Slovak president on the mend

The Slovak president, Rudolf Schuster, has resumed some of his official duties, while convalescing at a clinic at Innsbruck, in neighbouring Austria.

In a message broadcast by Bratislava Radio he thanked the clinic for, as he put it, saving his life, after he suffered a perforated intestine in Bratislava. He also thanked the Austrian president, Thomas Klestil and the many well-wishers who had written to him. Mr Schuster said he'd restarted work by officially approving some appointments and he looked forward to resuming his full duties as soon as possible.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service