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The cyclists’ association Auto*Mat has lodged a court complaint against Prague 1 district council’s move to introduce a daytime ban on bikes in large parts of the city centre. The organisation, which is promoting cycling in the city, has also called on the City Hall to review the matter, arguing that the ban is exaggerated and illegal.

Growing hostility towards journalists openly encouraged by political leaders is one of the major themes of this year’s Reporters Without Borders’ global press freedom index. And that’s one of the factors also responsible for the Czech Republic’s dramatic drop in the rankings.

Prague City council’s executive committee has backed demolishing the city’s historic Libeň Bridge, a 1928 construction with Cubist elements, rather than opt for renovation. If the plan goes ahead, a new bridge will be built in its place. Proponents argue that saving the original would be almost costly as building a new bridge and will require less maintenance moving forward.

This year’s Karlovy Vary film festival will begin with a tribute to the late director Miloš Forman in the form of a screening of Loves of a Blonde followed by a concert of music from his movies. Organisers have also revealed that the festival’s President’s Award will go to Czech acting great Jaromír Hanzlík. I spoke to Karlovy Vary’s artistic director Karel Och and began by asking about the relationship between the country’s biggest film event and Miloš Forman.

Czech government negotiations appear to be back on track. The Social Democrats’ party leadership has endorsed the launch of fresh talks with ANO following concessions by the biggest parliamentary party and October election winner. But it’s still far from a done deal.

The remains of exiled Czech Cardinal Josef Beran have been taken from the Vatican’s St Peter’s Basilica. On Friday, they will be flown to Prague and later buried in Prague’s St. Vitus Cathedral. Cardinal Beran was exiled to Rome in 1965 and died there four years later. He was buried in the Vatican because the communist authorities didn’t approve his final wish for his body to be returned to his homeland.

French media have described it like a bomb exploding, the news that a Czech billionaire is on the verge of taking over some of the country’s best known magazines. For them, the billionaire in question, Daniel Křetínský, is a total bolt from the blue.

The south Bohemian town of Slavonice, which is known mainly for its uniquely preserved Gothic and Renaissance town houses, has been named Czech Historical Town of the year for 2017. The prize, which comes with a one-million cheque for further preservation works, honours towns and cities in the Czech Republic that have excelled in preserving and renewing their cultural and architectural heritage.

Celebrated biathlete Gabriela Koukalová, named sportswoman of the year last December, has thrown something of a proverbial grenade into the sport’s community with a tell-all book just published. Named Jiná or Different the book deals with a number of issues including serious eating disorders the athlete suffered.

Prague’s St. Vitus Cathedral has gotten a new group of statues depicting the saints Vojtěch, Radim and Radla. The idea for the statues goes all the way back to 1936. In 1947, a plaster version was installed. But the work was removed a year later when the Communists assumed power in Czechoslovakia.