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It looks as though the outgoing Czech Prime Minister, Vladimir Spidla, could be about to find himself a new job. His successor at the helm of the Social Democrats, Stanislav Gross, has proposed that he replace the Czech Republic's current EU commissioner, career diplomat, Pavel Telicka. Mr Spidla himself has said that he would be willing to take up the post. He is known and respected on the international political scene, but is not as experienced in the EU affairs as Mr Telicka, who has spent most of the last decade in Brussels. Vladimir Spidla

In the small Bohemian town of Libochovice, about 60 kilometers from Prague, a unique international relief effort is taking place. Volunteers are working to restore the town's old Jewish cemetery. They hope that the restored site will help both visitors and locals alike to remember a vanished part of this region's heritage.

On Thursday a regional court served a 43 year old police officer an 18 months suspended sentence for brutally beating up a man who the officer said had been cruel to his dog. The court was held just a few days after a traffic officer in the west Bohemian town of Pilsen caused an uproar by shooting at a pedestrian who was crossing the street on a red light. Such incidents of abuse of position seriously hinder the long-term efforts of the police to present itself as a body which serves and protects.

The European Union has faced much criticism for its sugar policy, which developing countries say distorts trade and fails to meet consumers' needs. In reaction to the criticism, the European Commission recently proposed a more market-, consumer-, and trade-friendly regime, which liberalises the European market to other countries, introduces price cuts, lowers production quotas, and reduces subsidies to farmers.

This week people around the world marked the 35th anniversary of the first lunar landing by Apollo 11 on July 20th, 1969. Czechs were behind the Iron Curtain at the time - but even here, the extraordinary events were broadcast live.

The fifteen of July was a lucky day for 670 tortoises which were seized from an animal dealer in the south-east of the Czech Republic. An investigation has begun into a possible large-scale illegal trade in endangered species. The tortoises in question, that are worth a million crowns and were born and raised in captivity, have now been taken to zoos in Brno and Prague. Petr Velensky, a reptile specialist in Prague's zoo, showed Radio Prague's Jarka Halkova 340 of the tortoises that they are currently taking care of at the zoo.

The European Parliament this week is holding its first full plenary session since the historic enlargement this May of the European Union from 15 to 25 member states. The first order of business on Tuesday, the opening day of the session, was for the 732 MEPs - who between them speak 20 official languages - to elect a new president and 14 vice-presidents.

The Beskydy Mountains along the Czech-Slovak border, are attracting attention again this summer and not just as a vacation hot spot. The newly settled wolf population is preying on sheep and goats and making locals nervous.

Jan Zahradil, a Euro-MP for the Civic Democrats, a member party of the largest right-of-centre faction in the European Parliament, is no newcomer to EU institutions: for a year he was an Observer of the European Parliament and he also served as the head of the Czech delegation to the European Parliament between 1998 and 2003. Mr Zahradil told Radio Prague about his first impressions of the European Parliament in a new post.

Prague's rabbi Karol Sidon was recently dismissed from his position by the board of the Prague Jewish community. The official statement says that he failed to perform his duties satisfactorily. However, there is speculation that behind his dismissal there could also be a dispute between the orthodox and non-orthodox groups in the city's 1600 member strong Jewish community.