Huginn Daily

Saturday, June 20, 2026

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• Lifeguard shortages persist at beaches

  Lifeguard shortages continue to affect Cyprus’ beaches, with the most acute staffing gaps reported in Limassol and Paphos, the interior ministry said on Friday.

  Speaking to the Cyprus News Agency (CNA), Andreas Karvounis, an officer with the ministry’s beach safety unit, described the recurring difficulty in filling the approximately 380 lifeguard positions jointly funded by the ministry and local authorities.

  Asked about a proposal by local authorities to station one lifeguard instead of two at some towers in order to cover more locations, Karvounis said this could not be implemented unless it was determined that safety requirements could still be met.

  Cyprus Lifeguard Federation president Polis Pallikaros said reducing staffing at lifeguard towers would run contrary to international safety standards and could hinder rescue operations.

  He called for an increase in permanent or 10-month lifeguard positions across the island, stressing that staffing needs are currently greatest in Limassol and Paphos.

  According to Pallikaros, there are currently 47 permanent lifeguard positions in Famagusta district, compared with just three in Paphos. He noted that Paphos must recruit around 110 lifeguards each year to meet seasonal demand and said efforts to fill vacancies are underway.

  Pallikaros went on to mention that equipment problems were also in evidence. He added that this includes motorised rescue vehicles, such as jet skis, which enable lifeguards to respond quickly and cover a wider area. However, he noted that, although many beaches require such equipment, they currently do not have it.

  Meanwhile, Limassol district lifeguard officer Sakis Nikolaou warned that beaches along the Governor’s Beach coastline currently have no lifeguard coverage, while only one lifeguard tower is operating along the length of nearby Lady’s Mile beach in the British bases.

  The comments come after repeated warnings over lifeguard shortages. On Wednesday, trade union Oekdy-Sek said the ongoing lack of lifeguards at Cyprus’ beaches constitutes a serious safety risk for beachgoers and cannot be tolerated.

  “This need for proper staffing does not seem to be understood by everyone,” the union said.

  It stressed that a single lifeguard cannot adequately respond to serious emergencies, as a second lifeguard is needed to alert emergency services, retrieve equipment such as a defibrillator and follow established rescue protocols.

• Turkey’s Guler: Cyprus-France military deal violates international law

  The signing of a status of forces agreement between the Republic of Cyprus and France, which will, among other things, allow France to station troops on the island violates international law, Turkish Defence Minister Yasar Guler said on Friday.

  “The agreement signed between France, which does not have guarantor status, and the Greek Cypriot administration is, in fact, an initiative which lacks legitimacy, disrupts delicate balances, and violates international law,” he told reporters after returning from the week’s Nato defence ministers’ summit in Brussels.

  He said that it is “of utmost importance” that “actors responsible for generating security refrain from steps which will deepen regional tensions”.

  “They must prioritise dialogue, cooperation, and a shared understanding of security. In this context, we are closely following some recent military cooperation initiatives in the eastern Mediterranean and some developments which could affect the regional security equation,” he said.

  He warned that if deals such as that signed by France and the Republic of Cyprus continue to be signed and honours, they may present “the risk that approaches could draw certain actors into conflicts and crises”.

  “Instead of enhancing regional security, [they] could harm the security of the people in the region in the long run,” he added.

  He then stressed that Turkey will “continue to fulfil its rights and responsibilities as a guarantor power [of Cyprus] on the legitimate basis which stems from international law”.

  “The security, peace, and wellbeing of the Turkish Cypriots are of vital importance to us … I would like to reiterate that Turkey is a party to peace, stability and constructive dialogue in the eastern Mediterranean,” he said.

  However, he added, “we also have the full will to fulfil our responsibilities as a guarantor power in the face of developments which threaten the security of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus”.

  The agreement was signed by French Armed Forces Minister Catherine Vautrin and Cypriot Defence Minister Vasilis Palmas in Nicosia earlier this month. Guler held a meeting of his own with Vautrin in Brussels on Thursday, though no statements were made after that meeting.

  Plans for a status of forces agreement had been announced by Cypriot government spokesman Konstantinos Letymbiotis when French President Emmanuel Macron most recently visited the island in April.

  President Nikos Christodoulides had said at the time that the agreement will “strengthen humanitarian military cooperation and joint action at a regional level”, and “provide for the presence of French forces on Cypriot territory for humanitarian purposes”.

  Macron had spoken at length on the matter of defence during his visit to Cyprus, saying that the mass deployment of European military hardware in and around Cyprus after the island was hit by an Iranian-made drone in March, “constituted a reaffirmation of our determination to secure Europe’s space”.

  “I said it in a simple way on March 9, that when Cyprus was attacked, it was Europe which was attacked,” he said.

  Turkish Cypriots had earlier expressed bemusement at the deal, with ‘prime minister’ Unal Ustel accusing the Greek Cypriot side of “increasingly intensifying” the buildup of military assets in and around the island “under the guise of humanitarian purposes”, while instead aiming to “gain military advantages”.

  This, he said, “disregards the Turkish Cypriot people’s inherent rights to sovereign equality on the island” and “is intended to disrupt the delicate balances established concerning the security and stability and our region”.

  He went on to say that the “signing of military cooperation and armament agreements with various states … including those which do not even have a coastline in the eastern Mediterranean” on the part of the Greek Cypriot side is a “manifestation of [its] insincerity” with regard to the Cyprus problem.

  Opposition political party CTP deputy leader Asim Akansoy, meanwhile, described the timing of the agreement as “quite unfortunate” given that it came on a day when United Nations envoy Maria Angela Holguin was on the island and “making efforts for the demilitarisation of [it] and a just and lasting peace”.

  “It was a very unfortunate, unacceptable, and strongly reprehensible step,” he said, before warning that it also “has the potential to increase tensions” both between the island’s two sides and in the wider region.

  He called for Turkish Cypriots across the political spectrum to “develop a common stance” on the matter.

• Costa praises Cyprus’ ‘tireless effort’ during EU Council presidency term

  European Council President Antonio Costa on Friday praised the hard work of both Cyprus and President Nikos Christodoulides during the island’s six-month term as the holder of the Council of the European Union’s rotating presidency, as he evaluated progress made on the EU’s priorities in recent months.

