Daily news summary

Civic Democrats emerge as biggest winners of Senate elections

VVoting has ended in the second round of elections to a third of seats in the Senate. Voter turnout in the second round was considerable lower than in the first, with an estimated 16 percent of eligible voters taking part in the runoffs.

The Civic Democrats have emerged as the biggest winners. Ten of the party’s 11 candidates secured a seat, bringing the party total in the 81-member Senate to 16.

The party of Mayors and Independents, or STAN, won seven seats, increasing their overall number of senators to 17 and forming the largest senators’ group in the upper chamber.

The Social Democrats and the ruling ANO party are seen as the biggest losers in the senatorial elections. The Social Democrats, who were defending 13 seats in the upper chamber, managed to win just one. ANO has also secured only one seat, bringing the party total to seven.

The Communists failed to elect a representative in a Senate race for the first time since the upper chamber of Parliament was formed. Their only finalist, Milada Halíková lost with the Social Democrat candidate Petr Vícha in the region of Karviná.

Former presidential candidates Hilšer and Fischer elected to Senate

Former presidential contenders, Marek Hilšer and Pavel Fischer, both running as independent candidates, have been elected as the new senators in the second round of elections to the upper house of Parliament.

Czech doctor and political activist, Marek Hilšer defeated Libor Michálek of the Pirate Party in Prague districts 2 and 3.

Former diplomat Pavel Fischer won in Prague 12 over Eva Tylová, former head of the The Czech Environmental Inspectorate.

Another former presidential contestant, Jiří Drahoš, won his senate bid in the first round as an independent candidate running on the ticket of the Party of Mayors and Independents.

Christian Democrats suffer two major defeats in Senate elections

The Christian Democrats have suffered two major defeats in the Senate elections. The head of the party, Pavel Bělobrádek, lost against former police president Milan Červíček in the Náchod region.

Meanwhile, former culture minister Daniel Herman lost in the district of Havlíčkův Brod and Chrudim with the candidate of the Civid Democrats, Pavel Tecl. The only Christian Democrat candidate to secure a seat in the Senate is Jiří Čunek, current governor of the Zlín region, who was reelected to the upper chamber in the first round representing Vsetín.

At the Christian Democratic Party conference on Saturday, Pavel Bělobrádek announced that he would not defend his position as the party head, saying that the party would benefit from having a new leader.

Manuscript of Dvořák's famous Cello Concerto on display in New York

An exhibition featuring the manuscript of Antonín Dvořák's famous Cello Concerto in B minor, gets underway at the Czech Centre in New York on Saturday. The unique score, the last work Dvořák composed in America, will be on display in the U.S. for the first time ever.

The exhibition, which was prepared in collaboration with the National Museum in Prague, Carnegie Hall Archives, and the Czech Ministries of of Foreign Affairs and Culture,will run at the Czech Centre's Gallery until November 9.

Football: Czechs defeat Slovakia under new coach Šilhavý

The Czech international football team has won its first match under the newly appointed coach, Jaroslav Šilhavý. The Czechs defeated Slovakia 2:1 in the Nations League, a competition in which they lost their opening game against Ukraine. The Czech team is set to take on Ukraine again in Kharkov on Tuesday.

Plíšková books spot in Tianjin Open final

Czech tennis player Karolína Plíšková has booked a spot in the final of the Tianjin Open, after defeating Switzerland's Timea Bacsinszky, 6-2, 6-1 on Saturday, improving her hopes of qualifying for the WTA Finals in Singapore. The 26-year-old Czech will face Caroline Garcia of Spain in her fight for the third title of the season.

Weather

Sunday is expected to be mostly sunny with daytime highs ranging between 20 and 24 degrees Celsius.