Czech Republic

Collegeville's Christopher McCarthy received an early birthday present yesterday. The forward, who turns 17 today, was named to USA Hockey's 2008 U.S. under-18 select team. The squad is scheduled to participate in the 2008 Memorial of Ivan Hlinka Tournament on Aug. 12-16 in Breclav, Czech Republic, and Piestany, Slovakia. "I was surprised even though I had a good camp," said McCarthy, referring to the 2008 USA Hockey Select 17 player development camp that was held July 7-13 at the National Hockey Center at St. Cloud State University in St. Cloud, Minn.

Emil Synu lives amid the crumbling castles of a once-great empire and considers himself, at least for now, one lucky Gypsy: He hasn't been beaten, set on fire, or chased into a river and drowned. But each day that he opens his door, Synu said, he becomes a target for neo-Nazis and skinheads staging a campaign of fear that has shaken a nation known for its peace and its poet president. Synu even fondly remembers the oppressive days of communism when Eastern Europe's centuries-old ethnic hatreds were muffled by the state.

Small and mid-size U.S. businesses may have a chance for a new export market: the Czech Republic, a Commerce Department official says. Although business opportunities there are good generally, they are especially abundant now because of last August's flooding, the worst to hit Central Europe in 500 years, said Richard Steffens, counselor in Prague for the U.S. Commercial Service. "The Czech Republic estimates that up to $5 billion in damage was done," and cleanup services at hazardous waste sites are particularly needed, Steffens said.

PRAGUE, Czech Republic - The Russians are back. Twenty years after Soviet troops left to the delight of a liberated nation, Russian schools, businesses, newspapers, and communities are thriving in and around Prague, the capital of the Czech Republic. But while many Czechs seem to be leaving decades of bad blood behind them, there's alarm in Russia at the economic impact of a new wave of middle-class emigration to Eastern Europe, where life seems far simpler and where European Union membership brings dynamism.

Smart shopping follows the old business dictum: Location, location, location. And smart entrepreneurs are following that dictum as they shop all through Europe for the best places to start a new business. Europe has become EuroMart. EuroMart covers a lot of territory, and it often stocks its best buys in the corners and at the edges, along the aisles marked "Privatization 'R Us," "European Union Wanna-bes" and "Hot Spots. " Over on Aisle 1, we have Hungary. Budapest did a land-office business over the last decade in selling off its state-owned enterprises to foreign investors.

A group of Iraqi politicians came here this month to learn how to build a democratic state from the ashes of totalitarianism. The Czechs know a thing or two about this tricky business - all the better to provide the cautionary tales for those who must try to grow something so fragile as democracy in the violence and chaos of Iraq. Better even than going to learn in America, where democracy has been around a long time and where how it all began is found in history books. Sallama al-Khafaji, an independent member of the interim Iraqi National Assembly, was impressed with what she saw at polling sites as the citizens of the Czech Republic cast ballots in parliamentary voting.

He does not speak a word of English. He has never heard of a cheesesteak. And he does not know the Liberty Bell from Taco Bell. But he might lead the Flyers to the Stanley Cup. Jiri Dopita (YEAR-ee DO-pita), who joined the Flyers last week for the opening of training camp, has been widely considered the best non-NHL player in the world for nearly a decade, although he is virtually unknown in America. In June he signed a two-year deal with the Flyers, a team already stacked at center with Keith Primeau and free-agent addition Jeremy Roenick.

West Chester East coach Nick Russo has a highlight video of last season, bits and pieces of the Vikings' play as they won the Division AAA title of the Inter-County Scholastic Hockey League. One snippet shows the Vikings shaking hands with players from a team called Sparta Praha. The Czech Republic club, invited over for a Christmas tournament at Ice Line, dominated all the local teams. And there, shaking Russo's hand, is the alternate captain and most dominating player for Sparta Praha, Zdenek Horak.

It's a long way from the town square in Telc in the Czech Republic to the Oakbourne mansion in Westtown Township. But for Jan Simek, 18, an exchange student with the West Chester Rotary Club, there are similarities. Namely, beautiful architecture. Telc is a town of Baroque and Renaissance-style buildings, while Oakbourne's towers and ornamental copper gables glitter in Victorian majesty. But while Telc may give Simek an artistic high, Oakbourne is helping him make money. "In America there are many opportunities," said Simek.

Not 10 years ago, Poland, Hungary and Czechoslovakia were members in good standing of the Soviet bloc. Their communist generals swore allegiance to Moscow and opposition to the NATO alliance. A few months from now, in a sign of Europe's crawl to unity, Poland, Hungary, and the Czech Republic are likely to be offered full membership in the 16-nation NATO military force they once opposed with tanks and troops. This shift in loyalties is one of the most significant and delicate questions faced by President Clinton and his new foreign-policy team.