  He began by speaking about the multiannual financial framework – the EU’s budget for the period covering the years between 2028 and 2034 – saying that with Cyprus having submitted a budget proposal last week, and consensuses beginning to be found among member states on aspects of it, the EU is “one step closer to a new European budget … that meets our ambitions”.

  Additionally, he pointed out that negotiations for Ukraine to accede to the EU began this week, saying that “we are celebrating a historic milestone on Ukraine’s path towards the European Union”.

  “In all these areas, the common denominator has been unity, and building this unity is a daily effort. To a large extent, this is due to the tireless efforts of Nikos Christodoulides and the Cyprus presidency in recent months, in close cooperation with the European Parliament and the European Commission,” he said.

  He later quipped on the matter of the enlargement of the EU that “the main problem … is that we would need to wait for another 17 years for another Cypriot presidency”, with enlargement having been one of Cyprus’ priorities during its six-month term.

  Later, he was asked about reports that one of his senior aides had opened up a channel of communication with Russia, and confirmed their veracity, while defending his own decision to instruct his aide to reach out to Moscow.

  “When it comes to the interests of the European Union, the EU institutions should defend them, in accordance with the treaties,” he said, before adding that he “does not see any contradiction, nor any competition between different actors” on the issue of Ukraine.

  He then stressed that the EU “is not and does not intend to be mediators” between Russia and Ukraine, echoing comments to that effect expressed by the EU’s foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas during last month’s informal foreign ministers’ summit in Limassol.

  She had said that “Europe will never be a neutral mediator between Russia and Ukraine” because “we are on Ukraine’s side and we are defending our own core security interests”.

  However, not all sides were impressed by Costa’s manoeuvring, with Reuters on Friday reporting that both German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and French President Emmanuel Macron were “not enthusiastic” about it, while the leaders of Nordic and Baltic EU member states were “most disturbed”.

  Macron said publicly that Costa could play a role in the future of Ukraine, but that he “cannot represent [EU member states] when security guarantees are at stake”.

• Erhurman meets predecessors as Cyprus problem efforts ramp up

  Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan Erhurman on Friday met three of his four living predecessors, Mehmet Ali Talat, Mustafa Akinci, and Ersin Tatar, as efforts continue both on the island and abroad to bring about a resumption of negotiations in earnest to solve the Cyprus problem.

  No public comment was made regarding the meetings’ content, with Erhurman’s office disclosing only that a planned meeting with former Turkish Cypriot leader Dervish Eroglu had been postponed to a later date due to health problems being experienced by Eroglu, who is now 88 years old.

  The meetings come with President Nikos Christodoulides expected to convene the National Council next week, and with United Nations envoy Maria Angela Holguin expected in Brussels in the coming days for meetings with European Union leaders.

  Holguin has this week travelled to both Ankara and Athens to meet Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and Greek Foreign Minister Giorgos Gerapetritis, having been in Cyprus last week for meetings with both Christodoulides and Erhurman.

  She is expected to return to the island before the end of this month, having confirmed last week that it is currently intended for an enlarged meeting on the Cyprus problem, involving the island’s two sides, its three guarantor powers, Greece, Turkey, the United Kingdom and the UN, to be convened either in late July or early August.

  This latest round of contacts comes with the UN having undertaken a “new initiative” with the aim of bringing about a resumption of formal negotiations.

  Both leaders had stressed that they will be aiming for tangible results to be achieved from the next enlarged meeting on the Cyprus problem when it takes place, with Christodoulides saying after his meeting with Holguin that “the goal is to lead us into an enlarged meeting, during which the resumption of talks will be announced”.

  Erhurman, meanwhile, convened a meeting of Turkish Cypriot political parties on Tuesday and stressed the need for “results” to be achieved at the next enlarged meeting.

  “It should not be a five-plus-one for just for the sake of a five-plus-one. It should be a five-plus-one so that results are achieved,” he told a press conference after the meeting was held.

  Meanwhile, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan held a telephone call on Monday night to discuss the Cyprus problem, hours after Fidan had met Holguin.

  High-level sources informed the Cyprus Mail that Erdogan has green-lit the UN’s “new initiative”, with Erdogan said to be of the view that the lack of a solution to the Cyprus problem has “unduly cost Turkey through no fault of its own” in recent decades.

  The sources said that Turkey’s support of both the 2004 referendum and the 2017 negotiations, both of which were rejected by the Greek Cypriot side, constitute evidence of Erdogan’s “pragmatic and constructive stance” and “will to engage in the hope of securing a solution to the Cyprus problem”.

• Customs dept seizes opium poppies at Larnaca airport

  More than six kilograms of opium poppies were seized after being found inside a package which had been sent to Larnaca airport, the customs department said on Friday.

  The department said the package had a “suspicious description and recipient” and was as such searched after it arrived at Larnaca airport, with exactly 30 packages of poppies, weighing exactly 6.3kg, being found inside.

  As such, the package was seized, with the police then arresting the package’s 35-year-old addressee on Friday.

  During a search of his home, 22 more packages of opium poppies, weighing a total of around four kilograms, were also found and seized, alongside “processing instruments and equipment”.

  The 35-year-old’s wife, aged 31, was also arrested as part of the same investigation.

  The police’s investigation into the matter is ongoing.

• EU Council presidency an ‘extraordinary honour’ and ‘national mission’

  Cyprus’ six-month term as the holder of the Council of the European Union constituted an “extraordinary honour” and a “national mission”, President Nikos Christodoulides said on Friday, at the end of Friday’s European Council summit, the last to be held during the island’s term.

  “The responsibility to be the voice of 27 member states serves as a powerful reminder that Europe advances when member states drive forward the common European interest of our 450 million citizens,” he said.

  He also thanked European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Antonio Costa, who both stood alongside him at the evening’s press conference, as well as European Parliament President Roberta Metsola, and his own European Affairs Deputy Minister Marilena Raouna.

