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A special "People-to-People" cultural exchange project between the EU and Japan was launched in Prague this week. It is an initiative which hopes to raise awareness of Japanese culture in the countries of the European Union. Various events will be held in the Czech Republic over the coming year within the framework of the project.

A week of commemorative ceremonies remembering the Holocaust reaches a climax on Thursday, with special events on the 60th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau, the largest of the Nazi death camps, where over 1.5 million Jews lost their lives. Six million Jews were murdered in Europe as part of Hitler's so-called "final solution".

The internationally renowned Czech mezzo-soprano Magdalena Kozena this week released a gorgeous new album of arias and cantonatos. Entitled Lamento, it features little-known music by the Bach family; in many ways it allows Kozena to take up and explore the themes of a successful earlier CD, a selection of arias by Johann Sebastian Bach which was her debut on the Deutsche Grammophon label in 1999.

What do Ireland, Italy, Cuba, and the Czech town of Bystrice nad Pernstejnem have in common? Well, they've all decided to crack down on smoking in public places. Bystrice - a quiet country town in Moravia - has become a Czech pioneer in the battle against tobacco. As of February, smoking will be banned in all buildings and facilities owned by the town.

The Czech Republic has a high divorce rate. Even though property nearly always becomes an issue, the biggest problem is often the custody of children. In most cases in the Czech Republic mothers are given full custody, only in 7 or 8 percent of cases is it the father. But now it seems that a decision of the Czech Constitutional Court could bring a crucial change.

Prague Castle is more than just a pretty place - it also plays host to a wide array of cultural events, including this year some 18 exhibitions, 30 musical events and almost 100 theatre performances. The Castle authorities have just presented their rich cultural programme for 2005, and visitors won't be disappointed; they can look forward to everything from Charles IV's burial shroud to theatre from the Japanese Imperial court.

In a culture where people often tout their academic titles not only on their calling cards but also on their doorbells, the Czech media had a field day with revelations that a top Interior Ministry official never graduated from high school, yet happily used the title of "engineer" - the Czech equivalent to a Bachelor of Science degree.

"Tell you what mate; all the fittest birds in the Czech Republic - supermodels every one of them! And the blokes here - they live like kings! And they've got the best football team in the world....and the beer....." These are words from a TV commercial, selling a Czech beer brand. This is how many Czechs would like their country to be seen abroad. But many others would prefer a slightly more sophisticated image. So how should the Czech Republic sell its image abroad? That's a question that the government is trying to answer, as it launches a new

Are there Russian mafiosi in the renowned spa town of Karlovy Vary? The locals have been speculating about the matter for years - ever since nouveau riche Russians started buying up vast estates and property in the historic West Bohemian spa town. Now the regional governor wants to know the answer to that question - and has asked the Czech intelligence service to provide him with an answer.

A diplomatic row has broken out between the Czech Republic and Belarus. On Wednesday, the Belarusian authorities expelled a Czech diplomat after arresting and detaining him despite his diplomatic immunity. In return, a Belarusian diplomat was expelled from Prague on Friday in an incident reminiscent of the Cold War.