EXIT polls in Poland’s presidential election last night show that the interim president and parliament speaker Bronislaw Komorowski is leading Jaroslaw Kaczynski, the brother of the president killed in a plane crash in April, but without the 50% needed for outright victory.

More than two months after Poland’s president was killed in a plane crash, Poles are voting today to choose his successor – and polls show that his surviving twin brother faces an uphill battle in defeating the favourite despite a recent surge in sympathy for him.

Polish opposition party leader Jaroslaw Kaczynski is to stand in the presidential election called after his twin brother was killed in a plane crash.

AN ELABORATE state funeral for Poland’s President Lech Kaczynski and his wife, Maria, was held yesterday bereft of many world leaders whose travel plans were paralysed by the plume of volcanic ash that has covered Europe.

An elaborate state funeral for Poland's President Lech Kaczynski and his wife, Maria, began today bereft of many world leaders whose travel plans were paralysed by the plume of volcanic ash that has covered Europe.

The bodies of President Lech Kaczynski and his wife were flown from Warsaw to Krakow today for burial among Polish kings and poets at a tradition-laden ceremony that will be bereft of many world leaders whose travel plans were paralysed by a plume of volcanic ash.

THE body of President Lech Kaczynski was returned to Poland yesterday where it was greeted by grieving dignitaries and thousands of Poles lining the route from Warsaw’s airport to the presidential palace.