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Health Minister Marie Souckova is facing another barrage of criticism. After her own party, the Social Democrats, rejected her proposed reforms of the health sector last week, it is now the country's dentists who are blaming the minister for failing to solve financial problems in the health sector. Last weekend, close to 700 dentists, that is around 10 percent of all dentists in the Czech Republic, met in Prague at an extraordinary general meeting to voice their protest against overdue payments from health insurance companies, for which the dentists

The country's largest opposition party - the right-of-centre Civic Democrats - announced this week they would attempt to initiate a vote of confidence when the cabinet submits its package of public finance reforms to parliament this autumn. The Civic Democrats say the time is now ripe to bring down the Social Democrat-led government, which has a majority of just one vote in parliament. The government is under fire from both sides over the reform package: public sector workers say the reforms will affect the poorest in society, economists say they

Those of you who either live in Prague or have visited the city have surely wondered what the big white stately building on Kampa Park on the left bank of the Vltava River houses. Known to locals as the Sova Mill, named after one of its 15th century owners, Vaclav Sova, it was abandoned and left to its own fate for years until prominent art collector Meda Mladek decided to turn it into a museum.

A conference has just ended in Prague that proves that not all historians are detached from reality in their ivory towers. Several hundred historians from over 20 different countries converged on the city for a week to discuss their research on one of the burning issues of today, the environment and how it is treated. You only had to look at the subjects of some of the presentations - for example looking at the history of the way Central Europeans have dealt with floods, to see that such research is of more than passing interest to today's society.

Police across the Czech Republic began a nationwide campaign recently aimed at reducing the number of deaths and injuries on the roads. The country has one of the worst accident records in the world, with experts saying poor legislation - as well as poor driving - are to blame.

The Czech economy is export-oriented but success of Czech products on foreign markets depends on a number of factors, not just their quality but also the firm's knowledge of local social, legal and business conditions as well as presentation skills. Vladimir Tax reports on a new project that should help improve the competitiveness of small and medium-sized Czech firms.

The German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder arrived in Prague for a one-day official visit on Friday morning to hold talks with senior Czech politicians. Topics of discussion throughout the day, during Mr Schroeder's meetings with President Vaclav Klaus, Prime Minister Vladimir Spidla and the leaders of both houses of parliament, were mainly expected to focus on the European Union and trade relations. Mr Schroeder was expected to visit the country eighteen months ago but cancelled the trip after former Czech Prime Minister Milos Zeman called Sudeten

A most unusual art exhibition opened at Prague's Manes Gallery on Friday night. Titled Prazdroj Ceske Kultury or "The Fount of Czech Culture" it brought together close to a hundred works of art inspired by beer - pictures, paintings, photographs, sculptures and installations. The idea was sponsored by the famous Pilsner brewery Pilsner Urquell which turned it into a major social event. Among the VIPs present were culture minister Pavel Dostal, film director Zdenek Sverak, actor Pavel Landovsky and writers Michal Viewegh and Radko Pytlik. The exhibits

The Voluntary Association for the Rehabilitation of Afghanistan is a humanitarian, non-political, non-governmental organization involved in the process of relief, rehabilitation and reconstruction of Afghanistan. Since its founding in 1990 it has completed over 250 projects funded by UNESCO, the UNHCR Oxfam GB, and individual governments around the world. Its aim is to encourage Afghan refugees to return to their homeland and create the necessary conditions for them to start a new life there. The association has volunteers in the Czech Republic

For eight weeks a team of Czech experts has been working in Iraq as part of the Coalition Provisional Authority, the US-led body administering Iraq since the overthrow of Saddam Hussein. The head of the Czech representation, Janina Hrebickova, is currently in Prague, discussing among other things the dangers faced by Czech diplomats in Iraq, which are causing even more concern after the August attack on the United Nations headquarters.