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Interior Minister Frantisek Bublan announced on Monday that the Czech authorities will step up security in the wake of the blasts in Egypt, which claimed at least 88 lives, including that of a Czech man. The measures will be introduced across the board, from the police to the intelligence services.

With all the sports events on in the Czech Republic one might be forgiven for having missed the first World Championship in - that's right - marbles in Prague. But, what a shame if you did! Czechs closed out the competition's top five spots, making it clear that in the Czech Republic marbles are a lot more than just a kid's game.

The Czech Republic still has an extensive system of fortifications built in the 1930s that was intended to prevent an attack by neighboring Nazi Germany. You can often come across of these concrete "bungalows" in Czech forests near the borders. While some consider the structures ugly, historians point out their great historical value. Most of the bunkers are still the property of Czech Army but they have rapidly become a burden. The Ministry of Defense has now decided to get rid of them to sell them to private buyers.

The Czech Republic has its first victim of terrorism. Twenty-four year old Petr Koran worked for a travel agency in Sharm el-Sheikh. He was sitting in a café when the bombs went off. Another Czech sustained light injuries in the explosions.

One of the Czech Republic's most popular public figures, Culture Minister Pavel Dostal, died on Sunday at the age of 62. Mr Dostal - playwright, theatre director, anti-Communist dissident and cabinet minister - had been fighting cancer of the pancreas for the past year. Rob Cameron looks back at a colourful life and a remarkable career.

Almost exactly three years ago Prague made headlines around the world when the city was hit by the worst flooding in five hundred years. At the time, damage was caused to many historical structures, partly because of an inadequate anti-flood system. Since then a lot has been spent on improving that system, and it was tested for the first time at the weekend in a major operation involving all the emergency services. Michal Kopecky is the assistant of Prague's mayor - he described the new system to Martin Mikule.

This year's Folkove Prazdniny, or Folk Holidays, festival begins in Namest nad Oslavou in south Moravia on Saturday. Among the main attractions will be Irish singer Glen Hansard, who plays regularly in the Czech Republic, both solo and with his band the Frames. Other artists appearing over the eight days of the festival will include guests from Italy, Senegal and the United Kingdom.

The Polish Prime Minister Marek Belka paid a one-day visit to Prague on Thursday - and praised Czech counterpart Jiri Paroubek's efforts at reconciliation with anti-fascist Sudeten Germans expelled from Czechoslovakia after the war. Both Poland and the Czech Republic have made strides towards reconciliation with Germany in recent years, though the efforts are not to everyone's liking. Rob Cameron has more.

Last month we reported on the reopening of Prague's popular recreation spot Zlute lazne or the Yellow Spa on the Vltava River. Although the last few days have not been ideal for swimming and sunbathing, the good weather forecast for the weekend is sure to draw many people to the Yellow Spa and its new attractions - among them a brand new nudist beach.

The Czech charity People in Need has been forced to cease its activities in Chechnya and Ingushetia. The Russian authorities refused to extend its permit to operate in North Caucasus where People in Need has been working since 2000.