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For several years now, the fact that Czech society has been plagued by serious economic crime in its first decade of freedom has been common knowledge - newspapers reported on it, people complained about it and the politicians kept promising to do something about it. But very little was done. That is until recently - in the past few weeks there has been a spate of high profile convictions - the most high-profile of all being the sentencing of tennis player-turned businessman Milan Srejbr on fraud charges. But on Thursday, Milan Srejbr walked free

Throughout the year 2000 Prague, with 8 other cities, held the title "The European City of Culture". It's a title that's granted every year by the EU council of Cultural Ministers in Brussels, with the aim to boost European cultural cooperation in protecting common European values. For Prague the project ends on February 2nd. looks at what it meant for the Czech capital.

A team of Czech rescuers is among those helping victims in earth-quake stricken India. Four Czechs with specially trained dogs have been trying to find bodies amongst the heaps of rubble in the afflicted areas. Radio Prague's spoke with the President of the Union of Rescue Dog Brigades, Vladimir Kuchta.

The Investigation Department of national police headquarters has been examining police actions during IMF/World Bank meetings in Prague in late September last year, following hundreds of complaints of police brutality were received from protestors. More from :

Fairy tales have been a part of the Czech cultural heritage for both children and adults alike for centuries. Czechs are fiercely proud of the hundreds of fairy tales made for TV and the cinema. "Z Pekla Stesti 2" is the sequel to last year's overwhelmingly successful "Z Pekla Stesti," and the film premieres in Prague tonight. It features some of the Czech Republic's most well-known names, chief among them being the pop legend, Karel Gott. has the story.

One thing which has consistently challenged the credibility of the Czech authorities is the popular belief that large-scale theft and embezzlement often go unpunished. The Social Democrats came to power after promising a "Clean Hands" anti-corruption drive, which would come down hard on financial crime. Two years into the government's four-year term, the public were still waiting for the results. But just when it all looked pretty hopeless, it seems the authorities have suddenly swung into action. has more.

And finally a rather curious tale from the Northern Bohemian town of Decin. Workers in the town have just finished cleaning up a bust of a Russian tank commander, which vandals covered with red paint just after Christmas. The authorities have now filed charges against the unknown perpetrators of the rather cheeky stunt, but the story has raised questions about whether the statue should be there at all. has more.

The Czech Republic is set to receive British assistance as it seeks to harmonise its employment policies with the European Union. On Tuesday, representatives from the employment services of both the Czech Republic and the UK unveiled the latest in a series of "Twinning" initiatives, aimed at preparing candidate countries for EU membership. has the story.

A new Czech film, by famous director Jan Svankmajer, is set to premier this Thursday in Prague. "Otesanek" is a traditional Czech fairy tale, with a rather grim storyline, a perfect vehicle for a Svankmajer story. The director is best known for bizarre films that mix live action with classical animation. Last week, the international film and television festival, Febiofest, included a pre-screening of this film, in order to highlight new Czech works. has the details.

Applications for study in the Czech Republic must reach universities by the end of February. If accepted, applicants can expect four or five carefree years of life as a student, which - on the other hand - is expensive, despite the fact that Czech students do not pay fees at state-run universities. has this report: