Martha Joy Sullivan

Warm weather came over the weekend. Newspapers reported that the seal-killing season began in Canada. Karel Moudrý died. Sázavafest's organizers informed the public that Moby would play at this year's festival. Led by President Václav Klaus, a coalition of Social Democrats, Communists and several defecting Civic Democrats and Greens toppled Topolánek's government.

Reconstruction of the half-century-old chimpanzee cages began at Brno's zoo. Temperatures dropped and it snowed. Authorities launched a new campaign, Celé Česko čte dětem ("The Whole Czech Republic Reads to Children"), which aims to get parents to read fairytales to their offspring more often.

The ski season ended and larks returned. The first stork landed in Tachov. According to the latest statistics, the Czech Republic officially fell into recession. Brno city hall set up on its premises an advisory clinic and a room for Brno residents in crisis. NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer visited Prague on the 10th anniversary of the country's accession to NATO.