News

Prarthna Johri: Being an American in Prague is a curious thing

1.7.2016 14:57 There are practices vastly different here, such as the pleasantness of people you sit with on a train. You will get a warm, “Dobrý den!” and when you leave you’ll receive a “Na shlédanou!”. The brusqueness of the waiters and waitresses is another change but my personal jury is still out on whether the fake happiness of tip-motivated American waiters is better than the genuine lack of caring.
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Prarthna Johri: Make American Hate Again

1.7.2016 10:40 Donald Trump is a candidate unlike anything the United States has seen. He is brash and is unrestricted by the constraints of political correctness. He turned his nose up at his fellow opponents for accepting donations and has told his supporters not to contribute money. He has absolutely no political experience, despite having years of business experience behind him. He stands for nearly everything that the average candidate does not.  full story

United Nations criticizes growth of xenophobic behavior in Britain

30.6.2016 6:33 UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein is pressuring the British authorities to engage in halting the growth of xenophobic behavior in Britain that began after the results of the recent referendum there were announced. Last week British voters expressed themselves in favor of Britain leaving the EU.  full story

The online hoax phenomenon and how to address it

29.6.2016 8:05 Modern media and communications technology are connecting people across the global village, facilitating the dissemination and sharing of information without any of the
previous obstacles posed by space and time. The demand for open communications and the concurrent flood of information, however, increasingly require us to be able to
think critically and verify the information we receive.  full story

Czech mayor rejects ombudsperson's proposal on how to end discrimination of Romani children in local school

28.6.2016 19:19 The Czech Public Defender of Rights (ombudsperson), Anna Šabatová, considers discriminatory the approach taken by Ivana Preyová, the principal of the primary school in the town of Krásná Lípa who divided up first-graders at the beginning of this school year to create a classroom comprised solely of Romani children. Šabatová has recommended the establisher of the school take several steps to prevent discrimination this fall and minimize the risk of anti-discrimination lawsuits being filed against them.  full story

Analysis: Why it’s time to lay the “Gypsy” trope to rest

28.6.2016 15:01 Through examining the Romani characters in popular culture, it becomes apparent that discrimination lives on against Roma people. In the United States, this takes the form of dehumanization or even denial. Gypsies are not regarded as real people but as storybook creatures and magical inventions.  full story

František Kostlán: Brexit is unwelcome because the British are great. Let's not be vindictive.

28.6.2016 7:14 The main reason Brexit is unwelcome hasn't been said yet: The British are great - they are simply themselves, with their experienced, ingrained democracy and their bravery, dedication and humanity. In other words, they have all the things we lack.  full story

Petr Uhl: British Tories and the Czech ODS are two Trojan horses inside the EU

27.6.2016 14:47 The European Union should change. The form of that change, however, will now be the subject of much discussion, as there are very different ideas for it being proposed.  full story

UK: "No More Polish Vermin" - adherents of Brexit assault foreigners on the streets

27.6.2016 12:19 After last Thursday's referendum deciding that Britain will leave the EU, reports of racist and xenophobic incidents there are multiplying. The number of these incidents is sparking concerns among Britons that the results have encouraged extremist elements in society, the Bloomberg wire service reports.  full story

videoUSA: Neo-Nazis, racist KKK clash with opponents in California at demonstration, nine hospitalized

27.6.2016 11:32 After a demonstration by adherents of the extreme right in front of the seat of the Government of the state of California in the capital, Sacramento, nine people have been hospitalized, seven with stab wounds. The Associated Press reports that neo-Nazi parties clashed with their opponents.  full story

Slovakia: Neo-Nazis assemble for hate demonstration, but many more counter-demonstrate against them

27.6.2016 11:02 Hundreds of people participated in a neo-Nazi demonstration and march on Saturday, 25 June in Bratislava "against the dictatorship of Brussels and for stopping the liquidation of Europe," as well as a concurrent assembly by those opposed to extremism. More than 10 extremists were detained by police and taken to stations for questioning.  full story

Czech Labor and Social Affairs Minister meets with homeless people

27.6.2016 6:55 On 23 June an active group of homeless people from three Czech cities met in Prague with Czech Labor and Social Affairs Minister Michaela Marksová and a representative of the Regional Development Ministry, Housing Policy Department Director Jiří Klíma. Roughly 40 people gathered to discuss the planned law on social housing.  full story

Most Czech regions uninterested in subsidizing lunches for impoverished children, some because they would be Romani

26.6.2016 20:37 For some time the numbers of children living in families who are in material distress has been rising in the Czech Republic, including the numbers of families who cannot afford to sign their children up for lunch at school. Even though ministries, nonprofit organizations, and Regional Authorities are aiding such children financially, the available money is not reaching all who need it.  full story

Czech Republic: Extremists sentenced to almost 7 years in prison for arson attack

26.6.2016 16:18 Tomáš Kopecký and Michal Poláček, the men responsible for an arson attack on a residential hotel occupied by Romani people in the Czech town of Aš, will serve six years and nine months in prison. The High Court in Prague sentenced them on 22 June for racially-motivated attempted murder and reckless endangerment.  full story

Record high number of 65.3 million people were forcibly displaced last year worldwide

26.6.2016 12:59 Last year the number of people forcibly displaced rose to 65.3 million worldwide. On 20 June the UN High Commissioner for Refugees reported that figure is a record high, with the number of forcibly displaced persons worldwide exceeding 60 million for the first time ever.  full story

British educator, ashamed of his country's vote on remaining in EU, calls for referendum on exit terms

26.6.2016 10:13 Mark Penfold, an educator and founding member of the Roma Education Support Trust, has written the following letter in response to the results of the referendum on Brexit. News server Romea.cz republishes it here in full.  full story

videoGoal of his career! Romani footballer Ricardo Quaresma sends Portugal to EURO 2016 quarterfinals

26.6.2016 9:04 Portugal has become the third quarterfinalist in the EURO 2016 football championship underway now in France. In yesterday's smash hit, Portugal, the winner of the "Czech " Core Group D, overwhelmed Croatia 1 : 0 in extra time after substitute Ricardo Quaresma scored a goal at 117 minutes.  full story

Czech media analysis warns of pro-Kremlin websites: Dangerous propaganda and unfair reporting

25.6.2016 12:39 Pro-Kremlin websites in the Czech Republic, primarily the online tabloid Parlamentní listy, are exploiting sophisticated methods for manipulating public opinion that break all the rules of professional journalism. Those are the results of an analysis performed by political scientists at Masaryk University with the support of the European Values think tank.  full story

UK police officer Petr Torák: I'm still in shock over Brexit

25.6.2016 10:28 Petr Torák, a Romani émigré from the Czech Republic, is a police officer who is more than successful in Great Britain. Last year he was made a Member of the British Empire for his work.  full story

Czech PM says EU must become less bureaucratic, Slovak Govt tells its nationals in Britain not to worry yet

25.6.2016 9:30 The website of the Czech Embassy in London reports that Czech Foreign Minister Lubomír Zaorálek and Czech Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka have responded to the results of the referendum in the United Kingdom on its EU membership, which are that most voters have chosen to leave. The Slovak Foreign Ministry meanwhile has assured its citizens living and working in Britain that during the two-year transition period they do not have to fear any changes to their legal position.  full story