The Daily Dozen: 12 things to know about Czechia today

Ukraine|Major General Karel Řehka, who is Chief of General Staff of the Czech Armed Forces, said that it is extremely important for the Czech Republic to help Ukraine not only for moral reasons but also in order to protect its own security. Řehka stressed that if Russia were to take Ukraine under its control, the Czech Republic would have to considerably bolster its defense spending. Read more in our story.

Investments|European Commission Recovery and Resilience Task Force head Celine Gauer praised the “significant investments” from the National Recovery Plan (NPO) in the education and healthcare systems are seen in the Czech Republic, during a conference on NPO projects yesterday, according to ČTK. Gauer also stressed the need to continue the reforms, given that the possibility to use the EU means in the NPO would end in 2026.

Michelin fee|Prague risks being take off the Michelin guide due to hesitations of state companies to pay the Michelin company that publishes the prestigious culinary guide, Seznam Zprávy reports. While the Czech Tourism agency will decide whether Czechia will pay the required amount of CZK 10 million crowns, the Ministry for Regional Development has the final say in the matter.

Bird census|More than 28,000 volunteers took part in a census organized by the Czech Ornithological Society (ČSO) between Jan. 6 and 8. During that time, they observed more than 517,000 birds. The most frequently observed bird was the great tit (Sýkora koňadra in Czech), followed by the Eurasian blue tit (Sýkora modřinka), common blackbird (Kos černý), Eurasian collared dove (Hrdlička zahradní) and Eurasian tree sparrow (Vrabec polní).

Wolf in recovery|Although experts doubted its chances of survival, an injured wolf made a surprising recovery and is once again wandering in its natural habitat in the mountains near the Czech-German border. The first recovery of its kind in Czechia, this was a learning experience for conservation groups now better prepared to handle a similar incident in the future. Read more in our story.

Holocaust commemoration|Representatives of European Jewish communities and politicians from European countries met Tuesday in Terezín, the former wartime Jewish ghetto in northern Czechia, to remember victims of the Holocaust and vow to fight against anti-Semitism. Gidon Lev, a Czechoslovak native and one of the few child survivors of the Terezín ghetto. Read more in our story.

Generous donations|After announcing on Facebook that they returned CZK 300,000 to the Agrofert Foundation, the Girasole Hustopeče hospice received almost CZK 3 million in donations in less than two days, Seznam Zprávy reports. The hospice justified the decision to return the money due to the Agrofert Foundation's affiliation with former Prime Minister Andrej Babiš, who was allegedly using such donations in the electoral campaign before the presidential elections.

New-old restaurant|A restaurant on the grounds of Prague Castle that closed in the summer of 2014 opened its doors to clients again this week. Outgoing president Miloš Zeman took part in the partial reopening of the famed Vikárka restaurant, which is located in a narrow lane around the corner from the Saint Vitus Cathedral. Read more in our story.

Oscar nominee|The anti-war film “All Quiet on the Western Front,” which was filmed in Czech locations, has garnered nine Oscar nominations. The nominations are for Best Picture, Best International Feature Film, Best Original Score, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Visual Effects, Best Cinematography, Best Production Design, Best Makeup and Hairstyling, and Best Sound. Read more in our story.