American beer is just filthy water

The Czech president Milos Zeman eulogized his country’s trademark beverage, while insulting US beer as “filthy water” during a presidential business summit in the Central Asian republic of Kazakhstan. Asked about which beer is the best in the world, by the longtime Kazakhstan President Nursultan Nazarbaev, Zeman did not hesitate. “We have built several breweries here already. We might make good planes, cars or other products, but most importantly, never forget - Czech beer is the best in the world,” said the 70-year-old.

“No American company that offers some filthy water instead of beer, can compete with us.” The patriotic leader has been entrusted with concluding $450 million worth of business deals between the Central Asian republic and Prague during a two-day business forum that finishes on Tuesday. Zeman’s unsolicited sentiments may offend US brewers, but this is far from the most controversial statement the politician, elected last year, has made in the past few weeks.

Earlier this month, the Russian-speaking President gave a profane interview on Czech radio, calling the Russian protest group Pussy Riot, “f****d up” and “b*****s”, and translating their name into Czech as “c***s.” After claiming that police force used to put down pro-democracy demonstrations in 1989 did not constitute a massacre, Zeman was pelted with eggs by a crowd holding red cards in Prague, during last week’s 25-year anniversary of the beginning of the fall of Communism in the country.

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Czech finance minister gets envelope of deadly poison

An envelope mailed to the Czech Republic’s finance minister contained poison, the second such case in a week, an official said Monday. Tests conducted on the suspicious envelope to minister Andrej Babis detected “a deadly amount of a dangerous poison,” according to Radek Pokornik, a spokesman for the National Institute for Nuclear, Chemical and Biological Protection. Pokornik declined to give further details about the letter received Thursday, citing a police request.

Tests conducted by the institute found that an envelope mailed to Interior Minister Milan Chovanec on Tuesday contained a life-threatening amount of cyanide-like material. Both envelopes were intercepted before anyone could be exposed. Pokornik said another suspicious envelope mailed to the presidential office last week did not contain poison.

It was not immediately clear why the two ministers were targeted, but Chovanec said that could be related to his government’s crackdown on illegal drugs or its assistance to the Kurdish military in its battle against ISIS militants in Iraq. In September, the Czech Foreign Ministry, the Cabinet ministers’ building, and the presidential office also received suspicious letters, but they contained no poison, officials said.

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Exorcism performed on woman in Czech Republic church is secretly filmed

An exorcism caught on camera, filmed through the keyhole of a church in the Czech Republic, is a genuine act, church officials confirmed. The film shows a woman said to be possessed by the devil is heard screaming as a religious 'cleansing ritual' is performed. The exorcism, carried out in a Roman Catholic Church in Vranov nad Dyji, southern Czech Republic, was secretly filmed and posted on YouTube. Daniel Trochta told local media how he sneaked up to the door after hearing the screaming to film the secret process through a keyhole of the church.

He then posted the almost two-minute long video which shows a group of  people standing close to the church's altar, while a woman can be heard screaming and crying while shouting swear words. The video is captioned 'Evocting devil (exorcism) Vranov nad Dyji' and was originally posted on YouTube in February, but was largely ignored until the church confirmed this week that it was genuine. The author wrote: 'I filmed it through a keyhole. I suggest that you use headphones while watching it.' Catholic Church priest Marek Dunda, confirmed that the alleged exorcism was genuine, but declined to comment further saying: 'If something is filmed through a keyhole, there is nothing more to say about it.'

He explained he couldn't comment in more detail about what exactly happened beyond the door. 'We were asking God to protect and to liberate the person. We used a Latin prayer asking for a help. Of course it helps. ‘The exorcist also declined to reveal the identity of the woman, saying details about her condition. However locals are unhappy about the exorcism ritual is being carried out in the church, saying that the noises from those affected including shouting and screaming was terrifying. Iveta Pecharova said: 'I don't agree with it. It has happened more than once and the noise has been heard very far from the church.' Marie Brozkova said: 'I am a believer, I go to church and I believe that if our priest does it then it must be right.' Mayor of the town of Vranov nad Dyji said: 'I have asked about it. The priest hasn't done anything illegal.'