The Daily Dozen: 12 things to know about Czechia today

Wolt revolt|Dozens of couriers from the delivery company Wolt gathered on Wenceslas Square in Prague on Wednesday morning to demonstrate against pay cuts and downsizing, Novinky.cz reports. Protest organizers said that after accounting for inflation, couriers' income fell by up to 50 percent. In response, Wolt said it had changed its compensation model to achieve a fairer royalty rate.

New U.S. ambassador|The new American ambassador, investor Bijan Sabet, arrived in the Czech Republic on Tuesday and will have meetings at the embassy Wednesday, embassy spokesman Griffin Rozell has told ČTK. Czech Presidential Office protocol head told Czech Radio on Tuesday that Sabet will be one of the ambassadors to present their credentials to outgoing President Miloš Zeman on Feb. 15. Read more about Sabet in our article.

ATM network|Starting today, Air Bank and UniCredit Bank will join the network of ATMs of Komerční banka and MONETA Money Bank. In addition to immediate benefits for customers, who will have more widely available options for withdrawals, the initiative will reduce the energy consumption and other costs required to operate separate ATM networks for the four banks. Read more in our story.

New tram routes|Prague is considering restoring tram service into Stromovka park by extending the existing tracks to reach a restaurant in the park. The extension of the line would make Stromovka more accessible to the elderly and people with limited mobility. The idea, however, has sparked mixed reactions among residents of Prague 7 over social media. Read more in our article.

HIV cases|The number of new HIV cases in Czechia last year was the highest since 1985, when statistics began to be kept. Laboratories found 292 cases, six more than in the previous worst year of 2016. Data from the the National Reference Laboratory for HIV/AIDS of the State Health Institute shows that over half of them were from foreigners. Read more in our article.

Taiwan|Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies Markéta Pekarová Adamová announced today plans to visit Taiwan at the end of March, together with a delegation of entrepreneurs, representatives of cities, and scientific research and educational organizations, ČTK reports. The newly elected president of the Czech Republic, Petr Pavel, had a call with the Taiwanese president, Chai Jing-wen this Monday, which drew criticism from the Chinese side.

Urban poet|The city of Prague has a new person fulfilling the role of the official urban poet, Seznam Zprávy reports. Poet Petr Borkovec was nominated three times for the Magnesia Litera award, translates poetry from Russia and ancient classics, and also writes prose. The Poet of Prague should "make poetry visible in the everyday life of the inhabitants," according to the Prague City of Literature website. 

Prague living|What is it like to live in a flat in Prague and how do apartment prices and sizes in the Czech capital compare to those in Munich, Warsaw, or Brussels? A new exhibition at the Center for Architecture and Metropolitan Planning (CAMP) answers these questions via original photos, a wealth of statistics, and much more. Read more in our article.

Yoga for English speakers|A Czech-developed yoga platform has started offering courses in English, Czech Crunch reports. Founder Pavol Hudran says that, in addition to yoga, Vivido also offers breathing lessons or other relaxation and mindfulness techniques. Its current selection includes over 600 yoga lessons and courses, out of which a third are already available in English.

Stay healthy in winter|At the height of flu, RSV, and coronavirus season, strengthening immunity is now more important than ever to keep illness at bay. A sufficient amount of vitamins and trace elements, found in foods that are part of Czech diets, plays a key role in the proper functioning of the immune system. Read more in our article.