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Russia Today
30-05-2025
- Politics
- Russia Today
EU state sentences teacher for ‘pro-Russian' views
A Czech court has handed a former teacher a seven-month suspended sentence for expressing pro-Russian views during a school lesson, local media reported on Thursday. Martina Bednarova was also banned from teaching for three years and ordered to complete a media literacy course, according to the Ceska Justice news portal. The court reportedly said Bednarova misused her role by presenting 'misleading information' to students. The incident occurred in April 2022, shortly after the escalation of the Ukraine conflict, during a Czech language lesson at an elementary school in Prague. According to media reports, Bednarova described Russia's military action of Ukraine as a 'justified way of resolving the situation' and cast doubt on Czech television's coverage. She also said 'Nazi Ukrainian groups' had been killing Russians since 2014, seemingly referring to Ukrainian nationalist battalions, such as Azov, which Moscow has accused of committing atrocities against ethnic Russians in eastern Ukraine – a narrative disputed by Kiev and Western governments. Students recorded the class and alerted school officials, leading to Bednarova's dismissal. Judge Eliska Matyasova claimed Bednarova was not simply voicing personal views but delivering false information in a classroom where students could not question it. Bednarova said her remarks were part of a media literacy lesson and called the case politically driven. The verdict is not final, as she has the right to appeal. The District Court initially acquitted Bednarova twice, with an appeals chamber backing the second ruling on free speech grounds. In January, however, the Supreme Court overturned the decisions and ordered a new review to assess whether her actions met the criteria for a criminal offense. Prague has taken a strongly anti-Russian stance in recent years, especially in response to the Ukraine conflict, becoming one of Kiev's staunchest supporters. In its 2023 human rights report, the Russian Foreign Ministry labeled the Czech government's actions as 'Russophobic' and expressed concern over freedom of speech in the country. It also raised concerns over the functioning of media in the Czech Republic and noted what it called a steady drift toward anti-Russian sentiment. Russian will also be phased out as a second language by 2034 under new Czech education reforms, with students limited to German, French or Spanish. As of late 2023, over 40,000 Russian nationals lived in the country, making them the fourth-largest foreign community. The Czech Republic, once part of communist Czechoslovakia and a Soviet-aligned Eastern Bloc member, became independent in 1993 after the 1989 Velvet Revolution and the Soviet Union's collapse. Since then, the country has removed or altered hundreds of Soviet-era monuments, with another wave of removals following the 2014 Western-backed coup in Kiev and the escalation of the Ukraine conflict.
CBC
30-05-2025
- General
- CBC
Hide Search Search CBC Kids News SEARCH CBC Kids News Hot Topics Topics Settings MODE Hot Topics Light mode Wildfires Polls Sports Celebrities Canada-U.S. news Kids React Social Media Animals Space KID POVS Gaming KN Explains Extreme Nature Search Light mode WATCH — Heard the word propaganda? Let's break it down Published 2025-05-30 06:00 Aubrie Chan CBC Kids News Contributor Marielle Torrefranca Creative Producer Messages play on people's emotions Every once in a while, there's a word in the news that feels like it needs more explaining. CBC Kids News contributor Aubrie Chan uses her drawings to break it down for you. Have you seen the word 'propaganda' in news stories or posts online? Propaganda is a communications tool people use to change the way you think, act and feel. People often use it to manipulate others in a way that benefits a certain person, group or cause. So, how can you tell if you're looking at propaganda? CBC Kids News contributor Aubrie Chan breaks it down with her drawings. Watch the video to learn some tips to help you spot propaganda.⬇️⬇️⬇️ Want more media literacy-related content? Check out the stories below to learn more digital literacy skills: WATCH — Should you accept or reject website cookies? Here's what they are WATCH — Think you can spot a deepfake? WATCH — How to spot what's not real on TikTok WATCH — You spend how much time online? Kids and experts weigh in WATCH — A sneak peek into how we make explainer videos Have more questions? Want to tell us how we're doing? Use the 'send us feedback' link below. ⬇️⬇️⬇️ TOP IMAGE CREDIT: Aubrie Chan/CBC, graphic design by Philip Street/CBC Send us feedback Report a typo or inaccuracy Print Story Share to Google Classroom About the Contributor Aubrie Chan CBC Kids News Contributor Aubrie Chan is in Grade 12 and from Oakville, Ontario. She has an ever-changing set of hobbies, which currently include debate, animation and digital art, among other things. More Stories You Might Like 2023-11-08 06:00 WATCH — Heard of the word misinformation? Let's break it down 2023-11-08 06:00 WATCH — Heard of the word misinformation? Let's break it down 2023-11-08 06:00 WATCH — Heard of the word misinformation? Let's break it down 2023-12-20 06:00 WATCH — What are greenhouse gases? Let's break it down 2023-12-20 06:00 WATCH — What are greenhouse gases? Let's break it down 2023-12-20 06:00 WATCH — What are greenhouse gases? Let's break it down CBC Kids News Real kids, real news Privacy Terms of Use Copyright Policy Other Policies Contact Us Accessibility About Us About Cookies Feedback Form © 2025 CBC Kids News BACK TO TOP close this modal You are now leaving the CBC Kids News Website. Cancel Submit Cancel Submit close this modal