  The matter of the EU’s multiannual financial framework – its budget for the period covering the years between 2028 and 2034 – was central during the day’s discussions, with Christodoulides saying that Cyprus had “achieved our goal of presenting a negotiating box with figures, and securing partial general approaches on the key financial instruments and on other sectoral proposals”.

  On this matter, he acknowledged the discord among other member states regarding the Cypriot government’s proposal for the budget, saying that in his own intervention during the summit, “I told my colleagues that I see it as a success the fact that not a single one of you is 100 per cent satisfied with the figures” put forward by the Cypriot government.

  “This is precisely because it must be a balanced compromise,” he said, before stressing the “utmost importance” of reaching a conclusion and having the budget itself ready by the end of this year.

  While no politician on Friday or prior has publicly confirmed the reason for this, it is widely understood that the EU and its 27 member states plan to do this to ward off the risk of elections next year in France and Poland – and the possible election of the far right in both countries – derailing efforts to reach an agreement.

  Away from the matter of the budget, Christodoulides also made reference to support offered to Ukraine during Cyprus’ six-month term, saying that “from our corner of the EU, as the union’s last member state that is under occupation, it is absolutely clear what is at stake”.

  “We maintained our unwavering support through an agreement on a substantial financial assistance package of €90 billion, while also adopting the 20th package of restrictive measures against Russia,” he said.

  He also passed comment on the matter of EU enlargement, saying that “accession negotiations for Ukraine, Moldova, Albania, and Montenegro advanced actively”, with negotiations with both Ukraine and Moldova having commenced at the beginning of this week.

  On the matter of defence, he said the EU has “achieved concrete progress” during Cyprus’ six-month term, with financial assistance decision having been reached regarding loans under the Security Action for Europe (Safe) programme for 18 member states.

  He also said that “we initiated discussions, which are now progressing on multiple levels, on putting flesh on the bones of the mutual assistance clause”, Article 42.7 of the Treaty of the European Union, better known as the Lisbon Treaty.

  Additionally, he made reference to “important outcomes in enhancing our trade partnerships”, making reference to the trade agreement reached with South American trade bloc Mercosur, which was vehemently supported by the Cypriot government, but then sent to the European Court of Justice by the European Parliament. As a result, the deal may not be ratified for years to come, if at all.

  He also pointed out the interim trade agreement reached with Mexico and efforts to ease trade between the EU and the United States, which were, unlike the Mercosur deal, approved by the European Parliament.

  Additionally, he said that relations between the EU and the United Kingdom have been “further advanced” during Cyprus’ six-month term, with negotiations having been opened for the UK to rejoin the EU’s internal electricity market in exchange for financial contributions to the bloc’s cohesion policy.

  He also pointed out the UK’s rejoining of the Erasmus+ student exchange programme, and an agreement which saw Gibraltar become the first British territory to de facto join Europe’s border-free Schengen zone.

  “Six months ago, we took over the Presidency with one central aim: to deliver, and today, I can proudly say that the results speak for themselves,” he said.

  He added that “from security and defence to competitiveness, enlargement, migration, and social cohesion, the Cyprus presidency has delivered for our European family and our citizens”.

• Court deliberates whether dead witness can testify in suicide teen case

  The question of if a dead witness can testify in court was the central subject of Friday’s hearing of the trial of 11 suspects into the circumstances surrounding the death of Stylianos Constantinou, the 15-year-old boy who ended his life by suicide in 2019.

  Constantinou had, according to his former nursery school teacher Konstantina Papachristodoulou, told her that he was being abused at his home, with references to what Constantinou had allegedly said appearing in a written statement she had sent to the court.

  That statement was delivered to the court by prosecution lawyer Eleni Constantinou on Friday. She asked that the court reject an objection to the statement, which was filed at a previous hearing, arguing that existing statute law related to both the admission of evidence in court and domestic violence allows for such evidence to be admitted.

  The law on domestic violence in particular, she said, allows for the submission and the admission of what would ordinarily be considered “hearsay” by courts.

  Additionally, she argued that Constantinou’s statements to his nursery school teacher would be admissible based on the principle of “res gestae”, which provides for exemptions to what would ordinarily be rejected as “hearsay” on the assumption that the person speaking in the immediate aftermath of a shocking event would not have the time or wherewithal to fabricate a lie.

  On the other hand, the lawyer for Constantinou’s father, who faces charges related to alleged physical and psychological violence, as well as common assault and “cruel and inhumane treatment”, argued that previous Supreme Court rulings have found that “testimony from a deceased person cannot be admissible”.

  The court will decide on the matter next Friday, June 26.

  Constantinou was found dead at his family farm on September 5, 2019.

  His death had made headlines at the time, with the government of the day empowering ombudswoman Maria Stylianou Lottides to launch an investigation into the matter in September that year.

  In her report, she found that both the police and the social welfare services department had failed to recognise the psychological violence directed at Constantinou by his father, as well as a pattern of violent behaviour towards his mother.

  She said the social workers assigned to the case had showed “utter criminal negligence” and that as such, they may bear criminal responsibility for his death, while also saying that police officers had violated their own regulations and failed to inform the relevant government department about incidences of domestic violence.

  Social workers’ trade unions had at the time rejected Lottides’ findings, saying that the workers were being unfairly blamed for Constantinou’s death and that they were overworked.

  After Constantinou’s death, his two younger siblings were removed from the family home.

• Coach jailed four years for sexual offences involving minors

  A 44-year-old coach was jailed for four years after admitting a series of sexual offences involving two minors aged 16 and 17, police said on Friday.

  The Limassol criminal court found him guilty of two counts of obtaining access to child sexual abuse material, two counts of child sexual abuse and one count of soliciting a child for sexual purposes.

  The offences were committed between February and April 2025, and again in June 2025, through online platforms.

  The defendant obtained photos and videos from the two minors after asking them to send the material in exchange for money. He also sent them photos and videos of himself engaging in sexual acts.

  The court heard that he proposed meeting one of the minors for sexual intercourse and offered €150 in return.

  Although he initially denied all allegations, he changed his plea at the start of the trial after the court had already heard evidence from seven prosecution witnesses.

