Friday, July 3, 2026
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| Summary | ⛅️ Clear throughout the day. |
|---|---|
| Temperature Range | 21°C to 30°C (71°F to 86°F) |
| Feels Like | Low: 74°F | High: 95°F |
| Humidity | 70% |
| Wind | 13 km/h (8 mph), Direction: 253° |
| Precipitation | Probability: 0%, Type: No precipitation expected |
| Sunrise / Sunset | 🌅 05:39 AM / 🌇 08:04 PM |
| Moon Phase | Waning Gibbous (61%) |
| Cloud Cover | 4% |
| Pressure | 1007.11 hPa |
| Dew Point | 69.37°F |
| Visibility | 5.92 miles |
The issue is not whether it will rain next winter, but if Cyprus is ready to adopt a modern, effective and unified management system that will guarantee water adequacy for the coming decades and generations, president of the Nicosia district government organisation (EOA) Constantinos Yiorkadjis said on Thursday.
Yiorkadjis believes the infrastructure and know-how are already there and it is a matter of adopting a comprehensive national strategy for water, which is “not just a natural resource, but a matter of environmental sustainability and national security”.
“It is a foundation for development and social cohesion, and its management demands unified planning, clear responsibilities and a long-term vision,” he said in an article made public on Thursday.
According to Yiorkadjis, adopting this strategy calls for the creation of a unified water management authority, which would have true administrative, financial and operational independence to oversee the water situation, coordinate all involved organisations and draft policy.
The authority would prepare a plan incorporating all reservoirs, desalination units, irrigation networks, recycle water, rainwater, underground resources and an invoicing policy that would protect the average household and vulnerable groups, discouraging unnecessary consumption.
Yiorkadjis says the distinction between the water production and water administration authorities would enhance transparency, accountability and effective decision-making.
Already, 15 EU member states have adopted similar policies to regulate and supervise the water sector, with the latest example being Greece, Yiorkadjis points out.
In Cyprus, he says, despite the significant investments over the past decades, the current model to manage water resources and consumption continues to be fragmented, which makes coordination difficult.
Yiorkadjis points out that every district has its own needs and thus measures should be tailored, not uniform.
Strategic planning, he adds, does not just entail consumption management, but should be extended to infrastructure planning.
“In many cases, future needs are already known, however the necessary investments are proceeding slowly, turning management from preventive to crisis management,” he says.
He says, “the impression is wrongly given that there is not enough water for irrigation,” but in reality there are “significant water resources that remain unused”.
The Nicosia EOA chief mentions sewerage treatment plans, such as the Nicosia ones in Vathia Gonia, Anthoupoli and Mia Milia, which produce approximately 17 million cubic metres of water annually, with only 24 per cent being used for irrigation and 76 per cent ending up in natural water recipients, such as reservoirs and rivers.
Island-wide, approximately 45 million cubic metres of water are produced annually, of which 40 per cent is utilised and 60 per cent flows into natural recipients.
Rainwater, Yiorkadjis says, is one of the most underrated and unexploited resources.
Inclusion is the state’s minimum obligation in protecting human rights and human dignity, President Nikos Christodoulides said on Thursday at the launch of My Name is Aria, a memoir by 20-year-old Aria Papanicolaou chronicling her journey with autism.
Christodoulides said governments are judged by their performance in education, healthcare and social policy, adding that his administration has made building an inclusive society a priority.
He said the government’s goal was to ensure that every person has equal opportunities, access to services and the ability to participate fully in social, educational, cultural and professional life.
“It is not an unattainable aim. It can be reached,” he said, adding that change does not come about solely through legislation, policies and seminars, but with a “shift in mentality”.
Addressing Papanicolaou, the president said her book gives readers the opportunity to experience the world through her eyes.
He also welcomed Eurobank’s decision to fund the creation of a day care centre for people with autism-related disabilities, describing it as “an investment with a true social footprint”.
Deputy Welfare Minister Klea Hadjistefanou described the book as a courageous and creative contribution, saying the state’s goal should always be to build “a society without exclusions”.
Papanicolaou said she was diagnosed with autism at the age of three and a half but was not told about her diagnosis until she was 14.
“We all deserve to belong,” she said.
Her father, veteran Greek basketball player Dimitris Papanicolaou, said around 17,000 families in Greece have a member with autism.
“It is an issue that concerns us all,” he said.
A protest outside the presidential palace in Nicosia, sparked by news that the Gaza ‘Board of Peace’ was holding a meeting in Cyprus. Full story here.
Condolences poured in on Thursday at the passing of Giorgos Tsalakos, a veteran journalist and newscaster, one of the most familiar faces on television for decades.