WATCH — Heard the word propaganda? Let's break it down Published 2025-05-30 06:00 Aubrie Chan CBC Kids News Contributor Marielle Torrefranca Creative Producer Messages play on people's emotions Every once in a while, there's a word in the news that feels like it needs more explaining. CBC Kids News contributor Aubrie Chan uses her drawings to break it down for you. Have you seen the word 'propaganda' in news stories or posts online? Propaganda is a communications tool people use to change the way you think, act and feel. People often use it to manipulate others in a way that benefits a certain person, group or cause. So, how can you tell if you're looking at propaganda? CBC Kids News contributor Aubrie Chan breaks it down with her drawings. Watch the video to learn some tips to help you spot propaganda.⬇️⬇️⬇️ Want more media literacy-related content? Check out the stories below to learn more digital literacy skills: WATCH — Should you accept or reject website cookies? Here's what they are WATCH — Think you can spot a deepfake? WATCH — How to spot what's not real on TikTok WATCH — You spend how much time online? Kids and experts weigh in WATCH — A sneak peek into how we make explainer videos Have more questions? Want to tell us how we're doing? Use the 'send us feedback' link below. ⬇️⬇️⬇️ TOP IMAGE CREDIT: Aubrie Chan/CBC, graphic design by Philip Street/CBC Send us feedback Report a typo or inaccuracy Print Story Share to Google Classroom About the Contributor Aubrie Chan CBC Kids News Contributor Aubrie Chan is in Grade 12 and from Oakville, Ontario. She has an ever-changing set of hobbies, which currently include debate, animation and digital art, among other things. More Stories You Might Like 2023-11-08 06:00 WATCH — Heard of the word misinformation? Let's break it down 2023-11-08 06:00 WATCH — Heard of the word misinformation? Let's break it down 2023-11-08 06:00 WATCH — Heard of the word misinformation? Let's break it down 2023-12-20 06:00 WATCH — What are greenhouse gases? Let's break it down 2023-12-20 06:00 WATCH — What are greenhouse gases? Let's break it down 2023-12-20 06:00 WATCH — What are greenhouse gases? Let's break it down Real kids, real news Privacy Terms of Use Copyright Policy Other Policies Contact Us Accessibility About Us About Cookies Feedback Form © 2025 CBC Kids News BACK TO TOP close this modal You are now leaving the CBC Kids News Website. Cancel Submit
ABC News
19-05-2025
- Entertainment
- ABC News
BTN Newsbreak 19/05/2025
MEDIA LITERACY PLAN The Aussie Curriculum is getting a bit of a shake up to help students develop a better understanding of media literacy. Sometimes it's easy to spot when something's fake, but other times, it can be really tricky. That's why Australia's national curriculum is getting some new lessons, all about helping students boost their media literacy to better understand, question, and create media and to spot things like misinformation and disinformation. Experts say these skills are especially important when big events are happening, like our most recent federal election. The classes will be woven into different subjects for kids all the way up to Year 10. To make sure young people can better understand the media they see everyday, and tell fact from fiction. YOUTH MYKI The Victorian government has announced it's making public transport free for everyone under 18 years old! Starting from the first of January next year, kids will be able to grab a "youth" myki card for free travel on trams, trains and buses every day of the week. The government says the move will help families save money. EUROVISION The Eurovision song contest has wrapped up for another year, with artist JJ from Austria taking home the title! Joe hit the streets to find out what people thought. MR BEAST IN TROUBLE First up, to Mr Beast! Who's found himself in a bit of hot water over his most recent YouTube video. You see, the production company behind the video got permission to film inside ancient Mayan temples in Mexico. Turns out, some officials weren't happy with some of the things Mr Beast did in the video, or claimed to do, like getting a helicopter ride from the top of a temple, flying a drone, and advertising his chocolate brand, claiming the permit didn't cover commercial filming. ALBO CAT GIFT Now to Indonesia, where the president's cat was getting comfy with our PM Anthony Albanese. Well, trying to get comfy. Mr Albanese had a special scarf to give Bobby the cat which says Australia loves Indonesia. GREAT WALL MARATHON And finally, to a marathon taking place at the Great Wall of China. More than 12 hundred runners from all over the world took part, with 340 of them running the full 42.2 kay course.
