Radio Prague International - latest articles

The whole of Europe is watching Germany, where the long era of Chancellor Angela Merkel has ended in near deadlock. Several Czech politicians have congratulated the Social Democrats on their narrow win – and are talking up even closer cooperation between Prague and Berlin.

Scientists from the Czech Technical University in Prague (ČVUT) have an unusual, constantly evolving colleague – a humanoid robot named iCub. While not the first such robot at the university’s Faculty of Electrical Engineering, iCub is the first equipped with all key senses – sight, sound and touch.

The jailing of members and associates of the Plastic People of the Universe famously sparked Czechoslovakia’s Charter 77 human rights movement. The underground rock legends’ discography is the subject of a new book, A Consumer Guide to the Plastic People of the Universe. But it also delves deep into the group’s fascinating history, bringing it to an English-speaking audience. I discussed the publication with its American author Joe Yanosik.

Czechs will go to the polls on Octber 8 -9 to elect a new parliament and pave the way for a new government. Who are the leaders looking to become the new PM? Will it be personalities or issues that will decide the upcoming elections? And, given what we know today, what are the chances of forming a stable government?  Those are some of the questions Radio Prague International put to Professor Vladimíra Dvořáková (head of the Masaryk Institute of Advanced Studies) and sociologist Jan Hartl (founder and long-term head of the STEM polling agency).

Prague was recently voted the most beautiful city in the world and the seventh best city to live in, in a poll by city-dwellers from across the globe. The survey compiled by the lifestyle and culture magazine Time Out was based on a poll rating food and culture, community spirit, green space, and attitudes in the given city. Zoé Samin spoke to Oliver Huw from Time Out about the survey.

In a speech at the UN General Assembly, Czech Foreign Minister Jakub Kulhánek supported the territorial integrity of Ukraine and Georgia and demanded the release of people detained in Belarus. He also called for more international cooperation on a host of issues.

The British journalist, author and analyst Edward Lucas has been covering central and eastern European affairs since 1986, including as a senior editor at The Economist magazine. Czech Radio reporter Petr Dudek recently interviewed him about a range of issues affecting the region – not least the spectre of Russian covert operations and efforts to polarise populations, in part through spreading disinformation.

Prime Minister Andrej Babiš visited Hungary’s controversial “anti-migrant” fence on Wednesday, keen to see for himself the latest thermal imaging camera system installed along the country’s borders with Serbia and Croatia. Leading the tour was his counterpart Viktor Orbán – who along with Babiš and other central European leaders, vetoed an EU proposal for compulsory refugee relocation.

A “singing” linden tree, also known as the Lukas linden, has been voted the Czech Tree of the Year 2021. The majestic tree, which is estimated to be at least 700 years old, grows in the village of Telecí in Eastern Bohemia and will now compete for the title of European Tree of the Year.

Josef Koudelka – whose pictures of the 1968 Soviet-led invasion were seen around the world – is regarded by many as the greatest living Czech photographer. Now the 83-year-old has donated many of his most important works to institutions in his native country.