“I express my sincere condolences to his family and friends,” President Nikos Christodoulides said in a written statement.
“With his whole life’s attitude, he earned the respect of his colleagues but also of the public in general.”
Media reported that Tsalakos passed away after a long battle with cancer.
Born in the village of Lysi, Famagusta district, Tsalakos had studied law at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens.
In a career spanning more than four decades, Tsalakos began at ERT, Greece’s public broadcaster, where he worked from 1981 to 1990.
On returning to Cyprus, he played an important part in the development of private television channels that came on air during the 1990s – Antenna Cyprus, Alpha Cyprus and Omega.
Tsalakos went on to serve as board chairman at the Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation from 2013 to 2015.
He also authored a book on the late former president Spyros Kyprianou.
In a post on social media, Disy leader Annita Demetriou said Tsalakos leaves behind a significant legacy.
“Today, Cyprus and Greece have a lost a great journalist who knew how to create and innovate.”
The Limassol municipality has expanded its cleaning fleet with the addition of two new vehicles equipped with autonomous high-pressure washing systems capable of using hot and cold water as well as steam.
In a statement on Thursday, the municipality said the vehicles, which were delivered on Wednesday, will be used for both routine street-cleaning operations and organised cleaning campaigns across the city’s neighbourhoods.
The purchase forms part of a broader programme to modernise the municipality’s fleet and equipment, in line with decisions taken by the municipal council and the approved budget.
The municipality said the investment is aimed at improving the quality and efficiency of the services it provides to residents.
The cabinet on Thursday gave the nod to the disbursement of moneys for a salary subsidy scheme targeted at hotel workers, provided that participating hotels have filed all the necessary paperwork.
In a statement, the government said the subsidies would be paid immediately to eligible businesses once they have submitted the necessary documentation.
The scheme applies to the month of April.
The wage subsidy scheme for the hotel sector covers 30 per cent of employees’ monthly salaries (up to €1,324 per employee) for up to 80 per cent of a company’s workforce.
To qualify, hotels must prove a documented drop in bookings.
The financial aid was designed to incentivize businesses to remain open and protect jobs amid a significant tourism sector slowdown caused by the conflict in the Persian Gulf.
Hoteliers had demanded broader, long-term state assistance.
A nursery school teacher told the Nicosia district court on Thursday that 14-year-old Stylianos Constantinou displayed violent and self-destructive behaviour before the age of five and that she believed it reflected violence in his home environment.
Stylianos, who died by suicide in September 2019, attended the teacher’s class during the 2009-10 school year.
The witness said she became “deeply concerned” about his behaviour from his first days at school, recalling that before he had turned five he brought a knife into the classroom and threatened other children before turning it on her.
“I reacted immediately and took the knife from him before he had realised the severity of what he had done. The impression I got was that he was treating it as a game, but nevertheless it was a particularly dangerous incident,” she told the court.
She also recalled an occasion when Stylianos climbed onto the roof of a sandpit and refused to come down despite repeated requests from teachers. On other occasions, he hung from classroom curtains and aggressively pushed desks towards classmates.
The teacher described Stylianos as “a very sweet and cute child” who became “a completely different child” when he got cross.
“I was under the strong impression that his behaviour reflected what he was experiencing in his family environment. He brought the shouting and the intense reactions to school every day,” she said, describing him as “very aggressive” at times.
According to the teacher, Stylianos was “dangerous for the other children in the school and for himself”.
She told the court she had been informed by educational psychologists that the mother’s husband was violent and that police had already been notified about alleged abuse and child protection concerns.
The witness also said it appeared the boy’s mother struggled to leave the relationship because she was financially dependent on her husband.
On the other hand, on Stylianos’ name day, the family held a party and the boy took photos and crafts to school the next day, the teacher said.
She furthermore told the court that one could tell what was going on at home through his vocabulary, saying things such as “I will shoot you”, “I will put you in prison” and “I will beat you with the belt”.
Although Stylianos never told her directly that either parent had beaten him, she said similar references had been made during sessions with the educational psychologist.
Referring to the parents, she said the mother was at the school almost every day and was aware of the boy’s behaviour and the school’s interventions, but the father rarely appeared and she had seen him just three times during the whole school year – at a Christmas party, at a scheduled meeting and after an intense quarrel with the mother, when he picked up Stylianos from school and the boy was then absent for over a week.
“The image I had of the father was that he was exceptionally distant and did not want any contact with the school,” she said.
The teacher said she formally reported her concerns on October 9, 2009, requesting an assessment and support for Stylianos. The educational psychologist later confirmed the need for an evaluation.
