge the mayor and the police of Prague to take back their city from the thieves.

CZECH REPUBLIC, HUNGARY AND AUSTRIA Slide show Roberta Kritzia will speak about her travels to Prague, Budapest and Vienna. When, where: 7:30 p.m. Monday at Distant Lands, 20 S. Raymond Ave., Pasadena. Admission, info: Free. RSVP to (626) 449-3220. SNOWSHOEING Workshop Experts will offer tips on snowshoeing basics, gear and where to go to get started. When, where: 6:30 p.m. Wednesday at the REI store in Tustin, 2962 El Camino Real. Admission, info : Free.

President Francois Mitterrand of France arrived here Thursday for the first visit by a French head of state to Czechoslovakia and his first stop in an accelerated French drive to deepen contacts with Eastern Europe.

Virginia-based metal band Lamb of God was forced to cancel a concert in Prague Thursday as lead singer Randy Blythe was detained for questioning in connection with the death of a fan at the band's 2010 performance in the Czech Republic. The band's representatives maintain that Blythe has not been officially charged, but some reports indicate that the vocalist is facing charges of "bodily harm of 4th degree and resulting in the death of a fan," which could carry a prison term of up to 10 years if convicted.

Virginia-based metal band Lamb of God was forced to cancel a concert in Prague Thursday as lead singer Randy Blythe was detained for questioning in connection with the death of a fan at the band's 2010 performance in the Czech Republic. The band's representatives maintain that Blythe has not been officially charged, but some reports indicate that the vocalist is facing charges of "bodily harm of 4th degree and resulting in the death of a fan," which could carry a prison term of up to 10 years if convicted.

I cannot say enough about the beautiful city of Prague. Having just returned from a week of touring the Czech city by foot, bus and boat, I am in awe of the churches, castles, synagogues, cemeteries and bridges built hundreds of years ago. The old and the new blend so easily. Cobblestone streets and sidewalks twist and curve among huge buildings topped with domes and statuary. The people are very friendly, and finding English-speaking assistance is not a problem. Food and accommodations are very reasonable.

Alfred K. Stern, a multimillionaire businessman who was charged in 1957 with spying for the Soviet Union, died of cancer Monday in exile here, the Czechoslovak News Agency Ceteka reported. He was 88. Stern and his wife, Martha Dodd Stern, daughter of the last U.S. ambassador to Berlin before World War II, left the United States in 1957 after being accused of subversive activities. They had been accused before the House Committee on UnAmerican Activities of spying. U.S.

President Vaclav Havel's political movement and its ally on Friday formed the nation's first freely elected non-Communist government in four decades. The state CTK news agency reported that the agreement was reached at talks in the Slovak capital, Bratislava. Participants were Havel, Prime Minister designate Marian Calfa and representatives of Civic Forum, its sister movement Public Against Violence, the Christian Democratic Movement and the Democratic Party.

Alfred K. Stern, a multimillionaire businessman who was charged in 1957 with spying for the Soviet Union, died of cancer Monday in exile here, the Czechoslovak News Agency Ceteka reported. He was 88. Stern and his wife, Martha Dodd Stern, daughter of the last U.S. ambassador to Berlin before World War II, left the United States in 1957 after being accused of subversive activities. They had been accused before the House Committee on Un-American Activities of spying. U.S.

Congratulations on a splendid article about Prague ("Smiles Are Back in Mozart's Prague," May 12). Writers captured feelings of people of Prague extremely well. Also all other topics, advice and prices were quite accurate. Only the bridge on the picture of Prague's castle is not the famed Charles but the Manes Bridge, which is a bit further on the flow of Vltava River. TOMAS K. SMETANA Goleta

With hometown dates rapidly approaching, our "Bachelorette" knew it was time to get down to business in Prague during this week's episode. So did she ask her remaining suitors about their approach to child-rearing? Grill them to see if they'd be open to moving to North Carolina with her? Ask if any of them have a 401(k)? Nay. She decided to figure out who the best kisser was. Listen, I get that the woman needed to get her rocks off. She was spending a lot of lonely nights in hotel rooms.

"Prague Winter: A Personal Story of Remembrance and War, 1937-1948" Madeleine Albright Harper: 480 pp., $29.99 Madeleine Albright is a formidable figure. She was a member of the National Security Council and the U.S. ambassador to the U.N. When she became secretary of State in 1997, she was the first woman to hold the position. Her manner is direct, with a frankness uncommon for her level of statecraft. Nowadays she teaches at Georgetown, has a school of international studies named for her at her alma mater, Wellesley College, and writes the occasional book.

The Prague Cemetery A Novel Umberto Eco, translated from the Italian by Richard Dixon Houghton Mifflin Harcourt: 445 pp., $27

Bookish digressions and odd cultural details are two reasons why we read Umberto Eco. He takes great pleasure in showing readers the monastic care of books in "The Name of the Rose," the kabbalah in "Foucault's Pendulum" and day-to-day life in Mussolini's Italy in "The Mysterious Flame of Queen Loana. " Without such layers, without his plunging into the minutiae of other eras, it just wouldn't be an Eco novel. Such details and digressions are also crucial to his latest, "The Prague Cemetery," maybe even more than in any of his other novels.

CZECH REPUBLIC This restaurant alone would make us want to go back to Prague. We were sorry we found it on the last night and not the first. It has fabulous food and atmosphere at a very reasonable price. Cervena Tabulka Restaurant, 4 Lodecka, Prague, Czech Republic; 011-420-739-682-219, http://www.cervenatabulka.cz . Main courses around $10. Bob and Jamie Carr, Arroyo Grande, Calif.

The more than 300-year-old Torah survived the Holocaust, was later rescued from a deserted Jewish temple in Prague and eventually wound up at a Northridge synagogue. On Sunday, Temple Ahavat Shalom will hold a ceremony to mark the beginning of its restoration. Because of its fragile state, and its age ? scrolls this old are a rarity in the United States, scribes say ? the Torah is exhibited during holidays and services but is seldom used for learning. Temple Ahavat will begin restoring the Scriptures so they can be fully utilized.

3M Co. said it has established a subsidiary in Czechoslovakia. The Prague-based company joins 3M Hungaria in Budapest, Hungary, as 3M's second subsidiary in Eastern Europe.

In your compilation of the film festivals of 1997 (Jan. 12), you have erroneously located the hosting city of the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival as Prague, Czech Republic. The hosting city is, in fact, Karlovy Vary (Carlsbad in English and German), Czech Republic, which is located two hours west of Prague in western Bohemia. Karlovy Vary is much smaller and quainter than Prague, but none the less famous for being one of the most popular and elegant spa resorts for the likes of Beethoven, Goethe and Marx.

A male Rothschild giraffe calf born late last month at the Prague Zoo is gunning for the title of World's Cutest Zoo Baby. He has some tough competition -- an Amur leopard cub in Germany, a red-necked wallaby joey in Australia, a pair of Asian lion cubs in Germany, a parma wallaby joey in Ohio and a koala joey in Germany, to name a few -- but we think the sweet, snuggly relationship he has with his mother Nora just...

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