Ilya Kovalchuk and Alexander Radulov each scored a goal and had an assist as Russia and Flyers goalie Ilya Bryzgalov beat the United States, 5-3, in Helsinki to preserve Russia's perfect start at the ice hockey world championship. Russia is atop Group B after three games, one point ahead of Finland and three ahead of the U.S. In Group A, Canada hammered Norway, 7-1, with Steven Stamkos notching a goal and three assists in Stockholm. TENNIS: Grigor Dimitrov stunned Novak Djokovic in the second round of the Madrid Open, beating the top-ranked Serb, 7-6 (6)

The Flyers are not in the playoffs for the first time since 2007, but 10 of their players and prospects will be playing in the IIHF World Championships, which start Saturday. In Saturday's first game, Jake Voracek, who led the Flyers with 22 goals this year, will help lead the Czech Republic against Belarus. Defenseman Erik Gustafsson, who played well in the latter stages of the Flyers' season, will compete for Sweden on Saturday, and prospect Marcel Noebels will play for Germany.

PRAGUE, Czech Republic - A powerful blast believed to be a gas explosion ripped open an office building in the center of Prague on Monday, injuring at least 35 people and sending shock waves through the Old Town tourist district. The blast shattered windows in the scenic area of charming streets and postcard-pretty buildings, sending glass flying. Authorities closed a wide area around the site, and some tourists were stranded on street corners with baggage-loaded trolleys, unable to get into their hotels.

WITH THE FLYERS' pipedream playoff odds dwindling by the day, opportunities will begin to crop up for players to continue playing in May - though it won't be in the Stanley Cup playoffs. Instead, quite a few Flyers likely will receive invitations to represent their countries in the World Championships in Stockholm and Helsinki from May 3-9. According to someone familiar with Hockey Canada executive director Steve Yzerman's thinking, both Claude Giroux and Wayne Simmonds appear to be high on Canada's wish list.

Two-time Olympic champion Shaun White overcame a first-run fall to win gold and lead an American sweep at the U.S. Grand Prix snowboard championships in Park City, Utah. White laid down a perfect second run to score 97.25 points. Scott Lago took second with 94.50 and Luke Mitrani third with 91.75. Kikkan Randall of the United States won the women's 1.4-kilometer cross-country World Cup race at the Sochi Olympic course in Russia to claim her fourth victory of the season.

PRAGUE - Left-leaning former Prime Minister Milos Zeman staged a big return to power Saturday by winning the Czech Republic's first direct popular vote for president. With almost all the votes counted Saturday, the Czech Statistics Office reported that Zeman won 54.8 percent of the vote for the largely ceremonial post. His opponent, conservative Foreign Minister Karel Schwarzenberg, had 45.9 percent. "Long live Zeman!" his supporters chanted at his campaign headquarters in Prague.

ATLANTIC CITY - Wayne Simmonds had been back on North American soil for less than 10 days, but he knew where he needed to be on Saturday night. That was Boardwalk Hall, where the proceeds from Operation Hat Trick went to benefit victims of Hurricane Sandy. For Simmonds, it was a chance to not only support a worthwhile cause, but an opportunity for some sense of normalcy in an otherwise bizarre 6 months since he last lined up with Flyers teammates. Sure, Simmonds played hockey in two European countries - Germany and the Czech Republic - but it just wasn't the same.

Flyers winger Wayne Simmonds was the subject of racial slurs after getting in a fight during a game in the Czech Republic on Sunday, Yahoo! Sports reported. Fans chanted "opice," which means monkey, according to reports. The marketing director of Chomutov, which faced Simmonds' team, issued an apology. "We are disgusted with the behavior of small groups of spectators who significantly damaged the reputation of the whole. . . . club. We would like to deeply apologize to Mr. Simmonds and the Liberec players," David Dinda said in a statement.

AFTER 2 DAYS of the NHL's latest lockout, two Flyers have bolted to join the European professional ranks. Flyers forward Jake Voracek confirmed Monday that he signed a temporary deal to join HC Lev Praha, the new KHL franchise in Prague, Czech Republic. Voracek is in his native Czech Republic already and could join Lev Praha's lineup in time for their fourth home game of the season on Thursday night against Avangard Omsk. Voracek, 23, is one of the Czech Republic's rising stars.

John Isner and the U.S. Davis Cup team saw firsthand that Spain's dominance isn't limited to Rafael Nadal. David Ferrer beat Isner, 6-7 (3), 6-3, 6-4, 6-2, on Sunday in Gijon, Spain, to give the five-time champions an insurmountable, 3-1 lead and a shot at a fourth title in five years. They'll face either Argentina or the Czech Republic on the road in the final. Helped by Isner's 70 unforced errors, the fifth-ranked Ferrer rallied to stay unbeaten on clay in the competition with his 16th straight win. Venus Williams helped Washington catch up, then beat Coco Vandeweghe in a last-game tiebreaker as the Kastles completed their second straight undefeated championship season in World Team Tennis with a 20-19 victory over Sacramento in Charleston, S.C. Washington (16-0)