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The sorry state of hundreds of Czech historical buildings and other registered landmarks has prompted a radical proposal. Deputy Czech ombudsman Stanislav Křeček has suggested that regardless of who owns a monument the authorities should pay for its renovation – and then demand that the owner foots the bill. In the most severe cases, the state should be able to confiscate the properties.

The recent discovery of a 1,000 year-old church at Prague’s historical Vyšehrad fort has excited experts who believe it could shed light on the nation’s early Christian history. Larger than any other known church built in Bohemia at that time, it must have been a prominent structure – and its discovery could help fill some blank spots on the map of early mediaeval Prague.

Thursday is the 46th anniversary of the Soviet-led invasion of Czechoslovakia that crushed the Prague Spring reform movement, ushering in two decades of so-called normalisation. That traumatic event was commemorated at a ceremony at Czech Radio, scene of the most brutal repression in August 1968 – and comparisons were drawn with Russia’s actions today.

Communist Party deputy chairman Jiří Dolejš is perhaps not somebody one would expect to be a fan of The Plastic People of the Universe, an underground rock band persecuted in the 1970s and ‘80s by the Communist regime. Some of his followers are angry after Mr. Dolejš posted their photo on his Facebook page and have slammed the group in language reminiscent of pre-1989 propaganda.

Speculation that Czechs may be fighting in the current Ukraine conflict have been simmering for several weeks. And the possibility appears more even credible following news this week that a Slovak fighting for the separatists was captured by government forces.

After lots of speculation, the goalkeeper for the Czech national soccer team, Petr Čech, found himself on the bench during Chelsea’s first game of the new season on Monday, replaced by the young Belgian keeper Thibaut Courtois. Čech was the team’s first-choice keeper from the time he joined the club in 2004 and has helped Chelsea win three League titles and one Champions League, among other trophies. I asked Karel Häring, a football specialist for Deník Sport, why he thought Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho had decided to drop Petr Čech:

The government working group tasked with cushioning the impact of the Ukraine crisis and escalating sanctions on Czech companies has proposed state help for firms putting employees on short-time work as its main recommendation. The group argues such help could avoid massive lay-offs if the worst happens with the framework in place for future emergencies as well as the current one.

Last year the placing of pianos in public places became a huge hit in Prague and other Czech cities. Now the man behind the project, Ondřej Kobza, has made a fresh move – on Monday the urban activist and café owner unveiled a public chess table at Prague’s Náměstí Míru, with other sites are set to follow soon.

Czech javelin-thrower Barbora Špotáková clinched the only medal which had still eluded her on Thursday- gold at the European Athletics Championships. The two-time Olympic champion and world record-holder in the women’s javelin, though, was not at her best and it took until her 5th throw to pull away from fellow competitors.

As of Wednesday morning, the elephant pavilion at Prague Zoo has a new addition. The 31-year old Indian elephant male, named Ankhor, was transported to the capital from Berlin during the night. Prague Zoo has acquired the bull with a view to increasing its elephant breeding. I spoke to the zoo's mammal curator Pavel Brandl and started by asking what measures were used for transporting the four-tonne mammal: