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Doctors unions have agreed to a government pay offer putting more money in their pockets immediately and over the following years. The deal has still to be officially backed by the government, but it is seen as being as good as done. Thousands of doctors should in the following days start to withdraw their resignations and the threat of a mass exodus from hospitals appears to have been averted. As the dust on the bitter dispute settles, we asked political analyst Jiří Pehe what he made of the bitter dispute and who he thought had triumphed in the

In response to growing acts of violence among juveniles, the Czech government has approved an amendment to the law on juvenile crime which would give the courts greater powers in dealing with the worst offenders. Whereas now adolescent murderers walk free at the age of 18 with a clean criminal record, under the new law they could find themselves under long-term medical supervision -or - isolated for life.

Mayors from 51 communities across the Czech Republic met this week to discuss problems their constituencies are having with transients, loiterers and petty criminals, most of whom the towns say are Roma. The result was a letter to the government asking for greater local authority to dissuade and punish problematic citizens. The specific measures though are controversial.

Promoters in the Czech capital on Wednesday confirmed that boxing legend Mike Tyson will visit Prague next month – unlike a failed project put together by different organisers last autumn. The former world heavyweight champion will take part in a whirlwind tour that will include an appearance at the gala event Heroes’ Gate 3 and visit a hospital to help raise money for sick children.

Twenty years ago today, a new Central European regional grouping emerged from a meeting of three prime ministers at an historic site overlooking the Danube in Hungary. The immediate goal was to step up cooperation as they moved to hitch their newly freed countries as soon as possible to the European Union and the West. But the Visegrád three, later four, has proved its staying power even after those goals were achieved.

The National Technical Museum in Prague reopens on Tuesday after more than four years of renovations. The biggest such institution in the country, with more than 50,000 items in its collections, the museum will be featuring some all-time favourite exhibitions, such as one on the history of transport. But it is also launching some brand new exhibits as well.

As the government struggles to avert a looming health crisis, there are rumbles of discontent in another sphere of the public sector. The UBS police, fire fighters’, and prison wardens’ trade union has said it may follow the example set by dissatisfied doctors and organise a similar campaign threatening mass resignations unless its concerns are adequately addressed.

Czech Prime Minister Petr Nečas is in Paris for a two-day visit, the first since he took office last July. Nuclear energy dominates Mr Nečas’ agenda on the trip; on Thursday, the Czech prime minister and his French counterpart, Francois Fillon, signed an agreement on cooperation in the energy, education and other sectors. Mr Nečas is also set to meet French President Nicolas Sarkozy later on Friday.

The three-party coalition government has at long last chosen an ambassador to the United States: MP Petr Gandalovič, an old-time Civic Democrat who among other his many posts has served as a mayor, general consul in New York and Minister of Agriculture. With very little standing between Mr Gandalovič and the ambassadorship (he must be approved by the Czech president and by the United States), we asked political scientist and commentator Jiří Pehe for his take on the appointment.

It was billed as a preparatory game for the big one against world and European champions Spain in just over a month, but this was the sort of preparation that the Czech football team could have done without. They went down 2:4 in a friendly against Croatia with the home side putting a record tally of goals into the Czech net.