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Talking PointChildren torn between two people, two homelands, two cultures
Six year old Sara Barao is home from Portugal. She arrived as she left -
followed at every step by photographers and television crews honing in on
a personal tragedy. At four Sara's childhood turned into a nightmare as
her Portuguese father and Czech mother broke up and fought a stormy battle
over custody rights. When her mother lost the court case two years ago -
she and Sara went into hiding. But, at the end of 2006 the authorities
caught up with them and Sara underwent the traumatic experience of having
her parents physically fight over her in the street. She was taken to
Portugal and it seemed that the case was closed. But then came the news
that Sara had stopped eating and communicating. Her mother was quickly
summoned and it was only then that her parents reached an agreement -
opening the way for her to return to the Czech Republic with her mother.
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Talking PointCustody battles - fathers claim discrimination
All around the world, divorces are no longer rare and ever more children
are caught up in fierce custody battles. Last week, Radio Prague reported
about a case in which ten year old Honza had a nervous breakdown after his
desperate father, who had not seen him for two years despite having
visiting rights, picked him up at school, accompanied by a bailiff and a
social worker. The case resulted in much discussion on whether it was
right to take such a drastic step. It may have been within the law but
were the child's feelings considered? A legitimate question which should
be followed by another, what should the father have done instead? A judge
had allowed him to see his son two years ago but the boy's mother
prevented them from ever meeting and the courts then did nothing.
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MagazineMagazine
A Czech town declares war on bureaucrats, on average every tenth child born
in the Czech Republic has a different biological father than presumed, and
a man gets one million crowns in compensation for unwittingly fathering
twins- find out more in this week's Magazine with Daniela Lazarova.
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Current AffairsChildren as pawns in messy divorce cases
The story of a ten year old boy who had a nervous breakdown because his
parents were fighting over him has shocked the nation and highlighted the
plight of children caught up in messy divorce cases. Ten year old Honza is
now in hospital recovering from shock after his father arrived in school
with a bailiff and social worker to enforce his visiting rights.
Psychologists say his relationship with both parents may be irrevocably
damaged. A shocking story that has left many people wondering how much of
this actually goes on in a country with an exceptionally high divorce
rate. Jarmila Knight from the Our Child Foundation is an expert on
children's rights.
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Press ReviewPress Review
As the second anniversary of the September 11th terrorist attacks against
US targets draws near, the papers are devoting an increasing amount of
space to the fight against terrorism. Lidove Noviny has a front page
report on US president George Bush's speech to the nation and his plans to
ask Congress for more billions for the war against terrorism.
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