About Global Good News

	Top Stories Incredible animation shows how bridges were built in 14th-century Prague Bagpipes take over Czech town Organic food consumption in the Czech Republic increases

	Top Stories Transcendental Meditation in Czech Republic and Slovakia Czech Republic and Slovakia: Young people drawn to learning Transcendental Meditation Czech Republic: New resources of knowledge about Transcendental Meditation

	Top Stories Report: Internet attacks against Czech Jews rise Czechs bet heavily on nuclear power Czech government faces no-confidence vote
Positive Trends Short Summaries of Top Stories Incredible animation shows how bridges were built in 14th-century Prague 23 October 2020 - We're used to driving across bridges to get from place to place, but have you ever wondered how these ambitious architectural Goliaths were first created? Engineering and Architecture dives into the how with an eye-opening animation that demonstrates the construction of the Charles Bridge in Prague from 1357-1402. The bridge is part of an iconic composition across the Vltava (Moldau) river in the popular Czech Republic city. Spanning nearly 1,700 feet and over 33 feet wide, it is a popular tourist destination and holds high historical significance for the city. (more) Bagpipes take over Czech town 24 August 2018 - Bagpipers from 18 nations marched through the Czech town of Strakonice on Friday (24 August) in a colorful parade to kick off the International Bagpipe Festival. Running almost every other year since 1967, the four-day festival includes concerts, lectures and exhibits and organizers bill it as a meeting point for musicians, dancers, and singers from around Europe. (more) Organic food consumption in the Czech Republic increases 11 August 2017 - One-tenth of people in the Czech Republic often buy organic food and 43 percent do so from time to time ... People buy foodstuffs produced by farmers mostly because they do not contain chemicals, four-fifths of the poll's respondents say. According to the data of the Agriculture Ministry, the organic food consumption in the Czech Republic increased by 11.4 percent year-on-year in 2015. People spent 2.25 billion crowns on it, which was 213 crowns per capita on average. This was the highest sum since 2008. (more) Czech restaurants, bars go smoke-free after years of debate 31 May 2017 - A smoking ban in Czech bars, restaurants, and cafes came into effect Wednesday [31 May], putting to an end the Czech Republic's status as one of the last havens for tobacco smokers in Europe. The ban, which applies to inside areas of bars and restaurants as well as public places like cinemas, theaters, and sports venues, was approved by Parliament following years of heated debate and signed by President Milos Zeman . . . (more) Czechs approve smoking ban in pubs, restaurants 9 December 2016 - The Czech lower house of parliament on Friday [9 December] approved a ban on smoking in restaurants, bars, and pubs, overcoming years of wrangling and bringing the country in line with most others in the European Union. The law is to take effect on May 31, 2017, the annual World No Tobacco Day. (more) Czech government approves ban on smoking in restaurants and bars 3 June 2015 - The Czech government approved a draft bill to ban smoking in restaurants and bars and move the country into line with restrictions in place in much of the European Union. The proposed Czech legislation would follow that and introduce a ban on smoking, including e-cigarettes, at concerts and other indoor entertainment and sports facilities. (more) Czechs honour Sir Nicholas Winton for trains evacuating children 28 October 2014 - The President of the Czech Republic awarded a Briton his country's highest state honor for organizing a mass evacuation of children to save them from Nazi death camps. Sir Nicholas Winton received the Order of the White Lion from President Milos Zeman at a ceremony Tuesday at Prague Castle. Accepting the award, the 105-year-old Winton said he was delighted to receive it. Winton had arranged for eight trains to carry 669 children, most of them Jewish, from Czechoslovakia through Hitler's Germany to Britain in 1939 at the outbreak of World War II. Winton's story did not emerge until 1988. (more) Czech zoo burns rhino horns to help save endangered species 21 September 2014 - A Czech zoo burned around 60 kilograms (132 pounds) of rhino horns on Sunday, part of an international campaign designed to highlight the plight of a species being driven towards extinction by poachers. The Dvur Kralove zoo, some 150 km (90 miles) north-east of Prague, organized the burning on the eve of World Rhino Day on 22 September. The international event was first announced in 2010 in South Africa, home to most of Africa's surviving rhinos. (more) Czech Republic: Sandstone shapes 'forged by gravity' 21 July 2014 - Geologists have discovered the secret that gives dramatic natural sandstone monuments their shape: gravity. By studying cubes of sand in the lab, they showed that areas squeezed by vertical stress are protected from erosion, while others wash away. The key to the experiments, published in Nature Geoscience, was an unusual 'locked sand' dug from a Czech quarry. The study's first author, Dr Jiri Bruthans from Charles University in Prague, said the new study revealed the 'Michelangelo' behind some of the world's most famous rocky landmarks. (more) As recovery takes hold, Czech companies' optimism builds 8 June 2014 - Czech companies are growing more confident and slowly starting to look at new investment as a succession of strong data shows the beaten-down economy is beginning to spring back. A year after the central European country climbed out of a record-long recession, Czech consumers are regaining confidence and some firms are planning to increase production and take on new workers. (more)
