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Czech medical students are under excessive amounts of stress – leading to the majority suffering from mental and physical health problems themselves. That’s according to a survey by a group of recent medical graduates.

The government has just approved measures aimed at easing the pressure that skyrocketing energy costs are putting on many Czechs. Under the scheme, households will receive an average of CZK 15,000, with almost a third of that sum coming this year.

Although decidedly not a dish for vegetarians, roast pork knee (or pork knuckle) is one of the most popular items on Czech pub menus. The combination of well-cooked, not-quite-lean meat and a golden-baked, crispy exterior make this hearty dish a popular choice if you’ve worked up an appetite and want something rather more filling to go with your beer.

Wednesday marks exactly six months since Russia launched its war on Ukraine. Czechia has taken in more Ukrainian refugees per capita than any other state and provided massive assistance to Kyiv. But how did the relatively new Czech government respond to the invasion in March? And with fuel prices rocketing, how is it handling public opinion now? I spoke to Pavel Havlíček of the Association of International Affairs in Prague.

A ban on single-use plastics was approved by the Czech Senate earlier this month and should come into effect in the autumn. The new legislation includes a direct ban on certain products, including plastic cutlery, straws, and food and drink containers. Now scientists in Brno are looking into an environmentally friendly alternative: food packaging that you can eat.

A new memorial to Czechs who took part in three resistance periods in the 20th century is set to open this Friday. The monument stands at the home of Josef Mašín, whose family were active in all three.

Which Czech parties are skilled at using social media and why do some politicians get it so wrong? Where should we draw the line over what we share on the internet? And why did some Czech influencers begin spreading disinformation on Instagram? These are just some of the many topics I discussed recently with Marie Heřmanová, a leading Czech digital anthropologist.

Czechia should actively pursue a realist, value-driven diplomacy abroad, while at the same time seeking out new energy sources, Prime Minister Petr Fiala told diplomats at an annual gathering of the country’s ambassadors in Prague. The meeting is mainly centred on economic and security questions related to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

When an amendment to the law regarding foreigners’ health insurance in the Czech Republic was passed last year, then-opposition MP Zbyněk Stanjura criticised it. Now, however, as the current finance minister he is having to defend it – and to no less than the European Commission.

The Soviet-led Warsaw Pact invasion of Czechoslovakia was one of the most important and traumatic events in modern Czech history. The launch of the intervention was delayed several times, but it ultimately took place on the night of August 20–21, 1968. It would end Czechoslovakia’s experiment of “Socialism with a human face” and cause lasting damage to the Czech-Russian relationship. Memories of the invasion were reignited this year, amid Russia’s aggression against Ukraine.