Nicosia in Cyprus is the last divided capital city in Europe. Today marks the date in 1983 when the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus declared independence, nine years after Turkish forces landed on the island. The TRNC remains unrecognised by the international community, apart from Turkey. Declan McVeigh / The National
A shot of no-man’s-land in Nicosia from the Turkish side of the divided Cyprus capital. Declan McVeigh / The National
Turkish Cypriot graves near Famagusta on the island's east coast. Declan McVeigh / The National
Omeriye Mosque is the only Muslim place of worship open on the Greek side of Nicosia. Declan McVeigh / The National
A shot of no-man’s-land, taken from the Greek sector of Nicosia. Local people refer to this UN buffer area - established in 1964 and expanded 10 years later - as the "dead zone". Here ceasefire lines are sometimes just metres apart. Declan McVeigh / The National
The UN's Green Line cuts 180 kilometres across the island of Cyprus and divides the capital, Nicosia, in two. Cyprus has endured this partition since 1974. Declan McVeigh / The National
Ledra Street is the only foot crossing between the Turkish and Greek sectors of Nicosia. Visitors will have their passports stamped with 90-day visas by TRNC officials upon entering Northern Cyprus. There is a building nearby that acts as a watchtower for general public and tourists. Declan McVeigh / The National
Part of the UN's Green Line which cuts 180 kilometres across the island of Cyprus and divides its capital, Nicosia, in two. Visitors can walk down Nicosia's busy shopping streets, take a few turns, and be confronted by barricades dividing north from south. Declan McVeigh / The National
Nicosia is dotted with memorials to past conflicts. The 1973 Liberty Monument in the city's Greek zone honours paramilitary fighters of Ethniki Organosis Kyprion Agoniston, who fought British forces between 1955 and 1959. Declan McVeigh / The National
Famagusta beach with abandoned hotels and buildings form a 'ghost town' since Turkish forces landed on the island in 1974. Declan McVeigh / The National
Much of Famagusta beach in eastern Cyprus and its ghost town remain off-limits. Turkey continues to station thousands of troops on the divided island. Declan McVeigh / The National
Boris Johnson made clear his opposition to a Turkish-backed two-state solution in Cyprus when the UK Prime Minister spoke to Turkey’s Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Monday.
Mr Johnson said he supported a federal system on the divided island, a month before the first talks between the Greek Cypriot south and Turkish Cypriot north since 2017.
“The Prime Minister and President Erdogan discussed the coming UN Cyprus talks. The Prime Minister emphasised that the UK continues to be a strong supporter of a comprehensive, just and lasting settlement of the Cyprus issue, based on the internationally accepted model of a bi-zonal, bi-communal federation,” a spokesperson for Mr Johnson said.
Mr Erdogan said that a two-state solution “would lead to a win-win situation in terms of new regional cooperation opportunities not only for the two sides on the island but for all,” a statement by the Turkish presidency said.
The April 27-29 meeting in Geneva will bring together officials from Greece, Turkey and the UK, the guarantors of Cypriot sovereignty when it obtained independence in 1960.
While the Greek Cypriot administration in the south wants the island to be reunified under a federal system, the Turkish Cypriot north favours the two-state solution that is also supported by Mr Erdogan.
Cyprus has been split since 1974 after a Turkish invasion which was sparked by a short Greek-inspired coup. Efforts to reap the rewards of gas-rich areas in the eastern Mediterranean have further strained relations between Cyprus, Greece and Turkey recently, as well as disputes over maritime boundaries.
Last Friday, the EU’s foreign policy chief Josep Borrell visited Cyprus for meetings with leaders of the island’s rival administrations to offer his support for the resumption of the talks next month.
Mr Borrell on Monday said the EU supported the UN’s position that a comprehensive settlement must be “based on a bi-communal, bi-zonal federation with political equality”.
Mr Erdogan last year clashed with the EU, particularly after a war of words with French President Emmanuel Macron. There have, however, been signs the Turkish leader is prepared to tone down his rhetoric and improve relations.
Mr Borrell said the Cyprus issue was important for broader relations between Turkey and the EU.
“These relations are equally approaching a turning point after a particularly difficult 2020: the relative calm that we are currently experiencing at sea in the Eastern Mediterranean and on settlement-related issues is tenuous. Progress in the Cyprus talks is more important than ever before,” he said.
The two riders are among several riders in the UAE to receive the top payment of £10,000 under the Thank You Fund of £16 million (Dh80m), which was announced in conjunction with Deliveroo's £8 billion (Dh40bn) stock market listing earlier this year.
The £10,000 (Dh50,000) payment is made to those riders who have completed the highest number of orders in each market.
There are also riders who will receive payments of £1,000 (Dh5,000) and £500 (Dh2,500).
All riders who have worked with Deliveroo for at least one year and completed 2,000 orders will receive £200 (Dh1,000), the company said when it announced the scheme.
New Zealand
Kane Williamson (captain), Martin Guptill, Colin Munro, Ross Taylor, Tom Latham (wicketkeeper), Henry Nicholls, Ish Sodhi, George Worker, Glenn Phillips, Matt Henry, Colin de Grandhomme, Mitchell Santner, Tim Southee, Adam Milne, Trent Boult
October 26: Bahrain withdraws from a proposal to create a federation of nine with the seven Trucial States and Qatar.
December: Ahmed Al Suwaidi visits New York to discuss potential UN membership.
1971
March 1: Alex Douglas Hume, Conservative foreign secretary confirms that Britain will leave the Gulf and “strongly supports” the creation of a Union of Arab Emirates.
July 12: Historic meeting at which Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid make a binding agreement to create what will become the UAE.
July 18: It is announced that the UAE will be formed from six emirates, with a proposed constitution signed. RAK is not yet part of the agreement.
August 6: The fifth anniversary of Sheikh Zayed becoming Ruler of Abu Dhabi, with official celebrations deferred until later in the year.
August 15: Bahrain becomes independent.
September 3: Qatar becomes independent.
November 23-25: Meeting with Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid and senior British officials to fix December 2 as date of creation of the UAE.
November 29: At 5.30pm Iranian forces seize the Greater and Lesser Tunbs by force.
November 30: Despite a power sharing agreement, Tehran takes full control of Abu Musa.
November 31: UK officials visit all six participating Emirates to formally end the Trucial States treaties
December 2: 11am, Dubai. New Supreme Council formally elects Sheikh Zayed as President. Treaty of Friendship signed with the UK. 11.30am. Flag raising ceremony at Union House and Al Manhal Palace in Abu Dhabi witnessed by Sheikh Khalifa, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.
December 6: Arab League formally admits the UAE. The first British Ambassador presents his credentials to Sheikh Zayed.
