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The Czech government appeared to soften its approach to a new European constitution this week - provided the EU doesn't call it that. This week the cabinet - dominated by the staunchly anti-federalist Civic Democrats - approved a fresh negotiating strategy, which appears to be a departure from its previously uncompromising stance. But as Rob Cameron reports, just don't mention the 'C' word.

The Prague City Assembly has approved a project to build a four-kilometre cycling path in the former industrial district of Vysocany. The overall cost is estimated at 86 million crowns (around 4 million USD). The opposition at the city hall argues that the cost per kilometre is about four times higher than usual. City Councillor Petr Stepanek of the Green Party, himself an active cyclist, argues that the project is more than just a stretch of tarmac.

Ice hockey's Stanley Cup playoffs have been underway since early April with results leaving many Czech fans plenty to cheer about. Jaromir Jagr's New York Rangers, for instance, as well as Dominik Hasek's Red Wings have so far seen success. But in the Czech Republic the NHL playoffs aren't the only tournament worth watching: this Friday the Ice Hockey World Championship gets underway in Moscow and understandably many eyes will be on the Czech team.

The Temelin nuclear power plant in south Bohemia has for years been the only problematic issue between the Czech Republic and nuclear-free Austria. In the year 2000 the two countries signed a bilateral agreement relating to safety norms at the plant and an above-standard exchange of information. Now the Czech Republic wants to end its validity - but Austria is fighting the decision every step of the way.

President Vaclav Klaus has embarked on his first state visit to Russia since becoming president. It's a historic visit but one that comes at a time of rising tensions between Prague and Moscow over American plans to build a radar station on Czech soil as part of its missile defence system. Missile defence will undoubtedly dominate talks between President Klaus and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, but will it overshadow them? We asked Radio Free Europe commentator Jefim Fistejn.

After months of delay the South Korean automaker Hyundai began construction on Wednesday on a one-billion-euro car assembly plant in Nosovice, northeast Moravia. The ceremony was attended by Hyundai's chairman Chung Mong-Koo, facing a prison sentence at home for corruption. The troubles at Hyundai haven't stopped the company from going ahead with this huge investment project.

The notions of gender, gender equality, gender stereotypes and discrimination are still relatively new in Czech society. A group of activists has decided to start from to the youngest generation and to promote gender equality in schools. A book recently published and handed out to schools introduces the concepts and practices of gender sensitive education to both school teachers and children.

The so-called "Kubice report" which claimed that organized crime had infiltrated the Czech civil service has not been confirmed. A special team at the Supreme State Attorney's Office, set up to investigate the matter, has concluded that the allegations were unfounded.

The head of the U.S. Missile Defence Agency Lieutenant General Henry Obering paid a visit to Prague on Monday to drum up support for a plan to place an American radar station on Czech territory. The U.S. has already made a formal request to the Czechs for them to host the facility as part of its missile defence shield. Now the tortuous process of discussing technical details and winning crucial political approval is underway.

The Czech newspapers on Tuesday were full of reports concerning the arrest of Radovan Krejcir, one of the country's most notorious fugitives, who was finally apprehended at the weekend after spending nearly two years in exile in the tropical Seychelles Islands.