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The oldest member of the Czech Scout movement, Eduard Marek, died on Sunday at the age of 104. Marek was imprisoned by both the Nazi and Communist regimes and was active in the Czechoslovak resistance. In later life he also made a mark by becoming one of the oldest people to ever parachute out of an aircraft.

The children of foreign nationals who have opted to settle in the Czech Republic, have the benefits of a dual culture, traditions and multiple language skills. However integrating is not always as easy as it may seem and the challenges they face can be daunting.

Explorer, writer and broadcaster Benedict Allen is known for daring travels to such spots as the Amazon, Papua New Guinea and the Gobi desert. The British adventurer has documented his often solo journeys in a series of books as well as TV programmes for the BBC and other broadcasters. However, in recent years Allen has been in a rather different environment, Prague, a city he now calls home. When we spoke recently, he told me his earliest inspiration was his test pilot father.

This week marks 150 years since the birth of Slovene architect Jože Plečnik who had a significant impact on Prague’s modern architecture. Associated with the Vienna Secession architectural style, Plečnik also influenced Czech Cubism. His projects in the Czech capital included the renovation of Prague Castle and the design of the iconic Church of the Most Sacred Heart of Our Lord in Prague’s Vinohrady.

Czech mother Eva Michaláková has lost a case at the European Court of Human Rights over lost parental rights to her two sons. The court in Strasbourg ruled that Norway’s social and judicial services did not breach international law or conventions when removing her two sons from her care and stripping Mrs Michaláková of her parental rights in 2011.

Czech archaeologists have made an unusual discovery while excavating an early medieval burial ground near Tetín castle in Central Bohemia. Among the human remains buried there was a skull which they believe may have belonged to a woman of African origin.

The average number of frost days in the Czech Republic, that is days when the minimum daily temperature falls below freezing point, has gradually been falling, according to newly-released data by the Czech Academy of Sciences. Experts warn that this could have a lasting impact on the ecosystem.

As Covid numbers continue to rise steeply, the Fiala government announced on Wednesday that it would invalidate the former government’s directive on mandatory vaccination for selected groups. The move confirms its resolve to pursue an anti-Covid strategy based on trust and goodwill.

After questions about their financing, government coalition member the Mayors and Independents have decided to return millions of crowns they received in donations. The party’s leader says no money is worth risking voters’ trust.

As anticipated, a surge in the Omicron variant of coronavirus has led to sharp rise in new infections. Some 28,469 new cases of Covid-19 were recorded on Tuesday – the highest figure in the Czech Republic since the pandemic began. And health authorities say the daily toll will likely reach 50,000 before the end of January.