The Daily Dozen: 12 things to know about Czechia today

China and Taiwan|The Chinese embassy in Praguey sharply criticized Foreign Minister Jan Lipavský’s decision to meet yesterday with Tibetans who had been exiled from China. Tibet, which lies on the northern side of the Himalayas, is an autonomous region of China. Lipavský visited the region during a trip to India this week. Read more in our article.

Metro culture|Throughout this day, the middle carriage of the one of trains going on metro line A will transform itself into an art scene, with concerts, theater, dance, fine arts, and stand-up comedy acts planned as part of Prague Public Transit's project "You can't stop culture - Not in a subway, not in a crisis."

Art auction|A Czech painting formerly owned by James Bond actor Sean Connery sold for twice the estimated price at an auction in London. Czech artist František Kupka's painting “Complexe” sold for £4,646,000 pounds (almost CZK 123 million) at an auction of modern and contemporary art at Sotheby’s in London yesterday. Read more in our article.

AI book cover|An anthology of short stories published earlier this year became the first book in Czechia whose cover illustration was designed by AI, according to Deník N. Titled "Born in Horror and Blood," the book, which is available for purchase at Knihy Dobrovský, is a collection of short stories written by the winners of a competition for debut writers.

Prague at 1900|You can see what Prague looked like circa 1900 via prints in the U.S. Library of Congress. The color lithographs were sold as part of a set called "Views of the Austro-Hungarian Empire." The original black-and-white photos had color added in a process called Photochrom, an early variation on colorization. Have a look at the lithographs in our article.

Lost and found|The Prague Public Transit Company (DPP) has released a list of the most frequently lost possessions in 2022, including some particularly strange items featuring animals and instruments. Praguers most often misplaced bags, wallets, electronics, and personal documents such as ID cards, or passports. Read more in our article.

Snowboarding champion|Czech snowboarder Eva Adamczyková (née Samková) has become the world champion in snowboard cross for a second time. She dominated the field in the 2023 Freestyle Ski and Snowboard World Championships in Bakuriani, Georgia, winning all four races. Read more in our article.

Cooler weekend|Temperatures across Czechia will drop as the weekend approaches, and snow showers will happen in most areas, according to the Czech Hydrometeorological Institute. Daily highs will range from 2 to 6 degrees Celsius, while the lows will stay around freezing, and occasionally dip to -4 to -6 Celsius. Temperatures will remain in the same range at the start of the next week.

Office cleanout|President Miloš Zeman's spokesperson Jiří Ovčáček announced a sale of several objects from his office on Twitter. These include a typewriter, and several items bearing his resemblance, including a court jester, and a sheep. To take part in the sale, which ends tomorrow at noon, those interested should donate to any account to help Ukraine, and those pledging the highest gift will receive one of the artifacts.