Current Affairs | All stories

Virgin - or primeval - forests are rare in this part of the world where logging and tourism have taxed Nature to a considerable extent. Now there are efforts to try and restore Nature's bounty for future generations. In addition to protecting existing nature reserves Czech environmentalists are trying to create new ones. If all goes well in several hundred years' time there should be new primeval forests in the north and eastern parts of the country.

As of July 1 drivers on Czech roads have been subject to new regulations and a point system that threatens to take away the licenses of dangerous drivers. Critics of the system say that it is too strict—that the fines are too steep and that the point system is not void of potential corruption. And now there seems to be a new way for bad drivers to get around the threat of losing their Czech license.

It's been over a month since Czechs went to the polls and yet the country still lacks a new government. With the number of seats in parliament split equally between the left and the centre and right parties, attempts at forming it have so far gone nowhere. Early elections have been ruled out by all parties but talks on forming coalitions or minority governments have also failed to make headway. A new development on Tuesday, though, could lead to another way out of political deadlock. Dita Asiedu reports:

The east Bohemian town of Pardubice will host a two-week festival of chess, bridge and board games, starting on Thursday. Organisers say it is the biggest European event of its kind, as they are expecting some several thousand participants from all over the world to take part in tournaments and contests in different games.

There aren't many places in the Czech Republic where you would find orchids growing in the wild. A protected nature reserve in Orlicke hory is one of them. It boasts two meadows of broad-leaved march orchids (Dactylorhiza majalis) which create a purple haze every summer. Last weekend they were the target of thieves, who uprooted more than 600 bulbs of these precious flowers.

Czech President Vaclav Klaus is visiting Romania this week to meet the country's top officials as it gears up to join the European Union, together with its neighbour Bulgaria. EU membership has been high on the agenda of talks with Romania's top officials, as well as the United States visa requirements, a concern shared by both countries.

Czechs drink an average 161 litres of beer annually, about thirty percent more than their German neighbours. But surveys suggest that the number of women partaking of "liquid bread" is slowly decreasing. That's because they aren't aware that beer is actually good for them, says the Czech Research Institute for Brewing and Malting.

The leading British insurance company Norwich Union has carried out a survey of theft and personal safety in various holiday destinations around the globe. It doesn't make very positive reading for the Czech authorities: according to Norwich Union, you're more likely to have your pocket picked in the Czech Republic than anywhere else in the world. Dawn McMullan is the company's travel project manager:

Visitors to the Czech Republic may have noticed that their dollars or euros don't go as far as they did even a year or two ago, as the Czech currency - the crown - gets stronger. In fact, says a new report by Bloomberg, the crown has gained the most strength compared to all other currencies in the world over the last year. Financial analyst David Marek of Patria Finance explains why the Czech crown is enjoying such success:

The 41st Karlovy Vary International Film Festival came to an end on Saturday and its organisers certainly have cause for celebration. By Wednesday, the number of accredited visitors had surpassed that for the entire festival last year. Overall close to 136,000 viewers attended the screenings of 268 feature films and documentaries.