Daily news summary

ANO would garner more than double votes of Social Democrats, poll suggests

ANO would come first in general elections with 33.5 percent of the vote, suggests an opinion poll conducted by TNS Aisa for Czech Television. Coalition leaders the Social Democrats would come second with 14 percent, indicates the survey conducted last month. The Civic Democrats placed third in the poll, with 9 percent of respondents saying they would vote for the right-wing party. They were followed by the Communists on 8.5 percent and the Christian Democrats with 7.5 percent.

Great Czech guitarist Radim Hladík dies at 69

The great Czech rock guitarist Radim Hladík has died at the age of 69. The one-time Prague Conservatory student was a member of the mid-1960s Prague band The Matadors with his friend Vladimír Mišík before the two later founded their best-known group, the jazz-influenced Blue (later Modrý) Effect, which Hladík led following Mišík’s departure. Radim Hladík relaunched Blue Effect in 2004 with younger musicians in 2004 and the group continued to perform until recently.

Czech train to be named after Closely Observed Trains maker Menzel

A Czech Railways train is to be named after Jiří Menzel, director of the Oscar-winning film Closely Observed Trains. The Prague to Beroun line will bear the filmmaker’s name from December 11, when a new annual timetable is published. Mr. Menzel is the first living person to receive such an honour, a spokesperson for Czech Railways said. At present 169 train lines are named after famous people or geographical phenomena, such as composer Antonínem Dvořákem or Mount Říp, and the list will be expanded by around 30 with the new timetable.

Study: 40 percent of Czech Republic experienced poor air quality in 2015

Air pollutant emissions levels were breached on around 40 percent of the territory of the Czech Republic last year, in large part due to extremely warm weather that led to higher concentrations of ground-level ozone and particulate benzo(a)pyrene, iDnes.cz reported on Sunday, citing an annual Ministry of the Environment report. However, the study found that the environment had not deteriorated, despite economic growth that led to increased construction work and energy consumption.

Zrzavý painting goes for CZK 13 million at auction

A painting by Czech 20th century painter Jan Zrzavý has sold at auction in Prague for almost CZK 13 million. Field on Ile de Sein II became the second most expensive work by the artist in the sale held by the Dorotheum auction house. Zrzavý’s painting was well received at a 1934 exhibition organised by Czechoslovak arts association Umělecká beseda before also finding success at an international show in Brussels the following year.

Koukalová wins pursuit at Biathlon World Cup in Sweden

Gabriela Koukalová came first in a pursuit event in the Biathlon World Cup in Sweden’s Oestersund on Sunday. Koukalová, who is 27, took the lead after her first shooting round and finished eight seconds ahead of second-placed Laura Dahlmeier of Germany. The Czech lifted the Crystal Globe for overall first place in the Biathlon World Cup last year under her maiden name of Soukalová.

Weather forecast

It should be partly fair on Monday with temperatures of around 0 degrees Celsius. Temperatures will rise toward the end of the week, when rain and snow are expected.