Slovakia’s president is cutting short a trip to Asia to return home to help solve a political crisis after parliament refused to endorse more powers for an EU bailout fund and the government collapsed.

Some 100,000 Poles filled Warsaw’s biggest public square today, joining together for a memorial and funeral Mass for the 96 people killed in a plane crash a week ago.

RICHARD ZEDNIK felt a stabbing pain in his neck and knew he had to get to the bench — fast.

Slovakia’s former authoritarian prime minister edged out the expected favourite in the presidential election and advanced to a second round against a former political ally, according to preliminary results released today.