September seems to have unofficially been sustainability month in Czechia, with Zero Waste Week, European Sustainable Development Week and Czech Radio’s “Don’t Bin it! 7 Days for the Planet” all taking place within that period. While many of these events and campaigns were international, some were specific to Czechia – like the Waste Prevention 2023 conference that took place in Prague. I went along to find out what Czech companies are doing to reduce their environmental impact.

The Koněprusy Caves, the largest known cave system in Bohemia, are the first in Europe to have a digital map. It was created by a team of scientists using 3D scanning. A special camera allowed them to access places that have never been mapped before.

What could be more Czech than drinking beer on an old tram? At Prague’s Bistro Točna , owner Jan Řídký and his business partner have turned a historical tram stop into a thriving business frequented by locals and tourists alike. I spoke with him about how he and his partner got the idea for the business, and how he hopes the space becomes a hub for culture in the city.

Czech Egyptologists working between the pyramid fields of Abusir and Saqqara have announced a major discovery. They have located and explored a lost tomb that belonged to an ancient Egyptian official called Ptahshepses, who lived during the 24th and 25th centuries BC.

Just trailing Tokyo, Japan, Czechia’s capital city has been ranked the second best destination in the world for solo travellers by travel operator Planet Cruise . The ranking was based on safety, accommodation costs, available attractions, and public transportation. To understand what has been done to bolster the city’s reputation internationally, I spoke to Jan Herget, director of CzechTourism here in Prague.

Czechia’s premier event in its field, Designblok , is about to take place for the 25th time. The showcase runs from October 4 to October 8 at a number of top Prague venues, including the city’s Trade Fair Palace and, for the first time in years, Prague Castle. I spoke to Designblok co-founder Jana Zielinski at a presentation of the event on Tuesday.

The head of the Czech Counterintelligence Service (BIS) Michal Koudelka on Monday highlighted the activities of Russian agents in the country in connection with the war in Ukraine. He said efforts to disseminate Kremlin propaganda in Czechia were now so blatant that anyone who does not see them must be “blind and deaf”.

The Consulate General of the Czech Republic based in New York City has jurisdiction over ten states across the eastern part of the United States. On a visit to Prague, Consul General Arnošt Kareš spoke with Amelia Mola Schmidt about the work he does to promote Czech business, connect with the Czech diaspora, and the history of the oldest Czech consulate abroad.

Opera singer Adam Plachetka has teamed up with jazz and swing specialist Ondřej Havelka and his band Melody Makers on a unique new CD. Nebe na Zemi, or Heaven on Earth, mainly features classic interwar songs composed by Jaroslav Ježek and the famous stage duo of Voskovec and Werich. I spoke to Plachetka at the album’s launch at Czech Radio.

The Ukraine crisis has provided an opportunity to revive a European Union that had lost its way. That is one of the assertions of Benjamin Tallis in his essay collection To Ukraine With Love, which got its Czech launch last month. The Berlin-based foreign policy expert also identifies a new approach to foreign affairs – seen in, among others, Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavský – which he has dubbed “neo-idealism”. I spoke to Tallis, who previously lived in Prague, at our studios in Vinohrady.