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Recent press reports revealed that home prices have risen considerably here in the Czech Republic in the last year, with increases of over 10 percent in some sections of the market. Why are flat prices going up so much - and how does the future look? I discussed those issues and more with Arnost Hejduk of real estate marketing company Rooney and Bennett.

Former communist prime minister of Czechoslovakia, Ladislav Adamec, died at the weekend at the age of 80. A noted pragmatist, Mr Adamec headed the Czechoslovak government from 1988 up until December 1989 when he negotiated the eventual handing over of power with members of the opposition Civic Forum, which included future president Vaclav Havel. Although he tried to retain a place in politics even after the Velvet Revolution, Mr Adamec's later role was ultimately short-lived.

It's over two months until the start of the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival, during which the pretty west Bohemian town is transformed for a week and a half, becoming the most exciting and glamorous place in the Czech Republic. But the countdown to this year's 42nd Karlovy Vary has already begun, with organisers presenting key elements of the programme to the media on Tuesday morning. At the launch, artistic director Eva Zaoralova told me a little about this year's special sections.

In 2001 the United States went to war against the then-ruling Taliban in Afghanistan. Six years later, the country is still picking up the pieces and - with international help - trying to rebuild itself. In an effort to contribute to that development, the Czech Republic has just re-opened its embassy in Kabul, which had been closed since 1992. Czech Foreign Minister Karel Schwarzenberg and Defence Minister Vlasta Parkanova were among those in attendance at the official opening ceremony on Monday.

Campaigners from the Czech branch of the environmental organisation Greenpeace gathered outside Prague's Italian Embassy on Tuesday. They were there to call on the Italian government to withdraw its participation in the completion of two reactors at Slovakia's controversial Mochovce nuclear power plant.

On Monday a delegation of nine Czech regional governors started a one-week trip to China. The aim is to foster bilateral relations in the areas of tourism and business and to lure Chinese investors - mainly in the fields of IT and electronics - to the Czech Republic. The delegation was invited by Beijing and is scheduled to visit the ministries of foreign affairs, trade, and tourism as well as Shanghai and the province of Yunnan.

"Chalupareni" which loosely translates as "a country-cottage lifestyle" is a Czech term coined in the second half of the 20th century when Czechs could not travel and when all their time and money was invested in their country cottages. As a result Czechs now top the European statistics in the number of country-homes owned per head. "Chalupareni" is still going strong but as Czechs get richer many are looking around for a different kind of holiday home.

On Tuesday, employees at Skoda Auto - the biggest car manufacturer in the country - will go on strike, following a disagreement with company management over a pay rise. Workers' representatives at the plant have rejected a proposed salary increase of 13 percent, saying that any rise in wages should also be pegged to inflation and company profits.

With its long tradition of beer brewing, the Czech Republic has for years been one of the world's major destinations for beer tourism. Beer lovers come from far and wide to sample the country's many famous brews. Now they have one more reason to visit the country. The producer of the world renowned Pilsner Urquell, the Plzensky Prazdroj brewery, has just launched two new beers aimed at pleasing even the most sophisticated palates.

The environment was high on the agenda during a short visit to Prague by British Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott. He launched a youth forum on climate change, and also discussed the subject with Czech Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek and Foreign Minister Alexandr Vondra. Other issues discussed included the Czech Republic's presidency of the European Union in the first half of 2009. Mr Prescott spoke briefly to the media on Wednesday, and was first asked whether he was aware of Czech President Vaclav Klaus's skepticism as to whether mankind is