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In recent years, Prague has seen a surge in the number of people offering their rooms and apartments for rent. In fact, every fifth apartment in the downtown area is now rented out via Airbnb or similar services, according to a new study. But experts say fears of city centre depopulation may be exaggerated.

Space enthusiasts from the Czech Republic and beyond are in for a treat. Starting on Saturday, Prague and Brno will host Czech Space Week, a nine-day-long series of events that will bring together scientists, businessmen and government officials who are active in the area.

Craftsmen producing glass Christmas ornaments and resist block printing, who were nominated last year, are eagerly awaiting the decision of a special UNESCO committee that is to decide whether they will have the honour of being listed on its Intangible Cultural Heritage list. Meanwhile the country’s beer barrel coopers, bagpipers and chenille fabric producers are hoping to be nominated in the future.

The Czech Republic – along with most Council of Europe member states – has signed on to the “Istanbul Convention”, which aims at preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence, and adapted its legislation towards ratifying the treaty. The main challenge now, according to the Czech Women’s Lobby, is to take concrete steps to better prevent such violence and help those who fall victim to it.

The Klatovy-based company Aerotech Czech will be manufacturing and testing parts of the propulsion system of the European Space Agency’s (ESA) upcoming Ariane 6. The carrier rocket is set to have its first launch in 2020 and will carry a Czech flag on its hull.

The Czech Republic’s Social Democrat minister of foreign affairs says the Democrats’ seizure of the US House of Representatives could lessen the impact of some of Donald Trump’s policies. But the head of the right-wing Civic Democrats calls the results a clear success for the Republicans, who have tightened their grip on the Senate.

Lecturers and students at Masaryk University in Brno have developed an interactive game that focuses on teaching the ability to distinguish between disinformation and trustworthy news. The length of one game is especially taylored to fit into an hour of teaching at school and its developers hope that it will be implemented by schools, orphanages and old age homes.

On a three-day business-oriented visit to China, Czech President Miloš Zeman personally promoted Czech products at the China International Import Expo fair, slammed protectionist measures by the US and called on entrepreneurs to show courage in winning new trade deals. Meanwhile, Czech Foreign Minister Tomáš Petříček opened a new chapter in Czech-Chinese dialogue: human rights issues.

On Sunday, one of the most famous Czech folk singers, Jaromír Nohavica, received the Medal of Pushkin in Moscow from Russian President Vladimir Putin. Nohavica’s acceptance of the medal, which is awarded to citizens and foreigners after approval by Putin, has garnered controversy at home.

This year’s Václav Havel Award for the Advancement of Civil Society handed out by the Dagmar and Václav Havel Foundation VIZE 97 has gone to Fred Malek, one of the most successful U.S. businessmen and philanthropists of Czech origin. The prize, presented by former U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, recognises Mr. Malek’s outstanding contribution to Czech-US relations.