She added that things got worse and Stylianos was becoming “more aggressive and destructive”.
In some cases, Stylianos was “hitting his head on the wall, pulling his hair forcefully and pricking his hand with pins”.
Fearing his safety, the teacher requested a school assistant, however the request was rejected.
The hearing will continue on Friday at 11am with the cross-examination of the witness.
The case concerns the circumstances surrounding Stylianos’ death and is examining alleged abuse and neglect within the family, as well as whether the social welfare services adequately responded to warning signs before his death.
European Affairs Deputy Minister Marilena Raouna on Thursday spoke of the “particular joy” Cyprus takes in being succeeded by Ireland as the holder of the Council of the European Union’s rotating presidency, as she addressed an event held at Nicosia’s EU House to launch Ireland’s six-month term.
“Cyprus and Ireland stand at opposite ends of our continent, yet Ireland and Cyprus are united by so much more than meets the eye – island countries, with common historical references,” she said.
She said that both countries “have endured division” and “know the value of peace”, and are also “united as members of our large European family”.
“While the order of the rotating presidency is, of course, set by the council, we take particular joy in being succeeded by Ireland at the helm, confident that you will carry forward our shared commitment for a stronger union, a more autonomous union,” she said.
Thursday’s event saw Irish ambassador in Nicosia Sarah Hamilton present Ireland’s priorities for its forthcoming six-month term, with those priorities based upon three axes: competitiveness, values, and security.
On the matter of competitiveness, the Irish government has said that “to deliver a secure economic future, which meets the needs and expectations of its people, Europe must act urgently to enhance its competitiveness and productivity”.
It made reference to the “One Europe, One Market” roadmap, signed in April by Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides and the presidents of the European Parliament and European Commission, Roberta Metsola and Ursula von der Leyen, saying that it “provides a blueprint to achieve decisive progress in 2026”.
As such, it said its work in the field of competitiveness will be “guided” by five “building blocks”: simplifying rules, a more integrated single market, championing strong trade, the energy transition, and the digital and artificial intelligence sector.
Regarding values, it said that the EU is “founded on the values of respect for human dignity, freedom, democracy, equality, the rule of law and respect for human rights, including the rights of persons belonging to minorities”.
“Now more than ever, the EU needs to defend and vindicate those values within Europe and globally,” it said, making reference to the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine, the rights of LGBT persons, and efforts to achieve peace in the Middle East.
It said to this end that it intends to build on “the experience of peacebuilding on the island of Ireland” where a power-sharing agreement struck in the 1990s between the Catholic and Protestant communities in the island’s north brought to an end decades of armed intercommunal conflict.
On security, it once again highlighted the war in Ukraine and conflicts in the Middle East, pledging that “active support for Ukraine will be a defining priority” of its six-month term.
It also said that it would “advance work on the measures set out in the white paper on the future of European defence”, which was published last year, while also aiming to “support collaboration to address critical capability gaps and build resilience, including in the face of hybrid threats”.
Ireland will hold the Council of the EU’s rotating presidency until the end of the year, when it will be succeeded by Lithuania.
Transport Minister Alexis Vafeades promised that every single school bus in the country will undergo a safety inspection before the beginning of the next school year in September, as he addressed the House transport committee.
He said that the road transport department “began a series of inspections last August” and “identified problems in the bus service”, adding that as such, inspections will continue this summer.
“The goal is to inspect all the buses, to remove from service those which have not been properly maintained, and to place in … service only those which meet the specifications. There is no room for it not to be completed by September. School bus services will be completed and will operate safely,” he said.
He explained that for a bus to legally be able to be used for school services, it must have a three-month MOT certificate, and added that in light of this, his ministry is not only inspecting the buses themselves, but also evaluating the centres at which buses are examined for roadworthiness.
Additionally, he said, throughout the course of the next school year, in addition to the requirement for buses to have valid MOT certificates, sample inspections will be carried out at various points, with the education ministry partially privately outsourcing this initiative.
Committee chairman and Elam MP Sotiris Ioannou said that he plans for the issue of unroadworthy buses to be raised at the committee after the summer recess.
“Our goal and purpose is that no bus which poses a safety risk should be on the roads transporting children,” he said.
Disy MP Charalambos Pazaros, meanwhile, said that children’s safety is “non-negotiable”, and also said that it is “not possible for school buses not to show up on time for scheduled technical inspections or for vehicles which are deemed unsuitable”.
As such, he called for stricter checks and “effective implementation” of the existing rules, as well as “deterrent sanctions” on inspection centres which break the rules.
