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At the beginning of the month an angry mob gathered outside the office of the government, lobbying against a state energy policy proposed by the Industry and Trade Ministry. The controversy over the policy, which is to be in place until 2030, was due to its abolishment of coal mining restrictions, as well as plans to build two new nuclear reactors. Vojtech Kotecky works for the non-governmental organisation, Friends of the Earth, and was there at the protest. His organisation has been campaigning against the new energy policy for the past year.

Schools across the country have held a day of mourning for the teacher who was stabbed to death by one of his own students in the east Bohemian town of Svitavy last week. Schools hoisted black flags in honour of his memory and teachers abandoned regular classes in favour of a debate on violence and aggression in schools.

On Wednesday March 10, 2004, people around the world commemorate the 45th anniversary of the Tibetan uprising that was crushed by the Chinese communist army. Oppression in Tibet is not just a matter of the past and the night before the anniversary a candlelight procession was held in 12 cities in the Czech Republic. The symbolic event was dedicated to a Tibetan political prisoner, and is part of a worldwide campaign coordinated in the Czech Republic. The Buddhist leader Tenzin Delek Rinpoche, is currently being held by the Chinese authorities and

The Czech Republic has overcome a past "boom" in drug abuse and the situation is now far more stable. The government now wants to focus more on the prevention of organised crime, illegal drugs sales and distribution, as well as the negative health impacts on continuing drug abusers.

The Czech Republic's unemployment rate reached nearly 11 percent of the workforce at the end of February. The figure has beaten all expectations and further fuelled the debate about measures to tackle long-term problems on the Czech labour market.

The right-of-centre Freedom Union, the smallest party in the ruling coalition, held a five-hour emergency meeting on Sunday to discuss how to deal with the departure of two of the party's MPs. The two men's decision to leave the party has called into question the stability of the coalition, which has a fragile majority of just one seat in the lower house.

March 7th marked a very important day in Czech history as it was the 154th anniversary of the birth of Tomas Garrigue Masaryk, the founder and first president of an independent Czechoslovakia following the collapse of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. To commemorate the occasion the current Czech President Vaclav Klaus and Prime Minister Vladimir Spidla paid a visit to his grave. Both consider his legacy to be the most significant in recent Czech history.

Last week, an amendment to the Czech Labour Code, which includes a precise reference to "sexual harassment" for the first time, finally took legal effect. The amendment brings the Labour Code into line with that of other EU nations, and it is hoped that it will give more rights to working women. Nevertheless the law is not without its critics.

The tragic classroom killing of a teacher in Svitavy this week has received widespread coverage in the media here. It has also engendered much speculation about rising levels of violence in Czech society, particularly among the young.

Mount Everest - the world's highest peak: many skilled mountaineers have strived to conquer its height, but have been forced to turn back short of the summit because of illness or dangerous conditions. Still, for the most intrepid it remains a dream to return to again and again: at 8,850 metres Everest is quite simply the ultimate challenge. As we now report a new Czech team of just three men is setting its sights on Everest with an added challenge: reaching the top without the help of bottled oxygen. Jan Velinger has more.