A massive explosion ripped through a Cypriot naval base today after a brush fire detonated stored gunpowder, killing 12, wounding 62 and prompting the resignations of the country’s defence minister and top military chief.

A laptop owned by the US-based Russian spy ring’s suspected paymaster was being searched by experts today after he vanished in Cyprus.

New Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu vowed to continue peace talks amid fears his victory could halt reunification negotiations with the Greek side and scupper Turkey’s bid for European Union membership.

THE corpse of former Cypriot president Tassos Papadopoulos was found reburied in another grave three months after it was dug up and stolen.

CYPRUS’s rival leaders held productive talks over their divided island’s future yesterday in their first substantive meeting aimed at ending an almost 35-year stalemate, a United Nations envoy said yesterday.

Cyprus’ rival leaders ended their first major meeting aimed at reunifying the war-divided island today, with negotiations to continue next week.

Rival Greek and Turkish leaders in Cyprus today launched a new round of peace talks, seen as the most promising bid to reunite the island since war tore it apart 34 years ago.

Leaders of Cyprus’ rival communities will hold reunification talks today, seen as the best chance in years of ending the island’s division.

Greek and Turkish Cypriot leaders agreed today to resume peace talks on reunifying the island, and to open a crossing in the heart of the divided capital.

Cyprus’ new president pledged to open new crossing points on the divided island and to work towards demilitarising it under a possible reunification deal.

The decades-long division of Cyprus could be resolved by the end of the year, the leader of the breakaway Turkish Cypriots said today.

Cypriots will vote for a new president today, choosing between a right-wing former foreign minister and the head of a reformed communist party, who share a vision for new talks to end the island’s division.

Frenzied talks on bringing peace to war-divided Cyprus reached their most critical phase today as UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan revealed his latest - and likely final – reunification plan.