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The Latest: Some Zeman supporters attack Czech reporters

PRAGUE (AP) - The Latest on the presidential election in the Czech Republic (all times local):

12 p.m.

Czech President Milos Zeman has never liked the media. Now, some of his friends or guards are following suit in the wake of his electoral triumph Saturday.

When a person collapsed in a Prague hotel where Zeman claimed victory in the presidential runoff, some people present first verbally, then physically, attacked the reporters who were covering the incident, television footage shows.

Among those attacked was Seznam television reporter Pavlina Kosova, who was recording it on her cellphone.

Seznam editor-in-chief Jakub Unger called the attack extreme. The station said that Zeman's spokesman, Jiri Ovcacek, sent a text message to the reporter, saying he felt sorry and condemning the attack.

Media are a constant target for Zeman. His first day in office five years ago, he said some of them "brainwash" and "manipulate public opinion." He later told Russia President Vladimir Putin during their meeting in China that there were too many journalists and some should be "liquidated."

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4:00 p.m.

Czech President Milos Zeman has been elected to a second five-year term after winning a runoff vote.

Nearly full results from the Czech Statistics Office on Saturday showed Zeman receiving 51.8 percent of the votes cast in the two-day second round election. His opponent, former Academy of Sciences head Jiri Drahos, had 48.2 percent.

Zeman is the country's third president, after Vaclav Havel and Vaclav Klaus, since Czechoslovakia was split in 1993. The 73-year-old former prime minister was elected in 2013 during the Czech Republic's first presidential election decided by voters, not lawmakers.

Since then, he has divided the nation with his pro-Russian stance and support for closer ties with China. Drahos, a 68-year-old political newcomer, was viewed as more Western-oriented.

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3:00 p.m.

Czech President Milos Zeman is still leading in his country's presidential runoff with ballots from more than half of polling stations counted.

The Czech Statistics Office said Zeman had 55.9 percent of the vote with results from 50 percent of some 15,000 polling stations counted on Saturday. His opponent, former Academy of Sciences head Jiri Drahos had 45 percent.

The 73-year-old Zeman, a former left-wing prime minister, was elected in 2013 during the Czech Republic's first direct presidential vote.

Since then, he has divided the nation with his pro-Russian stance and support for closer ties with China. Drahos, a 68-year-old political newcomer, is seen as more Western-oriented.

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2:40 p.m.

Voting has ended in the runoff of the Czech Republic's presidential election, and early results show the anti-migrant incumbent taking a lead.

The Czech Statistics Office said President Milos Zeman had 57.1 percent of the vote with ballots from almost 15 percent of polling stations counted on Saturday. His opponent, former Academy of Sciences head Jiri Drahos, had 42.9 percent.

The 73-year-old Zeman, a former left-wing prime minister, was elected in 2013 during the Czech Republic's first direct presidential vote.

Since then, he has divided the nation with his pro-Russian stance and support for closer ties with China. Drahos, a 68-year-old political newcomer, is seen as more Western-oriented.

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1:55 p.m.

The Czech Republic's presidency is largely a ceremonial post, but among the office holder's key responsibilities is picking the prime minister after a general election.

That power was put on display this week as voters prepared to cast ballots in the second round of the country's presidential election.

The Czech government led by populist billionaire Andrej Babis resigned on Wednesday after failing to win a confidence vote. President Milos Zeman immediately asked Babis, his ally, to try again.

Zeman is seeking re-election in a runoff election that ends Saturday. He has said that even if he loses to challenger Jiri Drahos, he will swear Babis in as prime minister before his term expires on March 8.

The president also appoints members of the Central Bank board and selects Constitutional Court judges with the approval of Parliament's upper house.

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10:15 a.m.

Czechs are casting ballots for a second day in the presidential runoff, with the former head of the Academy of Sciences challenging the pro-Russian incumbent.

President Milos Zeman and Jiri Drahos advanced to the second round of voting after none of the nine candidates seeking the largely ceremonial post received a majority in the first round two weeks ago.

Zeman, 73, is favored to win another five-year term but polls suggest a tight race in the ballot that ends Saturday.

Since he was elected in 2013, Zeman has divided the nation with his pro-Russian stance and support for closer ties with China. The former left-leaning prime minister has become known for his strong anti-migrant and anti-Muslim rhetoric.

Drahos, 68, a political newcomer, is seen as more Western-oriented.

Czech Republic's President Milos Zeman, center, accompanied by his wife Ivana leaves the polling station after casting his vote during the second round of Presidential elections in Prague, Czech Republic, Friday, Jan. 26, 2018. The pro-Russian incumbent Zeman faces the former head of the Academy of Sciences Jiri Drahos in the Czech Republic's tight presidential runoff vote. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek) The Associated Press
Czech Republic's President Milos Zeman accompanied by his wife Ivana casts his vote during second round of Presidential elections in Prague, Czech Republic, Friday, Jan. 26, 2018. The pro-Russian incumbent Zeman faces the former head of the Academy of Sciences Jiri Drahos in the Czech Republic's tight presidential runoff vote. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek) The Associated Press
Czech Republic's presidential candidate Jiri Drahos casts his vote during second round of presidential elections in Prague, Czech Republic, Friday, Jan. 26, 2018. Drahos, the former head of the Academy of Sciences is challenging incumbent Milos Zeman in a presidential runoff Jan. 26 to 27, 2018. (Ondrej Deml/CTK via AP) The Associated Press
Czech Republic's President Milos Zeman casts his vote during second round of Presidential elections in Prague, Czech Republic, Friday, Jan. 26, 2018. The pro-Russian incumbent Zeman faces the former head of the Academy of Sciences Jiri Drahos in the Czech Republic's tight presidential runoff vote. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek) The Associated Press
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