The Daily Dozen: 12 things to know about Czechia today

Pavel on Putin|Russian President Vladimir Putin's interpretation of what led to the war in Ukraine considerably differs from reality, Czech president-elect Petr Pavel told CNN’s Christiane Amanpour. In his traditional speech before the Russian federal assembly, Putin said the West unleashed the war in Ukraine and was trying to destroy Russia. Read more in our story.

War in Europe|Czech Chief of General Staff Karel Řehka said Tuesday that war in Europe “is not unthinkable” given the tense current geopolitical situation, and that the Czech army must be adequately prepared for the worst-case scenario. "Our sources of the long-time underfunded professional military and active reserves would definitely not suffice [for an international war]," Řehka said. Read more in our story.

UK plant|A subsidiary of Czech billionaire Daniel Kretinsky's energy company won a UK auction for a 15-year government subsidy for building a gas-fired plant, Bloomberg reports. EP UK Investments Ltd's provisional contracts to build units in Yorkshire, England, also include a grid-scale battery.

Road rules|Police in the Czech capital are cracking down on operators of shared bikes and scooters for violating the rules of the road. The most common offenses are driving on the sidewalk, disregarding traffic signs, driving on the crosswalk, and driving in the wrong direction. Read more in our article.

Planet spotting|Stargazers and keen astronomers will be able to observe Venus and Jupiter approaching each other today. The event will be visible from around 5 p.m. in Prague and will occur in the west-southwest of the sky. The Moon will also be visible between the planets, forming a triangle shape. The event will be most visible at 8 p.m. People will also be able to see Venus and Jupiter approaching one another at the beginning of March.

Czech Grand Design finalists|The Czech Grand Design Awards aim to put a spotlight on – and reward – the country's most talented creatives. This year a total of 80 contenders are vying to win a prestigious award in one of the eight categories of the awards. The victors will be announced in Prague on March 21, 2023. Read more in our article.

Days off|The Czech Republic's robust calendar of state holidays means that whatever your vacation agreements are with your employer, you're also guaranteed a number of days that allow you to switch off and recover. But days off aren't just necessary for relaxation, but also for life's joys (weddings, births), sorrows (illness, death), and other life-changing events. Read more in our article.

Hockey champions|On Feb. 22, 1998, thousands in Prague flocked to Old Town Square to watch a live stream of the men's ice hockey Olympic final in Nagano between Czechia and Russia, before jubilant celebrations in the capital (and across the country) following the Czech Republic's historic victory. The video, which also shows the winning goal, captures people's ecstasy in Prague in the late 1990s.