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A Czech noble has weighed into ongoing talks about whether the Czech state should sell one of Prague’s Baroque architectural masterpieces to its current tenants: the German embassy. For the Germans, the building is more than a 17th century architectural jewel, it is also part of their recent history.

Parts of Czech painter Alphonse Mucha’s work the Slav Epic will be carefully crated up on Monday as movers start taking it from its current home in the town of Moravský Krumlov to Prague. The late artist’s family is against this step, and is still fighting a legal battle in an effort to block it. But what significance does the loss of the 20-canvass masterpiece have for the small town of Moravský Krumlov, which has housed it since the 1950s?

Croatia’s Dalmatian coast has long been the number one destination for Czech tourists during the summer months and as a result, three years ago, the Croatian government offered Czech police the opportunity to cooperate in key areas. Although they have no authority on their own and do not carry firearms, they are able to assist their Croatian counterparts in communication with Czech tourists in cases of theft or in traffic accidents.

Czech Prime Minister Petr Nečas undertook his first official visit abroad on Monday, travelling to the Slovak capital of Bratislava to meet with his counterpart Iveta Radičová. In their talks, the two discussed numerous issues, as well as the possibility of increased cooperation between both countries on the European level.

A Czech toy manufacturer has recently bought the rights to a classic line of toy figurines – Igráček, a communist era knock-off of the well-known German Playmobil brand. The reissue of the plastic figures, which range from doctors and nurses to bricklayers and mailmen, is set to hit shelves in a few weeks.

A legal battle centred on the legacy of Prague-born writer Franz Kafka took a new turn this week with manuscripts and other material locked away in Swiss bank vaults being opened up for expert examination. The move should help determine whether a literary treasure trove has been kept hidden away for decades and could help to make it public.

Recent years have seen a number of publicized cases of bullying in Czech elementary and high schools which left teachers largely powerless to act. But if the new education minister has his way that could soon change: he has made clear he would like to introduce a contract into the school system binding parents to take more responsibility, when necessary, for their children’s behavior.

Curbing corruption was one of the promises made by the new centre-right Czech government appointed last week by President Václav Klaus. But its anti-corruption drive has come in the spotlight over the staffing policy of one of the coalition parties, Public Affairs. Its ministers have already hired several former employees of a security firm closely linked to the party’s Vít Bárta, who himself holds the transport portfolio.

Paul Whitaker arrived in Prague on Saturday from a swimming challenge that took him 18 days to complete. The 41-year-old Englishman decided to swim 175 kilometers from the South Bohemian city of České Budějovice back to the Czech capital. His goals in doing so? Raising a quarter million Czech crowns for a charity called Asistence, which works with physically and combined handicapped people, and to break the Czech record in river swimming. Did he achieve his goals? And what were the highlights and obstacles of the challenge?

The new league season in Czech football gets underway after the summer break this weekend. And the very first game of 2010-2011 could well take place in front of half-empty stands on Friday evening. Bohemians 1905 are hosting Slavia Prague, but both clubs’ fans are organizing a boycott of the game to protest the fact that they are now sharing the modern Eden stadium. It was built for Slavia, but it is now also Bohemians’ home ground, after they were forced to leave their traditional stadium about a kilometer away.