The Daily Dozen: 12 things to know about Czechia today

Czech brands|Czech online supermarkets Rohlík and Košík are planning to expand outside the Czech Republic, Reuters reports. While Rohlík is looking towards the German market, its rival Košík is expanding in Slovakia and Bulgaria. Only 10 percent of shoppers in Europe use online grocers, according to data from the McKinsey management consulting company, which makes the industry ripe for growth.

Turow mine|Poland has authorized prolonging coal mining in Turow, near the Czech border, until 2044, the Czech Environment Ministry confirmed to ČTK. Environmentalists criticized Poland’s decision, saying that allowing further extraction of lignite from the mine situated close to the Czech and German borders is based on a faulty environmental impact assessment. Read more in our article.

Czech architecture|The Boele architecture firm won a contest to transform Chomutov’s municipal spa into a new library and cultural centre, according to Architects' Journal. Founded in 2021 by architects Petr Šuma and Pavel Fajfr, Boele Architects already won several projects, including for a sports accommodation complex in the Czech town of Pelhřimov.

Birth certificates|Children of same-sex couples in Czechia are set to get new birth certificates that officially recognize their parents' true gender according to a recently announced government decree. The new decree is to come into force in July of this year. Read more in our story.

Application deadline|Today marks the deadline for applying for secondary schools and gymnasiums in the Czech Republic. This year according to data from the Ministry of Education, an estimated 106,000 pupils are studying in the final year of elementary schools, which is 33 percent more than a year ago. Read more in our article.

Plant-based milk|The Czech Ministry of Agriculture wants to prevent manufacturers of plant-based food from using the words of the products they imitate on their labels, citing a violation of EU regulations. One advocacy group, however, says that this will confuse consumers in Czechia. Read more in our article.

Healthier food|Officials from the Ministry of Agriculture want to improve the quality of fried foods available in Czech restaurants, Deník.cz reports. A proposal tightens the rules for frying and deep-frying, and prohibits the use of oil with a temperature of more than 180 degrees Celsius. Inspectors from the State Agricultural and Food Inspection found that, both in 2020 and 2021, the oil in frying equipment in every fifth inspected establishment was unfit for human consumption.

Hard riffs|The American band Five Finger Death Punch brings its heavy metal energy to the O2 arena on June 11. Since their debut in 2007, the band has had 28 Top 10 hits and 14 number-one singles, plus numerous awards and honors, including the prestigious Soldier Appreciation Award given by the United States Army Association that only Elvis Presley has previously received.

Prague neighborhoods|We'd like to know where you live in Prague, and what is good and bad about your neighborhood. Does it offer good transport links to the center, is it too expensive, does it get too noisy at night, and does it have nice parks nearby? Tell us everything in our neighborhood poll – why you like it, and what could be improved.