An estimated 25m birds, from chaffinches to harriers, are being killed illegally around the Mediterranean each year, a study has shown.

Nine British soldiers are facing charges in Cyprus after an incident in the coastal town of Ayia Napa on Friday night, the UK's Ministry of Defence said today.

About 200 Greek Cypriots blocked access to a British military base today to protest against job outsourcing.

A 22-year-old British soldier was killed and three others injured in Cyprus today, when a military vehicle slammed into a tree, a British official said.

Cyprus has criticised Britain's efforts for the release of a Greek Cypriot abducted from within a British military base and imprisoned in the Turkish-occupied north of the island.