The Daily Dozen: 12 things to know about Czechia today

Anti-government protests | Hundreds of people rallied on Saturday against the Czech government in Prague’s Letná park. The march, which was organized by the National Recovery Council, was a chance for people to voice their anger against the rising cost-of-living environment, as well as over-dependence on foreign companies. Read more here.

Shooting for the stars | The Czech contribution to investments in the space programs of the European Space Agency will increase by CZK 60 million this year, ČTK reports, citing Transport Minister Martin Kupka. This will in turn increase the total Czech contribution to EUR 62 million (about CZK 1.6 billion) per year, and – in the words of Kupka – strengthen the position of Czech companies in the field.

Ski prices go up | Ski passes in the Czech Republic will cost between 10 and 15 percent more this year, Seznam Zprávy reports. Despite fears of bankruptcies due to higher operation costs, local ski operators managed to weather the storm in time for the start of the winter season. Some ski resorts, such as in Lipno, said they were expecting the same number of visitors this season as before the Covid-19 pandemic.

Beware of Monday mornings | Most work-related accidents happen on Monday morning before 11 a.m., iDnes reports, citing a press release of the State Labor Inspection Office (SÚIP). The average number of accidents in the country every year, according to SÚIP, usually stands at over 40,000. In the last two years, the numbers were lower by about 4,000-5,000, due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Alopecia awareness | An exhibition of photos organized by the Hummingbirds Help non-governmental organization aims to raise awareness about diseases that lead to hair loss, such as alopecia, ČTK reports. Called "Poselství" (which means "message" in Czech), the exhibition consists of 22 portraits taken by photographer Vendula Fantová, which are on display in several Prague locations, along with a QR code that offers more information about the photos and their message.

Football and women | The remark of a Česká televize (ČT) commentator that the observations of a female football fan were “a very high-quality assessment for a woman” has sparked debate about the inclusiveness and equality of Czechia’s national television broadcaster. Although ČT pundit Pavel Čapek made an attempt to apologize, this opened the door to a debate about sexism in the Czech workplace. Read more here.

Austrian strike | A railway strike that takes place today for 24 hours in Austria has so far had no impact on the timetable of trains in the Czech Republic, railway operator České dráhy tweeted. RegioJet, another major train operator in the country, said that it would notify the passengers of any changes in advance by taxt message or e-mail, and that it would put at their disposal replacement bus transport if a train is canceled.

Kupka in the spotlight | A painting by Czech pioneer of abstract art František Kupka sold in an auction yesterday for CZK 42 million, including the surcharge, ČTK reports. "White Horse," which shows a landscape from Kupka's stay in the French region of Brittany, is part of his transitional period towards abstract art. More than 200 works of art were auctioned at the Kodl Gallery auction held in Prague's Žofín.

Birth of a Czech landmark | On Nov. 28, 1931, Czech media entrepreneur Miloš Havel founded the Barrandov studios in Prague. In the decades that followed, the film studio grew into one of the largest in Europe, as well as being the largest in the Czech Republic. Thanks to the number of international productions that were shot there, it earned the nickname "Hollywood of the East."