Poland holds public memorial for crash victims

Church bells pealed and emergency sirens blared across Poland at 8:56 am (0656 GMT) Saturday to mark the minute a week earlier that a plane crashed as it attempted to land in Russia, claiming the life of Polish President Lech Kaczynski, his wife and 94 others.

Thousands of Poles massed in Warsaw's Pilsudski Square for a public memorial service for the victims. But some world leaders canceled their attendance at a state funeral Sunday, citing the volcanic ash cloud hanging over Europe, leaving numerous airports closed. The crash plunged Poland into a deep grief not seen since the death of Pope John Paul II five years ago. (AP)