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New data comparing poverty rates across the European Union puts the Czech Republic’s poverty rate at the very bottom of the statistic. Only nine percent of Czechs live at or below the poverty threshold, compared to the European average of 17 percent. But across the European Union, children are most at risk of living in poverty.

A new study has suggested that some 30 percent of Czech men and nine percent of Czech women are problem drinkers, risking a negative impact on their health. The study also found that almost 4 percent of Czech men are alcoholics who need professional help, while the number is 0.3 percent among women.

Headlines around the world have been made by a small Pacific island state’s challenge to plans for a large Czech coal-fired power plant. But Czech environmental groups are also opposing the plant on the grounds that local people will continue to suffer from harmful pollution far into the future.

Churches, prayer halls and other places of worship will be open to the public until the late night hours on Monday for the Night of Open Churches. Regular church-goers as well as visitors will have a chance to see services, concerts and even film screenings. Although the number of places taking part in the event is relatively small, the organizers say the event is gaining popularity.

On Thursday the Czech Republic lost one of its oldest culinary personalities, heir to the First-Republic delicatessen that bares his name: Jan Paukert. Credited with the “invention” of one of the staples of the traditional Czech menu, the chlebíček, a kind of open sandwich on one piece of bread, Mr Paukert’s family delicatessen was also a hub for high-society in the 1920s and ‘30s.

A study by a Charles University research team suggests that over three quarters of Czech university students have at some point been the victims of sexual harassment. Unlike most academic institutions in Western Europe and the United States, Czech universities do not have explicitly stated anti-sexual harassment policies, and the issue is largely neglected. The research team is now sending guidelines to universities across the Czech Republic on how to combat the problem. Sarah Borufka spoke to one of the authors of the report, Professor Petr

The Czech government is currently deciding whether to introduce full body scanners at the country’s airports, a move backed by the interior minister. But not everybody is in favour of the security measure. The head of the Czech nuclear safety authority says the risks from the radiation used by the scanners could be too high, and is calling for an alternative approach.

Thousands of tonnes of salt have been spread on roads in the Czech Republic and the rest of Europe during recent heavy snowfall. So much so, that stocks threaten to run out. Heavy use has sparked warnings from environmentalists about the damage to plants and animals.

A Czech language version of Facebook only became available a year ago. The social platform allows users to design a profile, add friends, or share personal news. In the Czech Republic, the site is very popular and user numbers have been growing exponentially.

The magnitude-seven earthquake that struck the Caribbean state of Haiti on Tuesday is threatening to become one of the worst natural disasters in recent memory, with death tolls estimated between tens and hundreds of thousands. Thousands of more people remain buried in the rubble. There is little water and a tragic scarcity of other resources that survivors need; understandably most are under extreme emotional and physical strain. As the gravity of the situation has grown clear, Czech charity organisations and the state have begun organising their