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Those of you who have visited the Czech capital will have noticed that many of the beautiful facades of Prague's historic buildings are marred by ugly graffiti. This problem is faced by many cities around the world and has been approached in different ways. A few years ago one of Prague's districts decided to do away with graffiti and its scheme has brought visible results.

English saxophonist George Haslam and the Czech jazz quartet Freetime have been playing together, on and off, for the last few years. This weekend they are the main attraction at Prague's first Free Jazz Festival, which is taking place at several venues in the city. On the eve of the festival I spoke to George Haslam about Czech jazz audiences, venues - and artists.

The Lower House of Parliament on Wednesday approved a bill which would in future force all shops and restaurants to use cash registers which record transactions. The bill is part of a broader effort to fight the grey economy and has sparked opposition not only from small businesses -who claim they cannot afford these costly cash registers - but also from the main right wing opposition party, the Civic Democrats. The latter say they will do their best to block this bill in the Senate and that - if it should see light of day - they will abolish it

Ostrich meat is not a regular feature on Czech menus, and its distinctive dark red fillets are yet to reach the supermarket shelves. But ostrich farms are springing up all over the Czech Republic, and the market for ostrich products is also on the rise. Can the growing amount of ostrich farmers convince the public that their meat is more than just a curiosity? Rosie Johnston sets off for the country to find out...

The ability to speak a second language has become a standard requirement if you want to find a good job in the Czech Republic. English has emerged as the foreign language in this country, with 90 percent of students opting for the language. To support that trend, the government has put forward a new policy entitled "English for Everyone". Launched by Prime Minister Stanislav Gross, who himself cannot speak English, it does also aim to improve Czechs' skills in other languages. But, even still, not everyone welcomes the new plan.

Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent, the period in which Christians prepare for Easter. Here in the Czech Republic many people are observing "masopust", which literally translates as "meat fast". But it isn't only about abstinence - it's also a chance to celebrate. To get a feel for the spirit of masopust, Rosie Johnston has been out and about in the Prague district of Zizkov.

A group of senators and like-minded journalists, artists and other public figures is petitioning for a change in the penal code that would outlaw the promotion of Communism and Nazism as criminal ideologies. The group also wants to make it illegal for political groupings to include the word 'Communist' in their names.

Chinese opera singer Feng-Jun Song and her band Mountain Caravan greeted the Chinese New Year at Prague's Archa theatre, which has been celebrating the event for the last four years. Musical artists ranging from opera singers to jazz musicians came together to give a colourful performance and welcome the Year of the Rooster.

Since the fall of communism, the Czech police have had to respond to a huge increase in organised crime, often involving international crime gangs. In order to tackle the problem, a group of MPs has put forward new legislation aimed at breaking up such groups - they want to encourage gang members to give evidence against their colleagues.

Ever since CNN broadcast a report on the biggest mobile telephone in the world, the North Bohemian company Jablotron has been bombarded with orders. The phone looks like an ordinary fixed-line telephone with large buttons and a normal-size receiver. It also has a key-pad with the complete alphabet and a large display. The only difference is that it is mobile - you can take it to your country cottage, use it when on holiday or if you're really brave and don't mind looking awkward use it outside in public. Since this mega mobile was introduced to