In Focus | All stories

Could you be happy without alcohol? Have you ever had sex with a stranger? Would you participate in an uprising against those in power? These are just some of the nearly 150 questions covering a large range of subjects given to people aged 18 to 34 across Europe within a project called Generation What. Organised by the European Broadcasting Union along with national broadcasters, the aim of project is to offer a unique look into the mind-set and realities of life of young Europeans today. For the first time this year, the Czech Republic joined as

A new book, which has just been released by the PositiF publishing house, is mapping the phenomenon of the so-called Šumperák, probably the most famous family house design in Communist Czechoslovakia. In the late 1960s and 1970s, the house was replicated in towns and villages all over the country and to this day, there are an estimated 4,000 Šumperáks to be found across the Czech Republic and Slovakia. Photographer and art historian Tomáš Pospěch travelled around the country to map the phenomenon and trace the history of the popular house. Ruth

Over the past year and half, the Czech National Library has been carrying out a unique research project documenting books confiscated or dispossessed and brought to Czechoslovakia during World War II or shortly afterwards. Many of the books got lost, while others lay scattered in the archives all over the country for decades. Now, the National Library has uncovered at least part of the collection to map the books’ history and trace their original owners.

A recent comparative study by the World Health Organisation shows that some 80 percent of Czech schoolchildren do not get enough physical activity. As a result a growing number of them suffer from excessive weight and obesity. Czech children are also high on the list in alcohol consumption and smoking cigarettes and marihuana.

Women in the Czech Republic still make on average 22 percent less than men. The wage gap is highest in the private sector, although to a lesser extent it is also present in the public sphere. The NGO Business & Professional Women has for years been raising awareness of the problem and helping to combat it.

Perhaps best known from his powerful images from the streets of Prague during the Soviet-led invasion of 1968, Josef Koudelka – who emigrated soon after those events – must rank as the greatest living Czech photographer. A treat for photography buffs at this year’s One World festival of human rights documentaries has been Koudelka Shooting Holy Land, in which we follow the protagonist, now in his late 70s, as he captures the building of the wall between Israel and Palestine as well as the region’s stunning landscape. The documentary is the work

Every year, some five million hens from Czech egg farms end up in slaughterhouses despite being just over a year old because their egg production starts to decline. The Initiative Slepice v Nouzi or Hens in Need attempts to save at least some of the birds, finding them a new home where they can spend the rest of their lives in more decent conditions. RF has more in today’s edition of In Focus:

Officials in Brussels will soon be riding the streets of the European capital on Czech bikes. The Prague-based company Citybikes has recently won a tender to provide their electric bikes to the European Parliament. The company, which was established exactly ten years ago, is popular mainly for its retro-style city bikes and its owners have a large share in promoting cycling in Prague.

For most people, a foreign vacation means extra expenses as well as a lot of planning ahead. But Petr Novák, an expert in low-cost travelling or so called travel hacking, has managed to travel the world for a bargain. His cheapest journey so far was a one-crown return flight to Bulgaria.

The Czech Republic's biggest festival of country and folk music, Porta, celebrates its 50th birthday this year. Established in 1967 by a group of music enthusiasts, the festival gradually evolved into one of the largest events of its kind in Europe, attracting some 30,000 visitors in its heydey. Many of the country’s respected musicians and bands, including Spirituál kvintet, Wabi Daněk or the Nedvěd brothers, started their careers there. Last week, Porta launched the first of a series of concerts marking its special anniversary.