President Mary McAleese today begins the first-ever Irish state visit to Malta.

President Mary McAleese is to cheer on the Republic of Ireland team during its Euro 2008 qualifier game with Cyprus in Nicosia on Saturday evening, it emerged tonight.

An exit poll on Cypriot state television predicted a tie between communists AKEL and right wing DISY in today’s parliamentary election, the war-divided island’s first vote since Greek Cypriots rejected – and Turkish Cypriots backed - a UN peace plan two years ago.

Polls opened today as Greek Cypriots vote for a new parliament.

British foreign secretary Jack Straw expressed hope today that renewed Turkish initiatives would help resolve the Cyprus dispute, which threatens to hinder Ankara’s efforts to join the European Union, Turkish media said.

Cyprus President Tassos Papadopoulos today said relations with Britain were recovering from strain created by the launch of Turkey’s accession talks with the European Union earlier this month.

Two Greek air traffic controllers are to face disciplinary charges for inadequate communication with the pilot of a Cypriot airliner that crashed north of Athens last month, killing all 121 people on board.

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said today Cyprus President Tassos Papadopoulos President was warming to the idea of a new round of reunification talks in Cyprus.

Waving European Union flags and shouting slogans in both Greek and Turkish, tens of thousands of Cypriots turned out for a final show of support for a UN plan to end the 30-year division of their island.

Just hours before Cyprus' reunification talks were scheduled to begin today, a small bomb exploded in front of the home of the prime minister of the self-declared Turkish Cypriot state.