  Following his admission of guilt, prosecutors discontinued a number of additional charges.

  In its ruling, the court stressed the seriousness of the offences and the need for deterrent sentences in cases involving the sexual exploitation of children.

  The judges noted that child sexual abuse offences continue to increase despite the severe penalties provided by law.

  The court imposed concurrent prison sentences of four years for the charges relating to child sexual abuse material and three years for the sexual abuse offences.

  It also banned the defendant from providing services to children for three years following his release. During that period, he will be prohibited from working in places frequented by children or living near organised facilities used by children.

  Coach jailed four years for sexual offences involving minors

  By Dina Husseini

  A 44-year-old coach was jailed for four years after admitting a series of sexual offences involving two minors aged 16 and 17, police said on Friday.

  The Limassol criminal court found him guilty of two counts of obtaining access to child sexual abuse material, two counts of child sexual abuse and one count of soliciting a child for sexual purposes.

  The offences were committed between February and April 2025, and again in June 2025, through online platforms.

  The defendant obtained photos and videos from the two minors after asking them to send the material in exchange for money. He also sent them photos and videos of himself engaging in sexual acts.

  The court heard that he proposed meeting one of the minors for sexual intercourse and offered €150 in return.

  Although he initially denied all allegations, he changed his plea at the start of the trial after the court had already heard evidence from seven prosecution witnesses.

  Following his admission of guilt, prosecutors discontinued a number of additional charges.

  In its ruling, the court stressed the seriousness of the offences and the need for deterrent sentences in cases involving the sexual exploitation of children.

  The judges noted that child sexual abuse offences continue to increase despite the severe penalties provided by law.

  The court imposed concurrent prison sentences of four years for the charges relating to child sexual abuse material and three years for the sexual abuse offences.

  It also banned the defendant from providing services to children for three years following his release. During that period, he will be prohibited from working in places frequented by children or living near organised facilities used by children.

  The 44-year-old was further placed under the supervision of the competent authority while serving his sentence and for three years after his release..

• Football event brings refugee children together

  The Cyprus Football Association (CFA), in partnership with the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) and the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), hosted a football event for refugee children and unaccompanied minors ahead of World Refugee Day.

  The event brought together children from the Kofinou reception centre for football training sessions, team games and recreational activities.

  It also marked the conclusion of a year-long programme aimed at promoting social inclusion and integration through sport, with training sessions led by CFA coaches.

  The celebration concluded with a medal presentation ceremony attended by representatives of the CFA, IOM and UNHCR.

  The CFA said football can serve as a tool for inclusion, giving children opportunities to participate, socialise and build friendships.

• Commissioner concerned over prolonged detentions in police cells

  Human rights commissioner Maria Stylianou Lottides on Friday expressed concern that third country nationals who are detained in Cyprus due to not having the requisite residence documents are often subject to “prolonged administrative detention” in police holding cells.

  She said during a meeting with the Council of Europe’s committee for the prevention of torture that it had been found that people had been left in holding cells in Larnaca and Limassol for as long as six months.

  “Police holding cells should not be used for prolonged administrative detention,” she said, before adding that those who are currently being kept in holding cells be “transferred as soon as possible to specialised facilities”, such as the migrant detention centre in Limnes, near the Larnaca district village of Menoyia.

  On this front, she said that the detention facilities at both Larnaca and Paphos airport are “not suitable for detention for more than a very short period of time”, as the facilities at both airports “do not provide access to outdoor space, natural light, or fresh air”.

  She added that people should not be held in the cells at either airport for more than 24 hours and called for the creation of an “appropriate alternative facility”.

  Additionally, she made reference to the Pournara migrant reception centre, saying that while there have been “substantial improvements” to the state of affairs there in recent years, there does remain a number of unaccompanied minors at the centre.

  In total, she said, 143 people are currently housed at the Pournara centre, of whom eight are unaccompanied minors. She added that those eight are “expected to be transferred soon to specialised accommodation facilities”.

  She pointed out that this figure represents a sizeable reduction compared to 2022, with more than 2,000 people having once been housed at the centre.

  Mitchell, meanwhile, focused more closely on the central prison, saying that when he first visited Cyprus on behalf of the committee in 2008, around 520 inmates were housed there, with that number having more than doubled in the intervening 18 years.

  “This increase creates enormous challenges for both staff and prisoners’ living conditions,” he said, before adding that overcrowding has “led to an increase in violence between prisoners” and has “made it more difficult for staff to effectively control the wings”.

  He also said that the absence of a permanent governor at the central prison has “negatively affected the operation of the penitentiary system”, though he welcomed plans to build a new prison in the Nicosia district village of Mathiatis and hire 80 new prison wardens.

  Later, he said that the situation regarding reports of abuse of people arrested on the part of the police has “improved significantly” since 2008.

  Then, he said, reports on Cyprus would contain “particularly harsh references” to incidents concerning “deliberate physical ill-treatment” of persons in custody.

  He said that today, while there remain “some credible allegations”, the state of affairs is “almost unrecognisable”.

• German museums bestow replica of ancient Aphrodite head to Cyprus

  A faithful replica of the head of Aphrodite of Lefkolla, one of the most significant archaeological finds from the Famagusta district, arrived at the Paralimni-Deryneia town hall on Friday.

  The municipality described the arrival of the replica as “a symbolic return” of the artefact to the area from where it was originally discovered, with the bust intending to draw attention to the cultural heritage of ancient Lefkolla, the settlement that once stood in the area of present-day Protaras.

  The replica was produced following an agreement between the municipality, the Neues Museum in Berlin and Humboldt University of Berlin.

  The institutions provided a three-dimensional digital reproduction of the sculpture, allowing for the creation of an accurate copy of the original artefact.

  Municipal authorities said the replica was constructed after months of discussions and coordinated efforts with the two German institutions, which agreed to provide the digital model free of charge.

  The original sculpture is regarded as one of the most important examples of ancient Cypriot art.

  Archaeologists believe the head belonged to a colossal limestone statue of Aphrodite, the patron deity of ancient Lefkolla, which stood within a sanctuary dating to the Classical period in the fourth century BC.