Success of Maharishi's Programmes Short Summaries of Top Stories Transcendental Meditation in Czech Republic and Slovakia 25 February 2014 - The Album of Events page of Global Good News is currently featuring a series of photos about the Transcendental Meditation programme in the Czech Republic and Slovakia. The activities of two new teachers of Transcendental Meditation, one in each country, have led to more interest in the technique, especially among young people. Group practice of Transcendental Meditation is ongoing in Prague, and also in Miroslav in South Moravia. Scientific research has shown that groups of people practising Transcendental Meditation and its advanced programmes contribute to increased coherence and positive trends in society, and decreased social stress, crime, and violence. (more) Czech Republic and Slovakia: Young people drawn to learning Transcendental Meditation 21 July 2013 - New opportunities are arising for people to learn Transcendental Meditation in central and southern Europe, and the meditation technique is becoming increasingly popular. Young people are coming to the Czech Republic from abroad to learn Transcendental Meditation, which is publicized on the programme's national website and on Facebook. During the past year seminars and courses were held in the eastern part of the Czech Republic, near the border with Slovakia, and also in Slovakia itself. (more) Czech Republic: New resources of knowledge about Transcendental Meditation 19 July 2011 - In the Czech Republic, many new resources of knowledge about the Transcendental Meditation Technique and related programmes have become available in the past year. Books by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi have been translated and published in the Czech language; online resources include new websites featuring benefits of the technique for ADHD and PTSD. (more) Czech Republic: 2010 a year of expansion of Maharishi's programmes 13 January 2011 - 2010 was a year of expansion for the programmes of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi in the Czech Republic. Media reports, other publications, and online information inspired more people to learn the Transcendental Meditation Programme; veterans and government officials learned about the benefits of Transcendental Meditation in the field of defence and for alleviating Post-Traumatic Stress; and women had the opportunity to attend several continuing education seminars. (more) Czech Republic: Transcendental Meditation grows in popularity, Maharishi's lectures translated 27 March 2009 - In 2009, the number of people learning Transcendental Meditation in the Czech Republic has risen significantly. In addition, there is great appreciation for newly translated video knowledge and lectures by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. (more) Global Country of World Peace mobilizing to create invincibility in Bosnia-Herzegovina and Czech Republic 20 June 2008 - Dr Bjarne Landsfeldt, Raja [Administrator] for the Global Country of World Peace for Bosnia-Herzegovina and the Czech Republic, spoke recently during Maharishi's Global Family Chat on the progress of creating invincibility in these countries. (more) Czech invincibility project could benefit from European Union development initiative 18 September 2007 - Regional government is working with the Global Country of World Peace in the Czech Republic to secure European Union (EU) support for a large health spa and congress facility at the centre of the country. (more) Leaders of the Global Country of World Peace in Czech Republic report steady progress 27 July 2007 - In the Czech Republic, leaders of the Global Country of World Peace are moving steadily ahead to implement Consciousness-Based Education, while in the field of health care, Maharishi's Vedic Approach to Health becomes more widely known. (more) Czech Republic: Invincibility through Education 8 March 2007 - Under the inspiration of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, a new educational institution is being founded in Prague, Czech Republic, based on Maharishi's Consciousness-Based approach to learning, offering total knowledge of Natural Law. (more) Czech Republic President and Prime Minister contacted by Global Country of World Peace 28 January 2007 - The offices of the President and Prime Minister of the Czech Republic in Prague have received letters from the Global Country of World Peace informing them of the intention to create instant invincibility for their nation by bringing a group of Yogic Flying Vedic Pandits to create coherence in national consciousness. (more)
Flops Short Summaries of Top Stories Report: Internet attacks against Czech Jews rise 5 May 2014 - A new study by Prague's Jewish community released on Monday registered a significant increase of attacks against Jews on the Internet for the second straight year. The annual report on anti-Semitism said the number of Internet attacks, including texts, photos, and videos, jumped to 156 in 2013 from 82 in 2012. The report said the pro-Israeli stance of the Czech government was among the reasons for the attacks. Also Monday, police said they broke up a Czech branch of an alleged Russia-based neo-Nazi organization known as Wotan Jugend. In a statement, spokeswoman Andrea Zoulova said the local branch was established by a 21-year-old foreigner of unspecified origin, and a total of five people are under investigation in the case. They face up to five years in prison if tried and convicted of racism. (more) Czechs bet heavily on nuclear power 8 October 2011 - Defying growing global skepticism over the use of atomic energy, the Czech Republic is planning to dramatically increase the country's nuclear power production -- a move that would give the country a place among Europe's most nuclear-dependent nations. The Czech plan reflects a sharp division over nuclear use among European nations, and relations with neighbouring countries that have decided to go nuclear free could be seriously harmed. A trio of big players, including U.S.