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In early July, three days after the Czech Republic and the Bush Administration signed a controversial agreement on a future anti-ballistic missile radar base, Russia drastically reduced the supply of oil flowing into the country. The move prompted fears that the Czech Republic had become the latest post-communist country to face what some view as extortion from its former big brother – one strongly opposed to the placement of the US radar base on Czech soil. The crisis soon passed, with Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin ordering a full restoration

At this time of year, Czech gardens are a hive of activity. Driving through any Czech town you’ll spot at least a couple of barbecues smouldering away, and a handful of odd types digging and sweating in the midday sun. Certain garden chores - the weeding, the watering, the pruning - remain the same, year-in year-out, but are Czechs using their gardens in a different way now than say, ten years ago?

The Czech Republic is one of seven EU countries which haven’t yet ratified the Lisbon Treaty. Its ratification has become a divisive issue between the eurosceptic and moderate wings in the government’s strongest party, the Civic Democrats. In this edition of Talking Point, we look at the controversies surrounding the treaty’s ratification in the Czech Republic.

“Some seem to believe that we should negotiate with the terrorists and radicals, as if some ingenious argument will persuade them they have been wrong all along…We have an obligation to call this what it is -- the false comfort of appeasement, which has been repeatedly discredited by history.” That was US President George W. Bush speaking in front of the Israeli Knesset on May 15th. The statement was not only controversial because it was viewed as a political attack on a fellow American – Senator Barack Obama - while away from American soil, but

The Czech Republic has traditionally been quite a homogenous country with just a small number of foreigners living here, but that picture is changing, and fast…Twelve years from now immigrants and their families could make up nearly 8% of the Czech population and, by 2065, the share may reach as much as 30%. That is, at least, according to a study by demographers from Charles University. Indeed, last year saw the biggest influx of registered immigrants in this country’s history, with some 84,000 people coming to live and work here. But is the Czech

Thousands of Czech school pupils enjoyed a day off on Monday as their teachers took to the streets to demand more money. Over half of the country’s schools were closed as thousands of teachers flocked to Prague, to protest outside the Parliament about education funding or, as they would have it, lack of.

Czechoslovakia was the last communist country of Central and Eastern Europe to host Soviet troops during the Cold War. They arrived in 1968 as “brotherly assistance” to help keep the communist hardliners in power, and they stayed until the fall of communism 19 years later. One of the top secrets of the military command was the fact that the Soviets deployed nuclear warheads on Czechoslovak territory.

In 1996, Mission: Impossible put the Czech Republic on the international map of film-making locations. It wasn’t just that the city provided a backdrop to much of the action in the film; it was also the fact that a major Hollywood production made use of the crew and facilities of the city’s Barrandov film studios –something that had been done with great effect in 1984 with Miloš Forman’s Amadeus. In the years that followed, Prague became an “A-list” location with everything from James Bond to Oliver Twist coming to the city. But today, a weak dollar

Last year saw the first inception of the Out of Home sports & music festival aimed at helping kids from Czech children’s homes. This week the festival returns – a chance for those who otherwise wouldn’t be able to get to the Czech capital to not only to compete in sports events at Sparta Prague, but also to see bands like Gipsy.cz or Britain’s Fun-da-mental at Prague’s Štvanice Island. Proceeds will go towards continuing social programmes and activities but also towards a new café which will provide some leaving homes with their first jobs.

This year, Český Rozhlas or Czech Radio is celebrating its 85th anniversary. A number of special commemorative events and broadcasts are being planned for the coming months. As an institution, Czech Radio has played its part in, and survived, two revolutions, as many major uprisings, and a world war. But could one of its biggest tests be, quite simply, a change in times and consumers’ tastes? As we are bombarded with information from an ever increasing number of sources, is there still a place for good old radio in the modern world?