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With the war against terrorism at the forefront of public attention for many months there is a growing public debate on its various aspects - including one big question: is the media giving us a true picture of what is going on. Last week the Anglo-American College in Prague, in cooperation with the US embassy, organized a round table debate called "Truth and Consequences" to which it invited leading Czech and foreign war reporters. Charles Hood is director of Journalism at the Anglo-American College in Prague and Radio Prague asked him what he thought

Amidst all the hubbub surrounding the sacking of Health Minister Marie Souckova and the kidnapping of Czech journalists in Iraq, it may have gone unnoticed that the Czech National Security Council, which is headed by Interior Minister Stanislav Gross, met on Tuesday to discuss the measures that are in place to counter the potential threat of terrorist attacks in the Czech Republic.

For many professionals angry over the state of affairs in the health sector Tuesday's decision by Prime Minister Vladimir Spidla to recall his health minister, Marie Souckova, was one that was long overdue. The prime minister had long defended Mrs Souckova, but, as Jan Velinger reports, finally concluded on Tuesday it would be up to someone else to push through critical healthcare reforms.

There is growing concern over the plight of three Czech journalists who went missing in Iraq on Sunday and are believed to have been abducted by rebel Iraqi insurgents. Czech TV reporter Michal Kubal, cameraman Petr Klima and Czech Radio correspondent Vit Pohanka were last heard from on Sunday morning as they were preparing to leave Bagdad for Amman, Jordan to catch their flight home. The man who saw them last was an Iraqi taxi driver who had allegedly been hired to take them to Amman.

Three weeks before European Union enlargement, the United Nations released a report saying that some population groups in the Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovakia and Slovenia are threatened by poverty. While acknowledging that much progress has been made in the four Central European states, the UN report says these countries have to come up with specific policies to fight poverty or they risk having a significant section of the labour force as unemployable. Kerry Skyring spoke earlier to the director of the regional office of the United Nations Development Programme

Next Wednesday, the 6th annual International Human Rights Documentary film festival begins in Prague. Last year, Jeden Svet or One World attracted 22,500 people. With 156 screenings, festival organizers hope to see 60,000 visitors at the various venues around the city this year. Dita Asiedu reports:

The number of poor people and rent dodgers has been growing rapidly in some areas in north Bohemia. The reason - availability of extremely cheap housing. Property owners from around the country have found a cheap and simple way of getting rid of problematic tenants. At the same time, it is a solution for poor families who can no longer afford to pay high rents in Prague and other big cities. Local authorities have expressed concern about the development and are seeking ways to fight it.

Less than a month before the Czech Republic is due to join the European Union, the country's ruling coalition and opposition have clashed over a key issue: Czech policy and priorities within the enlarged EU.

The International Day of the Roma, celebrated around the world this Thursday, has also been the occasion for a number of events to celebrate Romany history and culture here in the Czech Republic. This year a series of specially commissioned children's stories depicting Roma life down through the ages is being broadcast to coincide with the event.

More and more question marks are hanging over the future of Health Minister Marie Souckova and her proposed reform of the health care sector. According to observers, the former protégée of Prime Minister Vladimir Spidla is losing the support of her colleagues in government and the Prime Minister himself. The government's scepticism of Ms Souckova's capability to carry out a successful reform of the health care system is so strong, that the cabinet has turned to the World Bank for help in designing a viable system of financing of the health care