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In Wednesday's Mlada Fronta Dnes, a surprising figure appeared in the newly released year 2000 official statistics: for the first time since 1989's Velvet Revolution, the crime rate dropped from that of the previous year. Since both the number of reported crimes and the number of "solved" crimes has reduced from the figures of 1999, it appears that the percentage of closed cases remains the same as in past years. But does this figure truly indicate success? Over the past weeks this same paper has been analyzing the possible rise in violent crime, especially that of juvenile brutality. Today, Radio Prague's discussed this issue with social commentator Rene Jakl.

The lower house of the Czech parliament has passed a law aimed at solving the month-old crisis in Czech Television. They overruled amendments proposed by the Senate, and President Havel wasted no time in signing the new television law, even though he did also question its quality. But, he said, the situation in Czech Public TV needs to be resolved fast, and the new law will break the deadlock, enabling parliament to appoint an interim director, who could bring the conflict between striking journalists and the TV management under control.

A post-war steam engine sounds its whistle as it prepares to set off from Prague's Smichov Station. The sights, sounds and smells of steam travel are for most people in the Czech Republic a thing of the past, however, they may well become more familiar over the next few months thanks to an initiative by a local company. More from .

The fate of two Czechs arrested in Cuba on January 12th looks increasingly bleak. Unofficially, the Cuban state prosecutor has told the Czech charges d'affaires in Havana that MP Ivan Pilip and former student leader Jan Bubenik could spend up to 180 days in jail pending trial for subversion and providing materials and money to Cuban opposition groups. If found guilty, they could apparently face up to twenty years in prison. In previous cases where foreign nationals have been detained by the Cuban authorities, they have been deported. Will the

On Monday afternoon a small crowd gathered on Wenceslas Square to protest against Bill 805, which if passed by parliament, would restrict and institutionalise the breeding of so-called "dangerous dogs", and would also affect the handling of all dogs. More than 41,000 signatures were collected in support of the so-called "One Meter Petition," whose primary focus, is to publicize what organizers call the "stupidity" of the bill. Radio Prague's was there and talked with some of the protestors.

The never-ending Czech Television saga continues - the chairman of the largest Czech Trade Union organisation, Richard Falbr, is not a happy man: a meeting between striking employees and the new management ended in failure on Monday - for the simple reason that one of the sides didn't turn up. takes a look at the latest developments in this bitter dispute.

Wednesday marked the opening of a new exhibition at the Austrian Culture Institute, which brings together works from three prominent turn-of-the-century artists: Gustav Klimt, Oskar Kokoschka, and Egon Schiele. Although Austrian, all of these artists had Czech roots, each having one parent from Bohemia. Radio Prague's was at the opening and brings back this report.

Imagine the situation. A couple from abroad live in the Czech Republic. They both have permanent residence permits and both pay taxes and have full health insurance. She is pregnant and gives birth to their child in a Prague hospital. The child is premature and seriously underweight, and spends several weeks in intensive care. In the end the child goes home safe and well, but this is just the beginning. The child is not insured and can only be insured if the parents can prove to an insurance company that the child is healthy. Catch twenty-two. Through no fault of their own, the parents now face a bill from the hospital running to millions of crowns. If they fail to pay, they will face expulsion from the country. reports.

It's now a week since Czech MP Ivan Pilip and former student leader Jan Bubenik were arrested in Cuba after meeting with leading dissidents. Earlier this week, the Cuban state-controlled media announced that the two men are to stand trial for subversion, for allegedly bringing money and other materials to Cuban dissidents. The Czech government and the US State Department have called for the immediate release of the two men, and so far the two have been denied the opportunity of making a statement in their defence. On Thursday, Radio Prague's