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"Equal opportunities" is one of the buzzwords of the day. The Czech government has a special council devoted to the issue. The former Czech prime minister, EU commissioner Vladimir Spidla, has equal opportunities on his agenda. But still, the participation of men and women in Czech politics is far from equal.

Three-time football world champion Pele, Czech supermodel Tereza Maxova, and a twelve-year-old Czech boy named Vojtech: at a glitzy event in London over the weekend these three presented the Czech national squad's new football jersey. If clothes make the man, will the new ultra-light jersey, manufactured by Puma, "make" the Czech team in this year's World Cup? Organisers certainly hope so.

The European Commission regularly conducts surveys and studies that measure the evolution of public opinion in Europe. From these so-called Eurobarometers, national reports are made twice a year to give a basic overview of public opinion in the individual member states. On Monday, the market research agency Factum Invenio presented its report on the Czech Republic. Although Czechs joined the European Union almost two years ago the report suggests that a great many of them are still sceptical and in the dark about the workings of the Union and their

If you have spent time in the Czech Republic, you will know that the beer comes in degrees. Beers have traditionally been sold either as 10 or 12 degree. This may cause confusion to tourists, who often think it refers to alcohol content and must wonder how it is that Czechs don't all have permanent hangovers, but for Czechs "desitka" and "dvanactka" are very much an institution. Now a 'degree war' has broken out. In 2002 Drinks Union, decided to go for a new niche market, and launched its 11 degree Zlatopramen. Market leaders SABMiller have got

On Saturday, Roma activists and their supporters gathered at Lety near Pisek—the site of a WWII internment camp where over 300 Roma died—to protect a sacred memorial, and to protest against the gathering of the Czech Republic's National Party, who claim that Roma died in Lety because of common disease, and not the conditions imposed by a concentration camp. Linda Mastalir was there and brings us a preview of a longer feature that will air on Tuesday.

The first Pendolino train was expected to arrive in the Czech Republic in a blaze of glory. Known for speed and comfort it was to open a new chapter in the history of Czech rail transport. But, the "Super city trains" were delivered late -for which their Italian producer Alstom has paid a huge fine - and much to everyone's surprise, once here, they made a bad start in the Czech Republic.

While Australia is fighting a heat wave, it is snow and frost that have been paralysing much of Europe. In some countries, the mercury has dropped to a record -33 degrees Celsius (-27.4 degrees Fahrenheit) - and with dire effects: in Ukraine, 11 people froze to death in just one weekend, while twenty thousand people were left without electricity in Norway after heavy snow pulled down electricity cables. Latvia experienced its coldest night in one hundred years. And, the Czech Republic, too, has been hit by the sudden arctic spell, as Dita Asiedu

Beer is without a doubt one of the Czech Republic's best-known products. It attracts thousands to visit the country but Czech brews are also increasingly available abroad. While domestic consumption remains roughly the same, export figures are growing by the year. Last year the volume of exported Czech beer reached a record 3 million hectolitres.

The development of the Czech capital has been the subject of continued debate for years, not least the future for Prague's Pankrac district. The area is famous for three skyscrapers - including the city's tallest, the so-called City Tower. At 109 metres, it's being redesigned by New York-based architect Richard Meier. Many would like to see the area unified with additional buildings. But, some professionals have complained additional skyscrapers would only compound the problem. And, they're not alone.

The Czech international football goalkeeper Petr Cech has just been named the best goalkeeper in the world by the International Federation of Football History and Statistics. Cech, who plays for English mega-club Chelsea, has won that accolade at just 23 years of age.