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It took years to convince the Czech health ministry to allow the setting up of a baby box which would enable mothers to give up their unwanted child anonymously. After lengthy negotiations the first baby box appeared in Prague just a year ago and a second opened in Brno last November. Three children were placed in the Prague baby box in the past year and although time has shown that they are not being abused, there is still plenty of controversy surrounding the project.

This week the Chamber of Deputies struck down a bill amendment that would have banned smoking in Czech restaurants. Opponents of tobacco vow to continue their push to clear the air inside the country's eateries, however, a small number of cafes and restaurants have beat them to the punch. These establishments are completely smoke-free, which is perhaps a risky policy, since figures from the Czech Statistical Office show cigarette consumption has risen every year from 2001 to 2004, the last year available.

Every year the Association of Historic Towns and Villages in the Czech Republic holds a competition, to award the town it feels has done most to preserve its architectural heritage. Dozens of towns traditionally take part but only one can win the prize which includes a cheque for 1,000, 000 crowns (around 43,000 US dollars). This year the award went to north Bohemia's Ceska Kamenice.

Earlier this week Czech President Vaclav Klaus paid a state visit to Turkey, and declared his support for Turkey's ambitions to join the European Union. Meanwhile, here in Prague, a one-day conference entitled "Turkey in Europe—Europe in Turkey?" was held in the Senate chambers and attended by several experts on Turkish affairs and some Czech politicians.

Three Czech restorers for a well-known Czech restoration company have begun cooperating with the US organisation Save Our Cemeteries to assess overall damages from last year's Hurricane Katrina to one of New Orleans' oldest and most significant cemeteries. So far, funding for the project has been handled privately but the company - known as the Gema Art Group - will be looking for additional funding once full damages are assessed.

Floods threatened homes throughout the Czech Republic during much of March and April. Now the water is subsiding, but authorities are concerned about another possible threat - mosquitoes. The annoying little insects aren't just a nuisance; they can also spread serious diseases. The government took action against possible outbreak this week, before the mosquitoes go airborne.

This year's general elections are just over six weeks away. Preparations are underway around the country but also abroad, at the Czech Republic's embassies and consulates. This year's elections are only the second time Czechs living abroad will have had the opportunity to cast their votes. But time is running out - the deadline for registration is the end of this week.

Could the number of Roma ghettos in the Czech Republic be much higher than official government estimates? That is the preliminary result of a new study, commissioned by the Labour and Social Affairs Ministry. It suggests there are over 300 Romany ghettos - including districts, streets and even individual apartment buildings. That contrasts greatly with the findings of the government's Council for Roma Affairs: it says there are at most only a few dozen ghettos.

A TV advertisement for mobile phone operator Vodafone has once again raised the issue of ethics in Czech advertising, in particular the manner in which women are portrayed.

Clean up or pay up - that was the stark message of Environment Minister Libor Ambrozek to the German state of Saxony-Anhalt on Monday, the latest round in a dispute over German rubbish dumped illegally in the Czech Republic. The comments came amid reports that the illegal dump - in disused farm buildings in the North Bohemian village of Libceves - was again on fire.