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The Czech Republic's position in the heart of Europe means that it is at the crossroads of many international routes. As a result, the country has an opportunity to establish itself as a transport hub for much of the trade that passes through an enlarged European Union and beyond. A conference held in Prague this week focused on ways of developing this potential.

On Monday Roman Catholics from all over the Czech Republic gathered at the Old Town Square in Prague. They were campaigning for a 17th century column topped by a statue of the Virgin Mary be returned to the site - exactly 85 years after it was torn down by Czech patriots in 1918. But does the campaign have a chance of succeeding and do such symbols hold relevance to Czechs today? Kay Grigar visited the old town square.

Czech women are less ambitious than men in terms of getting into high office. This is one of the conclusions reached by the Czech Statistical Office, which has just published gender statistics from the 2001 census. And according to the European Union, the absence of women in positions of influence, means that major decisions taken in the Czech Republic tend to favor the male half of the population. The EU is not alone in believing Czech citizens need more information on gender equality.

The European Commission released its final report on the ten candidates to join the European Union on Wednesday. The Commission said all ten would be able to join the Union on May 1st, 2004, but warned of serious shortcomings which would deny new EU countries the full benefits of membership if left unresolved. Well joining me to go through the Czech Republic's report card is my colleague Rob Cameron - was it top marks for the Czechs, Rob, or more a case of "See me after class"?

It was a decade ago that Czech photographer Ibra Ibrahimovic began working on a series in north Bohemia, a rare and extensive look into the life of a three-generation farming family in north Bohemia known as the Rajters. For years the family had farmed devastated land by a chemical factory under communism - a personal exile that came to an end when the communist regime fell in 1989, opening the way for buying new land and beginning farming anew. Meanwhile, Ibra Ibrahimovic was attracted to the Rajters from the start - intrigued by the family's

Technical universities in the Czech Republic have been witnessing a gradual drop in the number of students over the past years, as is the case pretty much everywhere else in Europe. While science and technology play key roles in our everyday life, young people are turning away from science subjects.

Two Czech ministries have locked horns over the issue of energy production. The Trade and Industry Ministry and the Environment Ministry have both drawn up strategic energy plans but their two visions of the future could hardly be further apart. As Zuzana Vesela reports, the Government faces a tough decision.

This morning, Czech police launched yet another nationwide crackdown against the country's notoriously dangerous drivers. The crackdown is reminiscent of last month's operation called Krystof, which paradoxically coincided with thirty road accident deaths. Although not as grand in scale as the last operation, the latest move is another signal to Czech drivers that they are not above the law.

The Czech government is often criticised by the EU and other international organisations for its failure to ensure that the Roma people living here can become a fully integrated part of Czech life. However, one of the problems the government faces in trying to improve the marginalized position of Roma in Czech society is that it lacks precise data on this particular ethnic group. As a result, it is very difficult for the government to earmark funds aimed at improving their situation. It is hoped that a proposed new survey should help alleviate

In the Roman Catholic calendar, the second of November is known as the Day of Remembrance of All Deceased Believers. In popular language Czechs call the day Dusicky, All Souls Day. Throughout last week people were visiting cemeteries across the country, lighting candles and laying flowers on the graves of their deceased. On Sunday afternoon, an unusual ceremony remembering all those who lost their lives in rivers across the country took place on the Vltava River in Prague.