Protesters storm presidential palace

NICOSIA (AP):

Hundreds of angry marchers forced their way into the grounds of the Cypriot presidential palace in Nicosia late yesterday, during a protest over a fatal blast at a naval base that killed 12, wrecked a key power plant and forced the resignations of the defence minister and top military chief.

Protesters were stopped at an inner gate about 100 metres from the palace by riot police, who fired tear gas after being attacked by a few stone-throwing youths. Youths later set fire to rubbish bins outside the palace grounds. No arrests or injuries were reported.

It was unclear whether President Dimitris Christofias was in the building.

Yesterday's massive explosion levelled Evangelos Florakis base south of Nicosia, turning fire trucks and military vehicles into twisted piles of scrap and shooting shards of copper and steel over a wide area. Many parts of the island are still intermittently without electricity after the powerful concussion wave knocked out the main power station.

The island's navy chief and the base commander were among the dead.