-based Westinghouse Electric Co., are already bidding to win a lucrative multibillion tender to build two more reactors at the Temelin plant. 'We consider that what happened in Fukushima did not, by any means, put into question the arguments for nuclear energy,' President Vaclav Klaus said at the UN last month. (more) Czech government faces no-confidence vote 24 March 2009 - Czech Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek's minority centre-right administration faced a vote of no confidence on Tuesday that could force it out of office and undermine policymaking during the global economic downturn. The Czech vote comes just days after Hungarian Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsany said he would step down and after governments fell in Iceland and Latvia under the strain of the economic crisis. The Czech economy has suffered from a slump in exports, and figures released on Monday showed industrial output fell by 23.3 per cent in January. The crown traded at 27.05 to the euro on Tuesday, down 1.5 per cent since the political crisis blew up, but beating other currencies in central Europe. It has gained 10 per cent from this year's low seen in mid-February. (more) Gypsy kids herded into Czech schools for disabled 17 November 2008 - Roma children face severe discrimination in the Czech Republic and are still being segregated into schools for those with mental disabilities, a rights group said. The charge comes a year after the European Court of Human Rights demanded that the country stop the practice. Czech Education Minister Ondrej Liska said it could take three to five years to solve the problem but admitted that the children of Roma, or Gypsies, 'are not less talented and do not have fewer abilities than the others.' Rights advocates said, however, that officials at all levels are reluctant to address the issue. Roma are one of Europe's largest, poorest, and fastest-growing minorities. An estimated 7 million to 9 million live in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Bulgaria, Romania and other countries. They remain at risk of social exclusion, despite Government programs to integrate them. (more) Czech Republic: City bids to be global biotech hub 4 September 2008 - Officials from Brno, a 13th-century Czech city where Gregor Mendel pioneered the field of genetics some 150 years ago, hope to nurture their own biotech revolution by turning it into a modern biotech hub and attract firms eager to tap into a skilled work force, even as a strong currency drives up costs and wages. The Government plans to invest some $500 million (281 million pounds) to support four potential projects. Global biotech sales grew by 12.5 per cent in 2007 to more than $55 billion. Ten years ago, biotechnology was virtually non-existent in Eastern and Central Europe, but skilled workforces and relatively low costs helped incubate the industry in countries like the Czech Republic, Hungary, and Poland. The fledgling International Clinical Research Centre is located near the 14th-century abbey where Mendel's experiments with plants started the gene revolution that gave the world biotech drugs and genetically modified crops. (more) Czech Republic: Prime Minister says the government could fall this year 7 June 2008 - The Czech Republic's ruling coalition may collapse by the end of the year unless it can overcome infighting and push ahead with reforms, Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek said. Infighting both among and within the Civic Democrats and their governing partners, the Green Party and the Christian Democrats, have compounded defeats at the hands of the Socialist Democrat-led opposition and the country's courts to bring the reform drive to a halt. (more) Czech Republic: Prime Minister says US radar deal almost ready 31 March 2008 - An agreement on building part of a US missile defence shield in the Czech Republic is almost ready for signing, Czech Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek was quoted as saying on Monday. Russia has fiercely opposed the plan, which would site US military installations in its Soviet-era satellite states, and views it as a threat to its security. (more) Czech Republic in favour of hosting US missile system 19 February 2007 - Poland and Czech Republic are in favour of hosting a proposed US missile defence system, the Czech premier said Monday after meeting with his Polish counterpart. The US plans have drawn the ire of Russia, which says such a missile defence could disturb the balance of power in the region and fuel a new arms race. (more) Czech leadership in limbo after talks collapse 14 April 2005 - A deal that would have let the Czech Republic's scandal-tainted prime minister resign to make way for a new government collapsed Thursday, leaving the leadership of the central European country in limbo. (more) Czech Prime Minister to Quit Over Scandal 9 April 2005 - Czech Prime Minister Stanislav Gross said Saturday he would resign and make way for a new coalition government because of a scandal surrounding the financing of his luxury apartment. Gross did not specify a date for his resignation, but he said the Czech ambassador to the European Union, Jan Kohout, was his Social Democrat Party's candidate to replace him. (more)