The Daily Dozen: 12 things to know about Czechia today

Overall confidence in the Czech economy continued to drop in September, and reached the lowest level since the survey began in 2003, namely 90.1 points, the Czech Statistical Office (ČSÚ) reported. Compared to last month, consumers are more worried about the worsening of the overall economic situation and their own financial situation. The number of consumers who do not find the current time suitable for making large purchases has increased significantly, the ČSÚ added. On a brighter note, the number of respondents who rate their current financial situation as worse compared to the previous 12 months has decreased. 

Stores larger than 200 square meters will be closed on Sept. 28 due to the national holiday for St. Wenceslas, also called Statehood Day. The only exceptions are pharmacies, gas stations, and shops at airports, railway stations (including Prague’s Hlavní nádraží), and hospitals.

Prince Wenceslas, called Václav in Czech, was murdered in Stará Boleslav by his brother Boleslav I and his companions on Sept. 28 in the year 929 or 935 (historians disagree on the year). He is considered a saint in the Roman Catholic Church.

PPF heiress Renáta Kellnerová, with CZK 265 billion, heads the list of the richest Czechs and Slovaks, according to the Euro weekly. Real-estate tycoon Radovan Vítek, with CZK 170 billion, ranks second, while Karel Komárek, the owner of the KKCG financial group, moved into third place with CZK 155 billion. Former prime minister Andrej Babiš moved up to fifth place. The magazine said the 100 richest Czechs and Slovaks became richer by CZK 395 billion, or 23 percent.  

The world champion in Excel is a Czech 21-year-old student from Pardubice, Novinky.cz reports. Ondřej Cach beat over 1 million students aged 13 to 21 from 60 countries worldwide to win the Microsoft Office Specialist World Championship. Cach is the second Czech to ever win gold in the championship, after Jiří Houžvička in 2013. His CV includes other impressive Microsoft-related feats, such as the silver and gold medals for mastery of Microsoft PowerPoint and Microsoft Word in previous competitions.

Seventy years after its release, the "Proud Princess" (Pyšná princezna) remains the most-watched Czech movie of all time in domestic cinemas, according to Stars24.cz. The Union of Film Distributors says that 8.2 million people saw it in cinemas. The adaption of Božena Němcová's fairytale "Punished Pride" tells the story of Princess Krasomila, who initially refuses King Miroslav, just to find herself gradually changing her mind. Find out how well you know classic Czech films in our quiz!

A monument older than Stonehenge and the pyramids of Giza in Egypt was unearthed in the Vinoř district on the outskirts of Prague, the Institute of Archaeology of the Czech Academy of Sciences reported.

The Stone Age structure, which is estimated to be 7,000 years old, is called a roundel due to its circular shape. This one, which is 55 meters in diameter, is atypical because it has three entrances. The purpose of such structures is unknown, but the Institute of Archaeology suggested that the entrances of this one might correspond with the motion of celestial bodies.

Over a third of Czech women do not get regular preventive examinations for cervical cancer, even though the tests are easily available under the Czech healthcare system, the Czech News Agency (ČTK) reported. The most common reasons cited are fear of diagnosis and examination, or the lack of symptoms, according to a survey by the National Institute for Research on the Socio-Economic Impacts of Diseases and Systemic Risks. Regular screening has long been considered an effective method for early cancer detection, and for cutting down the numbers of cervical cancer deaths.

Malta's flagship airline will axe its connection to Prague over the winter, Airways.cz reports. Due to financial issues, Air Malta will significantly cut the number of connections it offers in the coming months. In addition to its flights to Prague, the airline will also stop offering flights to Berlin, Dusseldorf, and Geneva. At the moment, flights from Malta to Prague are available twice a week. However, Prague might be back on the company's list of destinations next year.

The international jury of the Serial Killer festival named the Czech production "Five Years" (Pět let) the best web series in Central and Eastern Europe, Czech television stated. Using the structure of a classic detective story, the 10-part Czech TV series centers on events at a prom night that later lead to rape allegations, told from the perspective of the two main characters. Starting today, the series is available in Czech to viewers on Czech Television's iVysílání platform.

Amazon took over a newly completed, energy-efficient warehouse in central Moravia. The e-commerce giant opened its first Czech warehouse in central Bohemia in 2015. The logistics hall at the Kojetín Industrial Park meets strict environmental requirements with regards to building sustainability, and the environmental impact of the construction process. Once its operations are in full swing, the warehouse could offer up to 2,000 jobs, and feature a special robotic unit to facilitate the work of employees.

The Czech coal mining regions of Karlovy Vary, Ustí nad Labem, and Moravia-Silesia will receive a total of EUR 1.64 billion, over CZK 40 billion, to facilitate their transition to clean energy. The money comes from the European Commission's Just Transition Fund (JTF), and covers the costs linked to the closures of coal mines and coal-fired power plants until 2033. Speaking today in Prague, Executive Vice-President for the European Green Deal Frans Timmermans said that, together with the Modernization Fund, the Czech Just Transition Plan will enable "a fair transition to climate neutrality."

The South Moravian police have issued several recommendations for mushroom pickers. Those keen on the beloved autumn tradition should inform someone about their intention to go mushroom picking, stick to well-known mushroom-picking spots, and carry a fully-charged phone for emergencies. The hotline 158 is the best resource for people who get lost in the woods. South Moravian police recently dealt with incidents involving three children and a 76-year-old man, all of whom got lost while mushroom picking, according to CNN Prima News.