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The US has decided that it will not now site an anti-missile radar in the Czech Republic as part of its plans for a Central European extension of its shield against rocket attacks. The decision has been greeted with enthusiasm by some of the leading local opponents of the controversial radar, even if they have almost given up on the government cash bonanza promised to accompany it.

Jánošík: A True Story is the title of a new film about the 17th century highwayman Juraj Jánošík, a Robin Hood-like figure who is a national hero in Slovakia. However, despite the huge importance of the Jánošík story to Slovaks, the movie stars a Czech actor, and was made by a Polish director.

Emotions ran high and politicians traded insults on Tuesday, after the Social Democrats unexpectedly pulled the plug on early elections, deepening uncertainty over the country’s future. The move has left the Czech Republic in the hands of a caretaker government which is now demanding a new mandate and consensus on next year’s budget.

On Tuesday the Czech Health Ministry released information on swine flu vaccines ahead of an expected surge in the epidemic in the Czech Republic this autumn, revealing just who in the population of 10 million will receive vaccines.

The Czech budget has taken centre stage in political discussions after Tuesday’s surprise retreat from early October elections. Caretaker Prime Minister Jan Fischer has said he will only stay on until elections in the middle of next year if politicians agree a 2010 budget where the deficit is kept below 170 billion crowns, or around 5.0 percent of Gross Domestic Product.

The move by the Social Democrats to renege on an earlier decision and say it was now not backing the dissolution of the Chamber of Deputies, caught most observers by surprise on Tuesday. The question is what will be the impact on the country?

What a difference a day makes – especially in Czech politics. Few would have thought much stood in the way of the dissolution of parliament and early elections after what looked like agreement between the two largest parties – the Civic Democrats and the Social Democrats. But the Social Democrats performed an abrupt U-turn on Tuesday – early elections are now off, and Czechs will have to wait until next year to cast their vote.

A high profile Prague clash between squatters and their supporters and police has highlighted the number of empty and deteriorating buildings in the capital. It has also put the spotlight on the powerlessness of local councils and authorities to force reluctant owners to take action.

The Czech Republic is a step closer to resolving its drawn-out crisis, after President Klaus signed into force a constitutional amendment facilitating the way to early elections. With the new law in effect, the Chamber of Deputies is expected to approve its own dissolution on Tuesday after which President Klaus should announce a new date for early general elections - November 6 and 7.

Russia’s deputy Prime Minister arrived in Prague for talks on Monday amid frosty Czech-Russian relations following a tit-for-tat spy row. Speculation has been high in the Czech capital about what concrete steps Alexander Zhukov might take to ease the current strains. But is the anticipation about a possible diplomatic thaw is well founded?