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Feminism is for some a way of life and for others a source of jokes. Western countries have a much longer tradition of feminism than those of the former communist states of Central Europe where the impact on politics and public debate has been muted. Michal Groch takes a closer look at the state of feminism in Slovakia.

The city of Maribor is Slovenia's second largest city and the capital of its region known as Styria in the north-east of the country. It's where the country's first Science Park is to be established amid hopes it will stimulate an economic upturn in the region.

The Czech capital Prague is one of Europe's most popular tourist destinations, but it has has also developed something of a reputation for sex tourism - some have even dubbed it 'the Amsterdam of the East'. Now, however, Prague police are planning a crackdown. Prostitutes will face big fines if they are caught offering their services on the streets. Some Czech women's groups say the new regulations don't tackle the real problem.

In recent programs Insight Central Europe has reported on the new tensions between Russia and the West - tensions which have had some recalling the Cold War and even suggesting the possibility of a new Cold War. Francis Gary Powers is one man who knows quite a bit about that time of crisis between East and West. His father, Gary Powers, was the pilot of the American U2 spy plane shot down at the height of the Cold War. He was convicted by the Soviet Union and imprisoned -but later released in a spy swap.

John 'Jack' Horner is a famous American paleontologist who served as the technical advisor for all of the 'Jurassic Park' films. He discovered and named the 'Maiasaura', providing the first clear evidence that some dinosaurs cared for their young. Professor Horner has just paid a visit to Poland and in so doing fulfilled a wish for a Polish boy suffering from Leukemia. Michal Kubicki of Polish Radio's External Service explains..

In the Czech Republic parents who are in prison are getting some help in keeping up a close bond with their children while serving out their time. The Czech Helsinki committee has a project which should provide a lifeline to the hundreds of young children who - through no fault of their own - find themselves in a strange and friendless environment.

In Slovenia a major operation is underway to mark and uncover mass graves containing the bodies of tens of thousands of people killed at the end of World War 2. They were mostly victims of vengeance killings by the partisans of Yugoslav leader Josip Tito after the allies turned them back from Austria and handed them over. Many had collaborated with the Nazis and were executed without trial. By marking and opening the graves the Slovenian government is trying help people come to terms with this unprecedented slaughter. One of the largest graves

In pre-war Poland - Jews were one of the largest minorities. And in the southern city of Kraków they played a prominent role in everyday life with a thriving and dynamic culture. Eighty years after this golden era, the International Cultural Centre is hosting an exhibition that serves as a reminder of what everyday life in Jewish Kraków was really like.

Police in Slovakia and Hungary last week arrested three people on suspicion of smuggling radioactive material. Police say it was enriched uranium which the suspects were trying to sell for one million dollars. Two were arrested in eastern Slovakia and a third in Hungary. It's not the first time nuclear materials have turned up in the wrong hands in Central Europe. In 2003, police in the Czech Republic arrested two Slovaks in a sting operation in the city of Brno after they allegedly sold undercover officers natural depleted uranium for almost three

In Slovakia last year prescription drugs consumed about a third of the total amount of money spent in the Slovak healthcare system. This figure is three times higher than the world average. The Health Ministry says local doctors seemed hooked on prescribing drugs even when it's not necessary - while patients tend to visit a doctor even for a mild headache.