Rosie Johnston

This Tuesday Barack Obama is sworn in as the 44th president of the United States of America. Mr Obama takes his oath of office in front of a huge crowd in Washington and…

In 1409, Wenceslas IV, King of Bohemia, was in a tight spot. He had already been imprisoned several times by his own advisors, and was being undermined by those in his…

Hello and welcome to SoundCzech, where, once a week, you can pick up a new Czech idiom or two through song lyrics. Today, we’ll be listening to a tune by the comedian…

Following his suicide, Jan Palach was adopted by Czechs as a national hero, while the communist authorities tried – in vain – to erase all trace of what he had done. When…

Prague is renowned for its beer halls and pubs, but not so famous for its wine-bars. All this week, however, a brand new festival is taking place to try and get Czechs and…

The former Czech president Václav Havel is in hospital, in what doctors are calling a serious condition, following an operation on his throat on Sunday. He was admitted to…

A piece of public art commissioned by the Czech Republic to mark the country’s EU presidency has set tongues wagging in Brussels. ‘Entropa’ sees each of the EU’s 27 member…

It is 40 years ago this Friday that student Jan Palach set himself alight following the Soviet-led invasion of 1968. Palach’s suicide turned him into a symbol of national…