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The Czech daily Hospodarske Noviny came out in a special edition on Thursday, with former Czech president Vaclav Havel assuming the role of its editor-in-chief. Thursday's edition was published under the motto Responsibility and Fate and its main theme chosen by Mr Havel is Russia and its relations towards Central and Eastern Europe. Madeleine Albright, Garry Kasparov or Timothy Garton Ash are among the people addressed by the guest editor Vaclav Havel.

Hospodarske Noviny borrowed the idea of using a guest editor from the British daily The Independent, which featured the Irish rock band U2 singer Bono Vox as an editor for a day. Hospodarske Noviny has also invited the current Czech president Vaclav Klaus to be a guest editor in the future.

On Thursday, readers of the leading financial daily Hospodarske noviny are in for something of a surprise. For one day only, former Czech president, Vaclav Havel, will be taking over as the paper's editor. In anticipation of Mr. Havel's editorial debut, Rosie Johnston spoke editor-in-chief of Hospodarske noviny, Petr Simunek. She asked him where the idea had come from:

Former president of the Czech Republic Vaclav Havel has long been outspoken on human rights issues and has been a strong critic of Vladimir Putin's Russia. On the same day President Putin admitted becoming his country's next prime minister was "entirely realistic", Mr Havel was in Moscow meeting with members of the country's opposition. The former Czech president spoke at the Sakharov Center, where he indicated members of the Russian opposition needed to overcome differences and unite on common issues if they hoped to have any real political

Former Czech president Vaclav Havel is to be awarded this year's German Dolf Sternberger prize for public addresses, the DPA news agency has reported, adding that Mr Havel will receive the award in Prague on October 23rd. The organisers said that Mr Havel has "effectively tied his speeches with his political behaviour, thus shaping political awareness not only of people in his homeland but also abroad." The prize has been presented since 1992. Among its winners are former German chancellors Willy Brandt and Helmut Schmidt, former east German priest and human rights campaigner Joachim Gauck and current German Interior Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble.

Over the course of a decade, the film director Pavel Koutecky shot 45 hours' of unique behind-the-scenes footage of former president Vaclav Havel, at work and at play, from picking his way through Machiavellian post-election negotiations to giving restaurant tips to the Rolling Stones. Pavel Koutecky died in a tragic accident last year, but the film - called Citizen Havel - is now in post-production, and will premiere in the Czech Republic in January. On Monday there was a sneak preview of the working version at Prague's MAT cinema, where we spoke

Former Czech president and playwright Vaclav Havel dismissed speculation on Friday that he would run as a candidate for the Czech presidency next year. Mr Havel's spokesman said that Mr Havel had not received any offer and that no one had discussed this issue with him. Vaclav Havel who was the country's president between 1989 and 2003, hinted in March he could stand in the 2008 election "to scare somebody", a veiled reference to incumbent President Vaclav Klaus whose policies Mr Havel opposes.

Former Czech president Vaclav Havel has denied speculation he is being considered by the opposition Social Democrats as a "secret" candidate for next year's presidential elections. In a statement made through his personal secretary on Friday Mr Havel made clear he had not received any offer from the Social Democrats and not discussed the idea with anyone from the party. In the past, Mr Havel - who was the Czech head of state for thirteen years before he stepped down in 2003 - said he had no interest in running for the post of president again. But in an interview earlier this year he indicated he might run if his candidacy sharpened the race. Current incumbent Vaclav Klaus is the only official candidate so far; the opposition Social Democrats have been trying to agree on a contender with a viable chance of challenging the current president.

Dozens of people assembled in the centre of Prague on Wednesday afternoon to watch the arrival of the Human Rights Olympic Torch Relay which is passing through more than one hundred cities in 35 countries. Held in protest against human rights abuse in China, which is to host the Summer Olympic Games in 2008, it has won support from leading political, cultural and moral authorities the world over.

Former Czech president Vaclav Havel has tempered comments he made that were interpreted as a warning about the state of Polish democracy. Speaking at the launch of the Polish edition of his latest book Please Be Brief, Mr Havel caused a storm by saying it would be in the interest of Polish democracy if the country were to hold early elections as soon as possible and arranged for them to be monitored by international observers.

His remarks were criticised by commentators in Poland as a smear on the reputation of the country's democracy. Mr Havel later said that he had not intended his comments as an attack on Poland's political system, but maintained that international observers would help ease the tense situation surrounding the upcoming elections in Poland following the collapse of the rightist government led by the controversial Prime Minister Jaroslaw Kacynski.

Former Czech president Vaclav Havel visited Poland this week to launch the Polish edition of his latest book. But the warm welcome he received in Kracow quickly turned frosty, after Mr. Havel commented on the political situation in Poland, advising the country to call early elections as soon as possible, preferably with international observers present.