Thousands of rescuers were today searching for the sole survivor of a Turkish helicopter crash who made desperate plea for help on a mobile phone.

Turks were sharply divided today over the government’s surprise proposal to open a major port and airport to long-time foe Cyprus and save the country’s troubled EU membership talks.

Police today detained about 40 members of a Turkish nationalist party who occupied one of Istanbul’s most famous buildings, the Haghia Sophia, to protest against the visit next week of Pope Benedict XVI.