  The sculpture was discovered in the late Ottoman period by Luigi Palma di Cesnola, an Italian-born American diplomat who served as United States consul in Cyprus during the nineteenth century.

  Cesnola amassed a vast collection of antiquities from across the island during his tenure, many of which were exported abroad and later entered museum collections in Europe and the United States.

  Approximately 35,000 pieces of antiquities that he had collected from Cyprus were lost at sea after his commissioned vessel, the Napried, was lost at sea.

  The head of Aphrodite was eventually sold to the Berlin Museum, where it remains today.

  Municipal officials said efforts to trace the artefact and secure a digital copy began through the municipality’s cultural services.

  These efforts ultimately led to contact with the Neues Museum and a subsequent agreement allowing the creation of the replica.

  The municipality expressed its gratitude to Deputy Culture Minister Vasiliki Kassianides, Neues Museum director Martin Maischberger as well as Humboldt University professor Stephan Schmid for supporting the initiative.

• Union warns of overcrowding at Athalassa

  The Athalassa psychiatric hospital is facing severe staff shortages and overcrowding, jeopardising the safety of both patients and employees, trade union Pasydy warned on Friday.

  “We are not talking about a theoretical staffing problem. We are talking about wards operating at 150 per cent of their capacity and colleagues who are called upon daily to care for patients in conditions that should not exist in a modern hospital,” the union said.

  Pasydy said the situation had worsened following the reduction in available wards from five to three. The remaining wards, designed to accommodate 60 patients, are currently housing around 90.

  According to the union, the hospital’s two acute care wards are hosting approximately 40 patients despite having a combined intended capacity of 22, while more than 30 patients are being accommodated in the Themeea building, which has a capacity of 20 beds.

  The union emphasised that the issue persists despite two additional wards operating outside the hospital, arguing that existing facilities are inadequate for the needs of mental health services and make it difficult to maintain safe conditions and provide appropriate psychiatric care.

  Appealing to state health services organisation Okypy and the health ministry, Pasydy said it had repeatedly called for immediate measures to improve conditions at the hospital but was still awaiting a response. It also recalled President Nikos Christodoulides’ pledge to strengthen mental health services when the first phase of the hospital’s redevelopment was inaugurated in late 2024.

  “Eighteen months after the opening of Phase A [inaugurated in 2024], the start of Phase B is still pending, without any specific timetable for implementation having been disclosed, while the conditions currently prevailing in the nursing wards demonstrate the need for immediate interventions and substantial support of mental health services,” the union said.

  Pasydy called on the health ministry to take urgent action to ensure adequate staffing levels, warning that it would consider further measures if there is no immediate and meaningful response.

  The hospital, which dates back to 1964, has been at the centre of controversy for years amid allegations of chronic neglect.

  Earlier this year, Akel described conditions at the facility as “shameful and dangerous”, while unions Pasyno and Pasyki said parts of the hospital’s older buildings were “structurally unsound”, placing both patients and staff at risk.

• More than 100 tonnes of invasive pufferfish removed from Cypriot waters

  More than 103 tonnes of invasive silver-cheeked toadfish have been removed from Cypriot waters under a government-backed eradication scheme, with fisheries officials warning on Friday that the species remains one of the most significant threats facing marine ecosystems and coastal fishing communities.

  The fisheries department announced that approximately 103,000 kilogrammes of the toadfish (Lagocephalus sceleratus) have been collected since the launch of a grant scheme in June 2024 aimed at reducing its population through targeted fishing.

  Speaking to Sigma, fisheries officer Katerina Georgiou described the species as “one of the most important invasive alien species established in the eastern Mediterranean“, remarking that its spread has been aided by its adaptability and lack of significant natural predators in the region.

  The species entered the Mediterranean through the Suez Canal and has now spread across much of Cyprus’ coastal waters.

  Despite its widespread distribution, authorities do not have a scientific estimate of the overall population size within Cyprus’ exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

  “There is currently no scientific census or official estimate of the total population,” Georgiou said, explaining that this makes it impossible to draw reliable conclusions about the overall stock or future population trends.

  The grant scheme, funded jointly by the European fisheries fund and the government until the end of 2029, encourages professional coastal fishermen to target the species.

  Eligible fishermen receive €4.73 per kilogramme of fish landed.

  According to the department, around €487,000 has already been paid to participants.

  Eleven collective groups representing approximately 150 professional fishermen have joined the programme.

  Georgiou said the primary purpose of the scheme is to reduce damage caused to coastal fisheries, with the species having a reputation for destroying fishing gear and damaging netting.

  The department also drew attention to the presence of other invasive species in Cypriot waters.

  Among them is the lionfish (Pterois miles) which has established substantial populations around the island.

  Georgiou said the lionfish, despite possessing venomous spines, is edible and considered a luxury food fish.

  “It’s fishing and consumption are being actively promoted,” she said, describing the approach as a practical way to reduce populations while creating economic opportunities for fishermen and restaurants.

• Masked men flee after failed bank robbery in Kiti

  Police launched an investigation on Friday after two masked men attempted to enter a bank branch in Kiti but fled when they were unable to gain access to the building.

  The incident occurred shortly after 2pm when two men arrived outside the bank in a black BMW and parked nearby.

  According to police, the pair exited the vehicle with their faces covered and carrying sports bags before approaching the entrance of the branch.

  Larnaca CID chief George Charalambous said the suspects attempted to enter the bank but were prevented from doing so by the branch’s security system.

  “They approached the entrance of the bank, however they were unable to enter because the door did not open,” Charalambous said.

  After remaining outside the building for a matter of seconds, the two men returned to their vehicle and left the scene.

  Police officers and patrol units were immediately dispatched to the area.

  The scene was cordoned off while investigators carried out examinations and collected evidence.

  Charalambous said no one inside or outside the bank was placed in danger during the incident and confirmed that no money or property had been taken.

  Investigators are examining evidence from the scene and reviewing CCTV footage that may assist in identifying the suspects and tracing the vehicle used in the incident.

