The Daily Dozen: 12 things to know about Czechia today

Prepared for the worst | Minister of Labor and Social Affairs Marian Jurečka spoke yesterday about a potential draft legislation allowing companies access to a state subsidy on employees in the event of a gas shortage, ČTK reports. Although there was "no indication" that it would be needed in the near future, it could work as an insurance policy, pending approval from the European Commission, Jurečka added.

Commuters beware | The Central Bohemian Region plans to raise fares in order to offset higher electricity and fuel costs, ČTK reports. Central Bohemian representatives will approve the changes at the end of November, making them likely to come into effect in April. Short-term one-off fares are to increase from CZK 14 to 20 for a 15-minute ticket, while time coupons will increase by 5 percent.

Mature before their time | The Covid pandemic changed the values of people aged between 14 and 30, who prioritize family and personal relationships over work, Aktuálně.cz reports, citing the findings of a study from the German Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung Foundation conducted in Visegrad Four countries. Perhaps unsurprisingly, increased maturity came with more psychological problems, such as depression and anxiety.

Falling apart | A dispute over the tender for construction works at the Lednice castle could cost its administration CZK 150 million in EU funds, iDnes reports. A complaint from an unsuccessful bidder to the Office for the Protection of Economic Competition means that the castle is unable to meet the deadlines for a subsidy from the European Union's Integrated Regional Operational Program, which required construction works to be completed and approved by the end of 2023.

Spyware hub | The Czech Republic is one of the countries in Europe that facilitate business in Europe for representatives of the spyware industry, according to a report presented by the committee of the European Parliament last week. The report says that Prague hosts the European version of the spyware industry fair ISS World. Dubbed the "Wiretappers Ball," the event brings together thousands of industry professionals, law enforcement, hackers and entrepreneurs to shop the latest technology.

Tečka redux | The Tečka app, which the government created during the Covid pandemic, will be repurposed to alert people for upcoming vaccination dates, according to ČT24. The alerts will apply to all kinds of vaccines, for instance against Tetanus. Another potential addition to the app is a map of all Czech healthcare facilities with information on opening hours.

Off the shelf | The State Veterinary Administration (SVS) warned that 616 packages of infant formula contaminated with the Cronobacter bacteria reached Czech retail stores. The bacteria can cause a rare but serious disease in individuals with weakened immunity, such as premature children. The goat's milk powder infant formula is manufactured by Goldim and called Our Milk, and has a production date of February 26, 2022 and a best before date of October 31, 2023.

Travel to Switzerland | The Czech national rail operator announced last week a new sleeper train going from Prague to Zurich via Frankfurt and Basel, Euronews reports. Dubbed the "Canopus," the train leaves Prague at 6.25 p.m. to arrive in Zurich at 9:05 a.m. The new route launches on Dec. 11.

Tmavé Pivo alert | Lucky Envelope Brewing’s taproom is offering the Czech-Style Dark Lager Tmavé Pivo in a "cross-Atlantic collaboration of epic proportions," according to the Washington Beer blog. Lucky Envelope Brewing is an award-winning family friendly craft brewery located in Seattle, U.S. The project is a collaboration between them, Marcus Baskerville of Weathered Souls Brewing, renowned Czech beer expert and journalist Evan Rail, Bottleworks, and Annie Johnson.