1 Slovakia killings: A total of 70,000 euros ($81,000) was paid for the contract slayings of a Slovak investigative journalist and his fiancee, authorities said Monday. Four suspects have been charged by police with murder in the case. Jan Kuciak and Martina Kusnirova were shot dead in their home on Feb. 21. Authorities said they believed it was a contract killing linked to Kuciak’s work — he was investigating possible government corruption and ties between Slovak politicians and Italian mobsters. The killings triggered a political crisis that resulted in major protests, the dismissal of the national police chief and the government’s collapse.
