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Although the government was prepared to put a limit on any new Czech military missions abroad as a result of the recent floods significantly burdening the state budget, a new military unit is now expected to be deployed in Afghanistan in February next year.

This October 2nd will see the 28th annual Ekofilm film festival get underway here in the Czech Republic, a festival devoted entirely to the topic of the environment as well as natural and cultural heritage.

This Saturday, September 28th, is designated as the Day of Czech Statehood - a Czech national holiday on which the nation commemorates St. Wenceslas, the country's chief patron saint. But who was St. Wenceslas and why are Czechs still celebrating his life, over a thousand years after his death? Dita Asiedu put that question to historian Jan Rychlik:

Less than three months into its term in office, the Czech government has had to announce a series of unpopular measures. Due to the enormous cost of the recent floods it has had to go back on its promise to increase civil servants' wages by an average 13 %. Doctors, nurses, policemen, and firefighters are expected to get a 7 % wage increase at the most. Teachers can look forward to a pay rise that is two percent higher than that. Daniela Lazarova has the story:

Next week, Prague will become a meeting place for rescuers and firefighters in an event called “ Firefighters' Week in Prague". According to the organizers, it will be a unique event - “the world will be meeting in Prague" one of them said. Alena Skodova has the details:

Defence Minister Jaroslav Tvrdik, who has introduced a number of reforms to the Czech armed forces over the last year, is not a happy man this week. A recent operation - ordered by the minister himself - revealed considerable shortcomings in procedures at Czech Army bases. Now, Mr Tvrdik says, heads will roll. Dita Asiedu has the story:

National Geographic is known all around the world: as a society and a magazine it is valued for its high standards of scientific writing and photography, as well as its relentless exploration of life on our planet. In a way, it has become the standard for all magazines of its type. Now, the original National Geographic is coming to the Czech Republic - the Czech edition is being launched this week after months of preparation. As Jan Velinger reports the launch has been highly anticipated.

An agreement between the Czech Republic and Thailand took effect on Tuesday, on the mutual exchange of prisoners serving time in the two countries' jails. For two Czechs convicted of smuggling drugs in Thailand, the new agreement is a ray of hope, offering them the chance of seeing their homeland again. Rob Cameron reports.

On the night of the 21st and early morning of the 22nd of September, all telephone lines in the Czech Republic were renumbered in order to bring the country's form of numbering in accordance with EU norms. A total of some 12 million fixed and mobile phone lines now have 9 digits. The zeros before all mobile phones have been dropped and those making national calls no longer need to bother with area codes. Dita Asiedu reports:

A court in Prague acquitted two former communist leaders on Monday after finding them not guilty of treason for their role in the 1968 Soviet-led invasion of Czechoslovakia. Former Prime Minister Jozef Lenart and ex-Communist Party leader Milous Jakes had gone on trial for attempting to legitimise the invasion by trying to create a hard-line "worker-peasant government", in violation of Czechoslovakia's constitution. Rob Cameron has more.