• Two Britons arrested after Ayia Napa brawl – Mayor calls for extra police presence

  Two British nationals have been arrested in connection with a violent altercation in Ayia Napa, police said on Friday.

  The incident, which was captured on video and circulated on social media, took place outside a venue in the resort town and involved several individuals.

  Police identified two British men as suspects and proceeded with their arrest as investigations into the circumstances surrounding the fight continue. Authorities are examining video footage and witness testimony as part of their inquiries.

  Asked by the Cyprus Mail about the latest incident, as well as a separate altercation involving Israeli nationals that occurred two days earlier, Ayia Napa mayor Christos Zannetou condemned both episodes.

  “We condemn both incidents and have asked for an increase in the police force for preventive reasons,” Zannetou said.

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  He added that, “due to the war between the United States and Iran and the heightened tensions in the Middle East, there was currently significant availability in the tourism market and attractive prices, factors which were expected to draw large numbers of young visitors to Ayia Napa”.

  “This is worrying, and it is very serious that we have had two such incidents in the space of one week,” he said.

  Police spokesman Vyron Vyronos told the Cyprus Mail that the force would strengthen its presence in the area, adding that such measures were already part of headquarters’ planning.

  “As the police, we will reinforce the area. This is something that is already in the plans of police headquarters,” he said. “Patrols will be increased, with support also coming from other units, such as the rapid response unit and the traffic police.

  These are incidents that occur from time to time, and the specific case is already under investigation.” Vyronos said an operational plan had already been drawn up and noted that, following the end of Cyprus’ presidency of the Council of the European Union, officers currently deployed elsewhere would return to their respective districts.

  “The important thing is that there is already a plan in place and that, after the end of the EU presidency, the forces will return to their areas,” he said. Adding that, “this is not something that is out of control.”

• Taxi drivers warn of tourism downturn impact

  Taxi drivers have voiced concern over the impact of declining tourism on the sector, warning that support measures may be needed if current conditions persist, they reported on Friday.

  The Pancyprian federation of urban taxis said a downturn linked to instability in the Middle East had affected business over the past four months, reducing economic activity across the industry.

  Tourist arrivals are down by around 30 per cent compared with the same period last year.

  The federation also claimed that a further 8 to 10 per cent of tourism activity is being diverted to the north.

  Drivers highlighted rising operating costs, including fuel, maintenance and tyres, while also raising concerns about illegal taxi services and a lack of enforcement.

• Monument to 1974 sexual abuse victims to be built

  A monument is to be built in memorial of the victims of sexual violence during and after Turkey’s invasion of Cyprus in 1974, the non-profit organisation Zoe vs War Violence announced on Friday, with June 19 observed by the United Nations as the international day for the elimination of sexual violence in conflict.

  The monument’s planned construction was announced during an event held at the presidential palace, with cabinet having approved the plans on Wednesday, and Zoe vs War Violence having said that Nicosia mayor Charalambos Prountzos has also offered his support for it to be placed in “a central location” in the capital.

  Member of the European Parliament Loukas Fourlas, of Disy, attended the event and hailed the plans for the monument, saying that “there are times when politics meets the courage of people who decide to speak their truth, even if they had to wait half a century to be heard”.

  “Today, we are here to honour the women who should never have had to gone through what they did, women who experienced the horrors of war in the most barbaric way, who were targeted because they were women, who carried with them trauma, fears, and wounds from the Turkish army in 1974, which were never closed,” he said.

  He then stressed that he did not wish to just “talk about their pain”, but that equally, “I want to talk about their strength”, as “there can be no real justice when there are people who remain invisible”, and “there can be no historical memory when there are stories which have never been told”.

  “I have been in wars. I have covered human tragedies as a journalist. I have met people who lost everything. I believed that I had heard the most difficult things,” he said, before stressing that on the day he heard Cypriot women describe their experiences in 1974, “I understood that I was wrong”.

  The women’s recounts, he said, were “not simple descriptions of events”, but “cries coming from the past” and “memories which had been buried deep for decades”.

  “These were people reliving the darkest moments of their lives before us. I remember the pauses, I remember the looks, I remember the silence in the room, and I remember something that shocked me,” he said.

  He said that “even the translators had a hard time continuing” and that “there were moments when they had to try to hold back their tears”.

  “Because they were not just translating words, they were translating pain, they were translating half a century of silence, they were translating the truth,” he said.

  The women, he said, “are not just numbers in a report” or “paragraphs in a resolution”.

  “They are our mothers, our grandmothers, our sisters, our daughters. They are the very soul of this place,” he said.

  On this matter, he said that a resolution condemning sexual violence in Cyprus in 1974 will soon be brought before a plenary session of the European Parliament, and thanked fellow Cypriot MEP Giorgos Georgiou, of Akel, as well as Greek MEP Eleonora Meleti, of ruling party Nea Dimokratia, who served as the rapporteur for a report written on the matter, for their help in this endeavour.

  Gender equality commissioner Josie Christodoulou, meanwhile, said that “for many years”, the stories of victims of sexual abuse in 1974 were “left on the sidelines of public discourse”.

  “The silence and silencing of sexual violence against women and girls in wartime did not protect the victims. Instead, it kept them invisible and excluded them from public memory. Today, we must highlight them and include them in our country’s collective memory,” she said.

  She added that the issue of sexual violence in conflict is not a purely Cypriot issue, referencing the UN’s most recent report on the matter, which documented 9,788 verified cases of conflict-related sexual violence.

  “These figures are not just numbers. Behind every record is a person, a life marked by violence, a family affected, a society called upon to face the consequences,” she said.

  To this end, she said that “sexual violence in conflict and war is still used as a weapon of war and a means of terrorising, degrading, and subjugating women and populations”.

  “Women and children are raped and become victims of human traffickers for the purpose of labour and sexual exploitation. It is a fact that wars remain a pernicious form of exercise and demonstration of power within the ultimate goal of absolute domination,” she said.

  Returning to the matter of Cyprus, she said that “in incorporating the gender perspective into our historical narrative, we must recognise that the experiences and testimonies of women have remained for decades degraded and silenced by our entire sociopolitical system”.