ABC News
17-05-2025
- Politics
- ABC News
New media literacy lessons aim to tackle crushing civics results
Australia's governor-general is on a mission to reverse declining civics scores among Australian students. She's driven by two factors: young people's poor understanding of how democracy works, and their lack of faith in our institutions — both at record lows. "I think misinformation and disinformation is the great scourge of our time," Her Excellency, the Honourable Sam Mostyn, said. But even for a trailblazing business leader with a lifetime of achievement, the task of improving young people's ability to engage in democracy is enormous — and the stakes even higher. "It's one of the things that can weaken us as a country. We don't want to have a generation coming through that don't understand how to access our civics, how to be participants as citizens," Ms Mostyn said. She plans to be a "visible" governor-general, and throwing her weight behind moves to improve civics knowledge will be a key part of that. One such move she's backed is a push to include more civics in the national curriculum. The ABC can reveal a new teaching model will be rolled out across Australian schools to counter poor results in recent civic exams and fight back against misinformation and disinformation. It will be woven into different subject areas and is part of Australia's first media literacy strategy announced in December. The move will complement other initiatives by the government, schools and other groups around the country. If the mission to improve civics understanding fails, the consequences will be felt not just by students leaving school but by the entire nation, according to Ms Mostyn. "I think there is [a lot at stake] if we are to be a truly great nation," Ms Mostyn said. For her, Australia's civic institutions and democratic history are the glue that unites Indigenous heritage, British colonialism and millions of new migrants. "A three-part braided story of our country: 65,000 years of attachment to this continent, with the longest ever continuous culture … the arrival of the British with these institutions that we still cherish. And then the last 50, 60 years of over 8 million now-Australian citizens coming from somewhere else," she said. Stirring words to inspire, but it's a story too few young Australians know about. Test scores released by ACARA (Australian Curriculum and Assessment Reporting Authority) this year showed that just 28 per cent of Year 10 students and 43 per cent of Year 6 students are proficient in civics. It's the worst result in 20 years of testing. "What we've seen is that trend continuing, but it has had a more steep decline," ACARA CEO Stephen Gniel, said. He said with fewer than one in three Year 10 students being proficient in civics, it's something "we need to take really seriously". One school taking it very seriously is Ambarvale High School. On the fringes of south-west Sydney, it lies in a fast-growing region where paddocks are quickly turning into housing development. It's the kind of place politicians love to visit at election time. Last year ACARA listed the school as one of its top-performing despite 87 per cent of students being ranked in the bottom half of educational disadvantage. The school is punching above its weight with civics studies by finding new ways to engage students in a subject kids can find dull. "A focus in my team is on getting kids involved in real-world examples. We've taken our kids to Parliament House, we've taken our kids to have a Q&A forum with the local member of Campbelltown, Greg Warren," head teacher Jo Novak said. "When we hold our general elections for senior leaders, we set up our voting booths and we have the kids do paper votes and cast it into a ballot box." But there's more to the problem than exposure to the mechanics of democracy. The ABC recently held a community engagement event at the school and the message from students was clear: adults are a big part of the problem. As non-voting observers of the recent federal election, these 15 to 17-year-olds were put off by the negativity on display and attempts to engage them on social media. "I thought anything on Instagram was insulting to younger generations," Alex said, speaking about the parties' social media campaigning. Her friends, who will all be voting at the next election, agreed. "A lot of the stuff online like TikTok, Instagram, was jokes and memes. Nothing really serious," Lili said. As well as better communication, they wanted to see meaningful policies for young people and were eager to be involved in civic life. "They do really question whether the political parties are taking their views on board," Ms Novak said. A recent senate inquiry into civics education and political participation found arming young people with the skills to weed out misinformation was critical. "Whether it's a news story, a television show, an online video or a social media post, our young people need to learn how to sort fact from fiction, and work out whether something is credible or not," Mr Gniel said. Brisbane State High School was an early adopter of explicit teaching of media literacy, designed to guide students through identifying misinformation and biases in traditional and new media. "Building the skills within a student to look at something and go, 'Can I trust that? Or what question should I ask first? Or who made that? And what vested interests do they have in it?'," teacher Aimee Gust said. Similar lessons will now be rolled out nationwide with ACARA unveiling a new teaching resource tomorrow called curriculum connections: media consumers and creators. The new national curriculum lessons will be available to teachers from kindergarten all the way though to Year 10. The key skills it will aim to equip students with include understanding and analysing contemporary media and creating media content. It also aims to empower students to be critical of media bias, understand misinformation and how to be ethical in sharing material online. Some experts though, like Trisha Jha from the Centre for Independent Studies, believe there is a case for broader reform of civics education. And ACARA's chief said changes in schools needed to be accompanied by work at home too, suggesting families chat about civics education and Australian democracy. "It's really important. We've just been through a great opportunity for those conversations, haven't we, with a federal election?" Mr Gneil said. It's a big task but the governor-general hopes to use high office to push for high-stakes change and is buoyed by the efforts of others. "I'm hugely optimistic. We have huge opportunity to strengthen our democracy," she said.
