Cyprus ex-President Dimitris Christofias dead at 72

Dimitris Christofias, Cyprus' first communist president whose troubled tenure was marked by near financial ruin that necessitated an international rescue, uproar over a deadly Iranian munitions blast and failure to end the country's ethnic division, died Friday. He was 72.
Cyprus President Nicos Anastasiades confirmed his predecessor's death in a written message, expressing "deep sorrow." Anastasiades said he and Christofias may have been on divergent political paths, but he did what he thought was best for his country.

Conveying his condolences to the Christofias' family, Anastasiades said his predecessor had been in frail health for many years.

Christofias, who was president from 2008-2013, had been in a critical condition since being admitted to Nicosia General hospital in May. Israeli doctors had assisted Cypriot colleagues in treating the former president....