Political and social tensions escalated suddenly over the weekend after the Czech government appeared to force through a controversial overhaul of public service media funding.

This weekend’s local elections left the Czech political landscape largely unchanged, but delivered some setbacks for the governing coalition.

Led by the country’s wealthiest man, Czechoslovak Group regularly makes the headlines for bumper profits, hushed-up disputes and aggressive business practices.

Differing views are apparent between the seven countries invited to join Ukraine in its new regional platform designed to promote trade and security cooperation.

A recent disinformation campaign claimed Poland was about to occupy Czech territory, putting Prague’s response to hybrid threats to the test.

Locals in South Bohemia fear private developers are trying to strong-arm them into hosting a massive new warehouse of US retail and tech giant Amazon.

Elsewhere, Slovak Interior Ministry forced into embarrassing U-turn over speed cameras with suspected Russian links; Poland beefs up defence of critical infrastructure against Russian threats; and future of Orban’s summer camp in doubt.

The Czech government is planning to give single women access to assisted reproduction services. Might the PM’s own stake in the fertility market have something to do with it?

Elsewhere, suspected Russian missile crashes in Poland; Hungary sets up agency to recover assets stolen under Orban government; Slovak president calls for more use of Chinese tech on visit to Beijing; Czech government warns of rising online youth radicalisation.

Looking out over Prague from where a monument of the Soviet dictator once stood, the Stalin Cultural Centre has long been a hub for the city’s alternative culture scene. Now it’s fighting for survival.

As the widow of Czechia’s first president revokes her consent for his name to be used, the possible demise of the Vaclav Havel Library has sparked a wider debate about how to approach the legacy of the democratic icon.

Elsewhere in the region, Hungarian parliament revokes planned withdrawal from the ICC; speculation explodes over possible sale of Czech maker of Semtex; Poland and UK sign a new security and defence treaty.

Czechia’s new gun-ownership law, which treads a fine line between greater transparency and constitutionally protected rights, is unlikely to bring the kind of change many had hoped for in the aftermath of the country’s worst mass shooting.

Pro-Israel Czechia may provide US rapper and ‘reformed antisemite’ Kanye West oddly favourable ground to return to the European stage this summer.

With dating and sexual habits changing, the way younger Czechs interact and form relationships has left experts pondering over what it means for the social fabric.