  “Women who were victims of rape and sexual violence were then victims of society, which treated them punitively, with exclusion and discrimination. Women’s testimonies were not easy to find, and it is still not an easy process, since the impact on them would be stigmatisation, social exclusion, and exclusion from marriage,” she said.

  She added that “despite the repercussions, some had found the strength”.

• 24 election complaints under investigation

  The office of the personal data protection commissioner said on Friday it is investigating 24 complaints lodged against political candidates and parties during the parliamentary elections in late May.

  Of the 24 complaints, 21 were filed against candidates and three against political parties.

  Most of the complaints concern unsolicited phone calls, text messages and emails containing political advertising. A separate complaint relates to the practice of calling out voters’ names during the election process.

  The complaints were submitted following on-site compliance inspections carried out on election day, May 25.

  “The results will be announced once the investigation into the complaints is complete,” the authority said.

• Motorcycle learners face new restrictions

  The road transport department has announced that changes to learner motorcycle licensing will take effect from the first of next month, introducing stricter rules requiring learner riders to be shadowed on public roads during training.

  Under the new framework, learner riders will only be permitted to operate motorcycles on public roads for training purposes and must be supervised by a licensed driving instructor riding a motorcycle of the same category.

  Riding will also be permitted during official driving examinations for a certificate of competency and during authorised training for police, fire brigade and national guard vehicles.

  From the same date, learner motorcycle licences will be limited to a maximum validity of two years.

  The new rules are expected to have significant implications for the food delivery sector, where motorcycles are widely used by riders operating on learner permits.

  Many of these riders are foreign nationals, and the change shall inevitably disrupt current working arrangements and recruitment practices.

  Speaking to the Cyprus Mail, Andreas Skallouris, a delivery rider contractor confirmed that full licensing requirements will now become unavoidable.

  “They are going to need a full motorcycle licence. The government has been suggesting this measure for years. It has been delayed at several points, and it makes our work harder in terms of what we can tell our riders”, he said,

  A delivery rider likewise expressed uncertainty over the immediate impact of the change.

  “My brother is riding with a learner’s licence, and I don’t know what he’ll do now. It will take another month before he finishes his certification. Many others also have learner permits, so who is going to deliver all these meals?”, he remarked.

  Authorities have previously stressed that learner permits are intended for training purposes only.

  Former transport minister Yiannis Karousos said in earlier discussions surrounding the proposed law which was floated in early 2022 that “a learner permit is solely for learning how to drive, it cannot be for working whilst getting the hang of it.”

  The regulation has also included concern over documentation for foreign nationals applying for learner permits, including residence verification through so called ‘pink slip’ documentation.

  Bureaucratic delays and migration processing issues can complicate licensing procedures, particularly where permits are linked to employment in delivery services.

  “Many come to Cyprus and it takes months for their paperwork and driving licence process to be completed”, Skallouris said.

  “We will of course follow the law, but it is going to make things much harder for all parties.”

  The road transport department has urged holders to book driving tests as early as possible in order to complete the process and obtain a full licence within the revised timeframe.

• Limassol institution that still gets the basics right

  When I booked a table at Ship Inn for a Monday evening, I expected a relatively quiet outing on what is usually one of the least busy nights of the week, particularly after the regular football season has wrapped up and the 2026 World Cup hasn’t started yet. Yet the renowned Limassol pub was buzzing with the energy of numerous basketball fans who came to watch game three of the Greek basketball league’s finals. You take such things in your stride or even welcome them. This is a pub after all.

  I have visited the Ship Inn an inordinate number of times over the past two decades. It has stood the test of time as a fixture in Limassol’s culinary scene.

  Before I start waxing poetic about the restaurant, I should mention the one downside. The prices have gone up. Not because of an individual act of greed (I can think of a few other places that qualify for this distinction) but because every single establishment in Limassol has adapted to both inflationary pressures, particularly when it comes to dishes that revolve around meat, as well as the generally higher costs involved when operating in Cyprus’ most expensive city.

  Let’s get to the good stuff. Beer. Yes, they have it. Selection is what you would expect from any solid Cypriot pub. Prices are reasonable, especially when it comes to local beers. Crucially, the service is excellent. Waiters come and go and that’s a variable few can control but the people who run this place care for its reputation. It can get very busy, especially during major sports events, so book in advance. But they have always tried to accommodate me, and not because we have some long-standing friendship. Same goes for substitutions or modifications to their dishes. If your request is within reason, they will try to make it happen.

  We ordered two starters to share, and a main each. Grilled halloumi and a portion of chicken wings. You get four pieces of the former, along with a leafy side salad. We asked if we could replace the salad with just tomato slices and they were happy to accommodate the request. Both dishes were good and could be split four-ways for a lighter start. The wings are breaded rather than naked and coated in a sauce. They were juicy and tender and came with three dipping sauces; barbecue, sweet chilli, and blue cheese. You can also double the portion from 10 to 20.

  Our mains included the Titanic Pork Chop and the Marinated Chicken Kebab. The price of €20.50 may not be an insignificant amount for most people but you get what you pay for. The pork chop is massive and the quality is up there with the best. It comes with chips and salad but they happily accepted a request to replace the potatoes with sauteed vegetables. Same deal with a request to replace the chips in the chicken kebab with a jacket potato. As I said, if it’s within reason, they’ll try to satisfy your demands. As for the chicken kebab itself it is reliably excellent. Not overly cooked, well-marinated, and served with toasted pitta bread, a side salad and tzatziki. Hard to go wrong.

  As for dessert, we had fully intended to try the Chocolate Lava Cake but were genuinely too stuffed to go through with it. All in all, a very pleasant experience, but that was to be expected.

  VITAL STATISTICS

  SPECIALTY Pub food, grilled items

  WHERE The Ship Inn, 28 October Ave 351, Limassol

  WHEN Monday to Saturday 10am-1am, Sunday 9am-1am

  CONTACT 25 582180

  PRICE €17.90 for chicken kebab, €20.50 for a pork chop, €6-17 for starters, €11.90 for a burger

• Self-Host Weekly (19 June 2026)
  Become a paid subscriber to access the newsletter’s full-text RSS feed or continue reading on selfh.st.

