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A group of young Czechs are currently raising funding to bring now elderly Germans expelled from the Czech lands after WWII to Prague in November for events including a concert and an exhibition. Unlikely as it may sound, they also want to highlight friendships between expelled Germans and the Czechs who today live in their former homes. I discussed the project with one of its initiators, Vlaďka Vojtíšková of Smíření (Reconciliation) 2016.

Addressing the UN Summit for Refugees and Migrants in New York Czech Foreign Minister Lubomír Zaorálek said a greater effort was needed to address the root problem of migration in countries such as Syria and Iraq. He said the past months had clearly shown that Europe was unable to deal with a migrant wave of this size and it was hurting both Europeans and the refugees themselves.

It was reported first by RFE/RL that the founder of the political street art group Voina, Oleg Vorotnikov, and his wife and fellow activist Natalia Sokol, along with their daughter, had been detained in Prague. Mr Vorotnikov left Russia in 2011 after running awry of the Putin regime for artistic events seen there as acts of hooliganism. It is not known whether Russia will seek his extradition.

The Visegrad Four grouping has come under increasing criticism of late for allegedly undermining EU cohesion at a time when the European Union is fighting for its future. In a recent article the Financial Times labelled Visegrad (the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland and Hungary) the alliance’s “awkward squad“, describing them as countries that have benefited from EU membership but are seeking to overturn its institutions. I asked political commentator Jiří Pehe about the “black sheep” label and whether it is not legitimate for these states to jointly

Failure to bridge the still massive economic gaps between “Western” and “Eastern” states are one of the factors in often increasing and bitter rifts between EU countries, according to the Czech foreign minister. And Minister Lubomír Zaorálek has called for new and targeted EU investment to try and close the gaps.

Palác Akropolis, one of Prague’s most important arts venues, will celebrate a double anniversary this upcoming season: It is 90 years since its establishment and 20 years since it was reopened. A special series of events in different genres, including concerts and theatre performances, are scheduled to take place between September and June to mark the special occasion.

The Czech government on Thursday unveiled moves to spark the rapid take-off of e-government in the country. From a promising start a decade or so ago, the Czech efforts have stumbled with the country slipping badly down the European and world performance rankings.

Breathless is the title of a presentation of Czech glass that runs from this Saturday as part of the prestigious London Design Festival. Located in a former garage in the Brompton Design District near the Victoria and Albert Museum, the exhibition is a joint project of the award-winning Dechem studio, the OKOLO design collective and London’s Czech Centre. As last minute preparations were made, OKOLO’s Adam Štěch filled me in on what the show has to offer.

The renowned Czech writer Ivan Klíma, author of novels such as Love and Garbage and the autobiography My Crazy Century, turned 85 on Wednesday. Klíma became a dissident in communist Czechoslovakia after the Soviet invasion and was one of a number of Czech writers who were forced to publish in samizdat at home while simultaneously enjoying international success. I discussed aspects of Ivan Klíma’s work and life with Gerald Turner, who has translated a number of the author’s works, including Judge on Trial.

In a move clearly targeted at billionaire businessman and ANO finance minister Andrej Babiš, MPs in the Czech lower house voted on Wednesday to bar media ownership on the part of members of the government. Another proposal to prevent ministers from running companies was rejected. But how will the vote actually affect Mr. Babiš’s media empire?