A sex help line operated by the National Institute of Mental Health, which initially focused on sexual behavior and dysfunctions, has now been upgraded to cover sexual orientation and gender identity. I asked the institute’s Adam Schreier to explain what the National Helpline for Sexual and Gender Health offers and who it is meant to serve.

Czechia took in roughly half a million Ukrainians following Russia’s full-scale invasion of their country two years ago. Many of these refugees have been young people, and to find out something about this generation’s lives here – and their outlooks for the future – I invited two 20-year-olds, Mariia Kostenko and Mykola Pashkov, into our studios.

The war in Ukraine has been raging for almost two years, and refugees continue to arrive in Czechia. Although the majority find employment, it is often in precarious conditions, and over 60 percent of economically active Ukrainian refugees are working in jobs well below their qualification level, the government’s commissioner for human rights, Klára Šimáčková Laurenčíková, said this week.

The South Bohemian town of Hořice has a long tradition of passion plays which are intertwined with the family histories of its Czech and German inhabitants. One such family helped save and preserve the first known score for the Šumava Passion Plays from 1935 and have now donated the valuable material to the Society for the Preservation of the Hořice Passion Plays.

A new bill recently drafted by the Czech government aims to see a minimum of one-third women in upper management positions in large companies. The draft aims to bring Czechia more in line with other EU countries, where the representation of women on company boards is already closer to 33 percent, while Czechia languishes at 21 percent. I spoke to Hana Stelzerová, director of the Czech Women's Lobby, to find out how effective this proposal might be – and whether it goes far enough.

The East Bohemian city of Pardubice, which lies on the confluence of the Labe (Elbe) and Chrudimka Rivers, is mainly associated with its production of gingerbread and the famous Velká Pardubická steeplechase. The industrial city also boasts a beautiful historic centre featuring a Renaissance castle. But what has recently put Pardubice in the spotlight are the newly renovated Automatic Mills designed by the pioneering Czechoslovak architect and designer Josef Gočár at the start of the 20th century.

A Median poll published Tuesday reaffirms ANO’s long-term commanding lead among Czech voters. But the survey also suggests that the Czech Pirate Party, one of the smaller parties in the coalition, are now ahead of government leaders the Civic Democrats. So, what are the Pirates doing right? I put that question to political scientist Jiří Pehe.

Scientists at a university in Liberec are investigating the possible impact of microorganisms on the safety of an underground radioactive waste repository, which should be built in Czechia in several decades’ time. The main focus of their research is the impact of bacteria on radioactive waste containers.

Czechia ended compulsory military service two decades ago. Now, however, the head of the country’s army, Karel Řehka, says it may be necessary to bring it back – otherwise the state could have insufficient military reserves in future.

Chants echoed the Pittsburgh Penguins’ home arena on Sunday for the jersey retirement of the legendary Czech ice hockey player Jaromír Jágr. Jágr – who played 11 years with the Penguins – returned to the city he calls his second home to see his number 68 jersey raised to the rafters. But what is the 52-year-old’s legacy today? That’s something I discussed with Michal Dimitrov, a hockey commentator and sports journalist at Czech Television.