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The government recently extended the list of Czech Cultural Monuments by 19 churches and pilgrimage sites. This status affords them special protection. Currently there are over 300 cultural monuments on the list.

Czechs are said to be a grumpy lot, but in reality they are increasingly satisfied with life. According to a survey carried out by the faculty of Social Studies of Masaryk University in Brno, Czechs are happier than they’ve been since 1991. At the same time, people are more distrustful of one another and less tolerant towards minorities, especially migrants, foreign workers and Roma. They also show less trust in education, religion and the EU.

The Czech Republic’s top film event, the Karlovy Vary festival, gets underway on Friday. As every year, it promises scores of movies from around the world and both Hollywood names and lesser-known but no less interesting guests. Ahead of the opening, I got some tips on what to watch out for during the 53rd Karlovy Vary’s from its artistic director, Karel Och. I first asked Och if there were any festival sections he would particularly like to highlight this year.

The Prague Radio Symphony Orchestra, one of the Czech Republic’s finest ensembles, is currently touring Japan on what is already their 12th visit to the country. Starting last week in Morioka in the north of the country, they have performed four concerts to date of an overall thirteen.

A new coalition of ANO and the Social Democrats has just been sworn in by the president at Prague Castle. The appointment comes eight months after ANO triumphed in general elections and follows months of talks. But clouds may already be on the horizon for Andrej Babiš’s second government.

In the Czech Republic, ice hockey – not football – is arguably the national sport. Hockey has been a part of the culture since the days of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, with the first league founded 110 years ago. With traditions running deep, it’s no wonder opinion is so passionately divided over the design of the new Czech Ice Hockey Association jersey.

The outgoing Czech government has moved to increase the powers of the country’s intelligence services allowing them to develop a new face recognition system and gain access to information on bank accounts. The move is to improve coordination with the police force and help combat terror financing.

The Czech government has backed a draft amendment to the Civil Code that would legalize same-sex marriages. The amendment, which would give homosexuals the same marital rights as heterosexuals, including the possibility to adopt children, will now go to the lower house for debate.

The two-day Metronome music festival kicks off on Friday evening at the Výstaviště exhibition grounds in Prague. Among the most awaited acts this year will be Massive Attack and Chemical Brothers. In addition to the main stars, people can see a number of local formations, such as the cult band Sexy Dancers, who are returning to the stage after 20 years. As final preparations were underway, I spoke to Metronome’s organizer David Gaydečka:

Major supermarket chains Lidl and Globus this week made a breakthrough announcement this week, pledging to gradually phase out the sale of eggs from caged hens in their Czech stores. The decision was prompted by a video recently released by the animal rights group Obraz which revealed atrocious conditions in Czech intensive poultry farms.