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Prague ham, a traditional Czech delicacy, has recently been added to the EU list of ‘traditional specialities guaranteed.’ The boneless pork ham, which is mildly smoked after being stewed, has been produced in the Czech lands since 1860s.

The last surviving male Northern White Rhino died in the Ol Pejeta Conservatory in Kenya on Monday. He and two other females who represent the last of their breed belong to Dvůr Kralové Zoo which is spearheading international efforts to save the breed from extinction. I spoke over the phone to the zoo’s special projects coordinator Jan Stejskal who flew to Kenya when Sudan’s condition deteriorated and asked him what happened.

President Putin’s re-election for a fourth term in office has evoked mixed reactions in the Czech Republic, reflecting the different perceptions of Russia today. President Zeman, who is seen as a strong supporter of President Putin, presents Russia as a promising business partner, but many politicians and ordinary people in this country still see Russia as a threat. So is Russia under Putin a partner or a threat – that’s a question I put to Petr Kratochvíl, head of the Prague-based Institute of International Relations.

Representatives of the Czech Bishop’s conference and the Czech Republic’s Tourism Forum have signed a memorandum setting the framework for their future cooperation. The two sides hope that more Czech and foreign visitors can take advantage of the country’s rich religious heritage.

High and middle school students from through the Czech Republic have taken part in meetings to call for law makers and institutions to respect the constitutional and democratic values. Organisers say that recent developments have caused them to fear for the future of democracy in the country.

British Brexit Minister David Davis held talks with top officials in Prague on Monday to discuss the future of Czech-British relations post-Brexit. The meetings, which took place ahead of an EU summit in Brussels next week, were inevitably overshadowed by the diplomatic row between London and Moscow on the use of what is believed to be a Russian-made deadly nerve gas in Britain.

Prague’s biggest film event, Febiofest, gets underway on Thursday evening. The festival will deliver more than 160 movies in 15 categories, including New Europe, a competition section showcasing debuts. Viewers can also look forward to profiles of critically acclaimed directors and stars such as French singer and actor Charles Aznavour and Sherlock’s Mark Gattis.

Angela Merkel is sworn into office for her fourth term on Wednesday. And while that might be the best scenario for neighbour, the Czech Republic, it will also step up the pressure to get a stable Czech government in place.

From Wednesday Czech Radio is available on Alexa, a voice-activated smart device of the kind that may be seen in most homes in the future. To get Radio Prague’s news, for instance, all you need to do is issue a command and the headlines are playing a few second later. I discussed Alexa – which resembles a small round speaker – with Czech Radio new media specialist Adam Javůrek.

Leading Czech scientists and physicians have appealed to lawmakers not to allow any exemptions from new EU norms on pollution that should come into force in the year 2021. The appeal, initiated by Hnutí Duha, points out that pollution in the Czech Republic causes 11,000 premature deaths each year.