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Czech archeologists have chalked up a new remarkable discovery at Abusir, southwest of Cairo: the tomb of a previously unknown queen. Chentkaus III is believed to have been the wife of the pharaoh Neferefre who ruled some 4,500 years ago.

An end of the year survey conducted by STEM/MARK rating the performance of the Czech coalition government indicates that half of Czechs think Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka’s cabinet is doing a good job. And a survey conducted by the MEDIAN agency suggests that for the first time in five years Czechs are looking to the future with optimism. So how does the prime minister himself see his cabinet’s first year in office? We have the highlights of his New Year’s interview for Czech Television.

The Czech Hydrometeorological Institute – the body responsible for monitoring the country’s weather – has reported that 2014 will be one of the warmest years since records began back in 1775. It also predicts that overall warming in the country and extreme weather events will continue to grow more common.

Czechs have less than two days to hand in unregistered weapons without fear of reprisals, under a firearms amnesty which began six months ago. The latest amnesty, the fourth since 1996, netted fewer illegally-held weapons than in the past: around 3,000. As always, some collectors’ items were among the items brought in.

25 years ago today, the dissident playwright Václav Havel became the first non-communist president of Czechoslovakia since 1948. Back then, Edvard Beneš had resigned from office in the midst of a communist putsch led by Klement Gottwald. 41 years later, the communists would vote to destroy their own monopoly on power.

The recent cold spell has finally brought snow to the Czech Republic, to the joy of children who are currently enjoying their Christmas holidays. For the homeless, however, freezing weather presents a serious threat, especially at night, when temperatures drop far below zero. City halls and charities around the country have started securing various forms of temporary shelters where the homeless can survive the cold.

Regular Czech Radio interviews with the Czech president will most likely be discontinued. The station is refusing to carry on with the present live format following a scandal surrounding foul language uttered by President Miloš Zeman in the programme’s most recent edition. The broadcaster says it will only pre-tape the show – an idea rejected by the president.

František Václavek is a homeless man in the Czech Republic who will be spending this Christmas, as many before it, in a shelter. It needn’t have been the case. Four years ago, Václavek won 30 million crowns with a single lottery ticket. But he was wheedled out of it by a couple who used the winnings to buy a luxury home in Prague. A court later sent them to prison but Václavek is still waiting for what is rightfully his.

After a nine-day moratorium expired since the last uncontrolled explosion at a damaged munitions depot in Vrbětice, Moravia, pyrotechnics were able to move in on Monday morning to begin clearing up - checking for dangerous munitions thrown far and wide. If all goes well, experts should be able to clear the area within the depot by the end of the month, paving the way for the eventual removal of surviving munitions stores to a new site.

The Czech government has found itself under increased pressure over its recent refusal to accept refugees from Syria. A number of NGOs, churches and other groups have asked the cabinet to reverse its decision, and at least provide treatment to a group of wounded and ill Syrian children.