Government tightenes drug policy, Zdena Mašínová obituary, Victoriia Kralko, author of audio series Hovory

The Czech government is making a dramatic pivot away from its liberal drug policy, announcing plans to ban kratom entirely, crack down on CBD products, and strengthen police and municipal powers over substance use—marking a sharp reversal from the country's status as Europe's only EU member with a regulated kratom market. Prime Minister Andrej Babiš defends the move as necessary to protect minors, citing rising cases of kratom overdoses among youth, but experts warn the crackdown could backfire by pushing users to the black market and undermining a pioneering public health model. Meanwhile, the passing of Zdena Mašínová, a resilient figure in Czech resistance history whose family endured persecution under both Nazi and communist regimes, is mourned as a loss of a living link to the nation's moral past. Her legacy lives on through the Memorial of the Three Resistances and her lifelong advocacy for truth and perseverance. In a powerful cultural moment, Victoria Kralko, a Prague-based Ukrainian-born sound designer, shares the story behind her award-winning audio series 'Hovory,' which reimagines real wartime phone calls and voice messages between Ukrainian families and soldiers using Czech actors and subtle sound design to evoke emotional authenticity without sensationalism. The project, born from personal connection and ethical commitment, is now being considered for translation into Ukrainian and English to reach broader audiences.