Czech Republic

I n his Prague office, Czech President Vaclav Havel sat for a 30-minute interview with Times correspondent Dean E. Murphy despite the stress of the moment. He had just concluded a war of words with Prime Minister Vaclav Klaus over the direction of Czech society, he was preparing for a trip to the United States and he was in the midst of the latest government crisis: the removal of the Czech defense minister.

The missile defense shield in Eastern Europe was one of the most ill-conceived security notions to come from the George W. Bush administration, but that's not stopping Republicans from calling foul now that President Obama has rightly put it to rest. "Scrapping the U.S. missile defense system in Poland and the Czech Republic does little more than empower Russia and Iran at the expense of our allies in Europe," said House Minority Leader John A. Boehner (R-Ohio) following Obama's announcement Thursday.

OF the fall and winter trips that deserve the tribute "Best Bargain of 2005," I nominate weeklong visits to Prague, Czech Republic, that sell for as little as $763 from any major city in California. Considering how far it is, the quality of the accommodations and the allure of the destination, these six-night visits in the Czech capital are worth considering if you're looking for a break between now and March 31. Several U.S.

Hoar frost sparkling on barren branches and mist cloaking the medieval spires of Prague Castle provided a storybook backdrop Friday for the vaunted New Year's Day debut of the Czech Republic. But even such a magical setting failed to stir Czechs from their mood of melancholy and nagging suspicion that their divorce from Slovakia may prove a sad mistake.

Czech President Vaclav Havel once complained to a reporter that the problems in the former Soviet Bloc countries seemed insoluble. "We are finding out that what looked like a neglected house a year ago is in fact a ruin." Call it luck, but the playwright-philosopher's dismal economic metaphor has become a cinematic asset. Ruins, medieval and baroque buildings, even crumbling castles, are attracting a slew of U.S.

Polish troops are flanked by seething Serbs as they guard a key gateway in the north of Bosnia. Czech soldiers patrol the volatile Serb-held region around Banja Luka. Forces from Hungary have drawn less prickly duty with an engineering unit of the international peacekeeping mission here--small comfort for this new NATO member that suddenly finds itself on the front line of the Yugoslav conflict.

Jan Hollan is fighting for a darker future for the Czech Republic. The astronomer is helping lead the campaign to implement a law that made this formerly communist country the world's first nation to ban excessive outdoor lighting -- an intrusion of the modern age that Hollan and others say disturbs wildlife, poses a menace to people and spoils the simple pleasure of stargazing. Anti-light pollution measures are on the books in several U.S.

Several months ago, I returned to the country of my birth, to an area that has attracted royalty and artists for centuries and still retains the magic of long-ago Europe.

Todd Martin, down and out since the Australian Open, was concerned enough about his U.S. Davis Cup teammates to send a good-luck fax before this tie against Zimbabwe. He went one step further by calling Chris Woodruff on Saturday night. He joked around with Woodruff, who fought his nerves in a straight-set loss to Byron Black on Friday. Martin told him to have fun.

Senate opponents of NATO expansion continued Wednesday to drag out debate on the plan, but the delays showed no signs of ultimately derailing the expected addition of Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic to the alliance. Reinforcing its reputation as the world's most talkative club, the Senate droned through a third day of discussion, considering amendments--from accounting for service personnel missing in action from the Vietnam War to U.S. military policy in Bosnia-Herzegovina.