Github

• AI credits consumed per user now in the Copilot usage metrics API

  The Copilot usage metrics API now reports how many AI credits each user consumed per day, derived from the same AI credits consumption data used in the usage-based billing API.

  What’s new

  A new ai_credits_used field is now included for each user in the user-level reports and indicates the total AI credits a user consumed. This is an overall per-user total across all of that user’s Copilot activity.

  The field is available in both the single-day (users-1-day) and 28-day (users-28-day) user-level reports at the enterprise and organization levels.

  Why this matters

  • Connect consumption to value: ai_credits_used sits in the same reports you already track for usage, so you can see consumption next to the work that drove it.
  • Understand adoption across your teams: See how AI credit usage is distributed across your enterprise or organization to recognize where Copilot is delivering the most value.
  • Plan for usage-based billing: Monitor day-over-day consumption patterns to anticipate AI credit ranges and inform budget decisions.

  Important notes

  • These metrics are available to enterprise administrators and organization owners who have access to Copilot usage metrics through the REST API.
  • ai_credits_used is an overall per-user total. It is not currently broken down by feature, model, or surface.
  • The field is available in the user-level reports. It is a metrics signal for analyzing consumption, not a billed total—refer to billing for invoicing.

  Visit the Copilot usage metrics API documentation to learn more. You can also join the discussion within GitHub Community.

  The post AI credits consumed per user now in the Copilot usage metrics API appeared first on The GitHub Blog.

Reddit

r/golang

• phpscript - an inter-operable PHP syntax VM written in Go (no CGO).

  This project is an extensive experiment that got out of hand. It aims to provide a restricted PHP runtime to interface with Go code, as well as run more extensive PHP code like a full blown PHP template engine with eval and what not. It provides implicit context and error return handling, triggering an exception if an error occurs in the request. The exception can be caught with try/catch, or be passed into the error handler inside the go runner.

  Main benefits are:

  • request lived allocations / lifecycle of php apps
  • good integration with go-native objects, methods, returns
  • some level of compatibility with stdlib-only PHP code
  • no inheritance, traits, interfaces
  • can provide an embed.FS for the php contents

  The PHP runtime in this case is written in Go, pure Go, and doesn't rely on CGO to provide functionality like FrankenPHP does. The changes to .php files are immediately visible without a server restart.

  It's all experimental so if you're interested in this, there may be quite a few feature gaps to maturity. That said, you could use what's implemented and extend it with your own APIs where the odd standard library function is missing. You may want to consider this a portable interpreter as well, as you could delivery it as a static binary, further reducing PHP runtime environment requirements.

  I worked with the plugin standard library package extensively in the past, and I was always missing an option where the runtime would be severely restricted, and you could provide APIs in Go directly. Maybe it's the power of Go, it's way easier to build a PHP runtime than it is to get a decent SSR CMS website under type safety and similar restrictions (no globals, no shared state).

  Current goals:

  Optimization of the pre-execution steps, exposing a database client to the PHP code to directly write SQL queries, figuring out a routing system that takes nice URLs into account, more test coverage with the template engine. Maybe write a nice /admin dashboard without drama

  submitted by /u/titpetric
  [link] [comments]
• Calling go from C

  Hello, I know you can call call c from go but I was wondering how are you supposed to call go from c ? Through a dlsym ? By making a library ? And how does the initialization of the go runtime work when go is called from C or an other langage ?

  submitted by /u/TomatilloOpening2085
  [link] [comments]
• new() initialization confusion

  Hello Im currently reading the effective go website and in the "Allocation with new" subsection within the Data section they mentioned "it does not initialize the memory, it only zeros it"

  what's confusing to me is the wording, why would they say that it does not initialize the memory? why not just say "new(T) initializes the values in that memory as its zero values"?

  type SomeType struct {
isActive bool

  number int

  }

  so using new(SomeType) would return a pointer to that memory location which is initialized with the values of both isActive as false and number set to 0

  am i going insane? or is my comprehension is just so bad?

  submitted by /u/Cheesuscrust460
  [link] [comments]
• Accepted proposal: a goroutine leak profile in the Go standard library

  One big reason I’m a Go maximalist is because the team cares way less about flashy PL features and much more on the operational side of things.

  Between work and side projects, I spend a ton of time tinkering with profilers to understand my code better. I recently went down a rabbit hole reading the new goroutine leak profiler proposal to see how it stacks up against Uber's goleak, which I’ve been running in prod for the last few years.

  Having a native profiler instead of a test library you have to manually call into is a much better experience. You get the full power of the pprof tooling out of the box. But the stdlib profiler was built on the shoulder of the giants and Uber was involved here too.

  I wrote up a quick overview of the feature and compared it with goleak. Might find it useful:

  https://rednafi.com/shards/2026/06/go-goroutine-leak-profile/

  submitted by /u/sigmoia
  [link] [comments]
• tree-sitter-language-pack 1.9 - 306 tree-sitter parsers with Go bindings via cgo

  Hi Peeps,

  Goldziher, CTO at kreuzberg.dev. I posted tree-sitter-language-pack here back at v1.0 when it had ~170 parsers. It's at 306 now and just hit 1.9, so here's an update. The Go bindings are cgo-backed.

  It gives you tree-sitter parsing for 306 languages without vendoring grammar sources or matching ABI versions yourself. Parsers download on demand and cache locally. Past plain parsing you get functions, classes, imports, symbols, docstrings and syntax-aware chunking, which is useful if you're feeding code into an LLM.

  go get github.com/kreuzberg-dev/tree-sitter-language-pack/packages/go

  On methodology, since it comes up: yes, built with AI agents, but on a strict harness - TDD, benchmark-driven hot paths, strict linting and high coverage in every language. The Go bindings are generated from the Rust core by our binding generator alef and verified, not hand-rubber-stamped.

  MIT licensed. Feedback welcome.

  submitted by /u/Goldziher
  [link] [comments]

Movie Trailers

• Spider-Man: Brand New Day Movie Trailer
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