Akel MP Yiannakis Gavriel said that while “safety must be the first priority”, “implementable measures are needed” to encourage people to use buses, saying that “instead of increasing the use of buses, people are moving away from them”.
Meanwhile, Alma MP Litsa Drousioti said asked for “clarity” regarding “who is accountable” for examinations which are not carried out, and on “which sanctions are imposed” on rulebreakers.
“The lack of trust in buses concerns not only safety, but also schedules and routes,” she said.
An 84-year-old woman lost more than €127,000 after falling victim to an online fraud scheme, police said on Wednesday.
According to police, the woman received a call from an unknown individual using a European telephone number who claimed to be an employee of an online financial trading platform.
Under false pretences, the caller persuaded her to disclose her bank account details, enabling the fraudster to withdraw more than €127,000 from her account.
Police urged the public to exercise particular caution when sharing personal and financial information and advised people never to disclose bank account details or grant others access to their electronic devices or online accounts.
They also urged the public to verify any unsolicited calls or messages through the official communication channels of the organisation concerned before providing any personal information.
Athinaiki Fish Salad
A vintage Greek classic and elegant party appetizer, Athinaiki Fish Salad brings back memories of the Iranian Olivier salad – a creamy, mayonnaise-based salad traditionally made with chicken. This Greek version features tender poached white fish gently folded with root vegetables, capers, gherkins and fresh herbs in a rich, creamy dressing.
1kg whole white fish, sea bream, grouper, scorpionfish or cod
1tbsp lemon zest
Juice of ½ lemon, or more to taste
2 tbsp olive oil
1 medium waxy potato, cut in half
2 medium carrots, cut lengthwise
2 celery stalks
100g frozen petits pois
½ small celeriac root, diced small
2 bay leaves
4 peppercorns
1¼ cups good-quality mayonnaise, plus extra for topping
3 tbsp capers, rinsed and chopped
4 small gherkins, finely chopped
2 tbsp dill, finely chopped
2 tbsp fennel, finely chopped
½ tsp paprika
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
To garnish
1 cucumber, thinly sliced
In a large pot, add water, potato, carrots, celery, celeriac, bay leaves and peppercorns. Bring to the boil and simmer over medium heat for about 15 minutes, until the vegetables are fork tender but not overcooked. Add the peas during the final minute of cooking.
Using a slotted spoon, remove the potatoes, carrots and peas, reserving the vegetable broth.
Bring the broth back to the boil and add the fish. Reduce the heat and gently simmer for 15-20 minutes, until cooked through.
Meanwhile, dice the cooked carrots and potatoes.
Remove the fish with a slotted spoon and allow to cool slightly. Remove the skin and bones, then flake the fish into a large bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and add the lemon zest and juice.
Gently fold in the potatoes, carrots, peas, gherkins, capers, herbs and ¾ cup mayonnaise. Season with freshly ground black pepper and paprika to taste.
Transfer the mixture onto a serving platter and shape into an oval. Spread additional mayonnaise over the top.
Decorate with cucumber slices arranged to resemble fish scales.
Cover with cling film and refrigerate for several hours before serving to allow the flavours to meld beautifully.
Chocolate Galaktoboureko (Filo Pastry with Chocolate Custard)
There’s something special about galaktoboureko. For generations, this beloved dessert has graced Greek and Cypriot family tables, bringing together crisp golden filo, creamy custard and fragrant syrup. This chocolate version adds a rich, indulgent twist, making it perfect for celebrations or simply sharing with family and friends over coffee.
Serves 10–12
For the syrup
275g sugar
275ml water
1 cinnamon stick
Juice of 1 orange
For the custard
1.2 litres full-fat milk
100g fine semolina
25g cornflour, mixed with a little milk
100g caster sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
5 medium eggs, at room temperature
340g chocolate praline couverture, chopped
25g unsalted butter
For the pastry
470g long filo pastry
200g clarified butter or ghee, melted
Prepare the syrup: Place the sugar, water, cinnamon stick, and orange juice in a saucepan. Bring to the boil, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Simmer for 5-8 minutes until slightly thickened. Remove from the heat and allow to cool completely.
Make the custard: Warm the milk in a large saucepan, reserving ½ cup. In a bowl, whisk together the reserved milk, cornflour, eggs, sugar, semolina and vanilla until smooth and fluffy.
Gradually whisk a ladleful of the hot milk into the egg mixture, then slowly pour everything back into the saucepan, stirring constantly. Cook over a gentle heat until the custard thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. Do not allow it to become too thick.
Melt the chocolate in the microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring between each. Remove the custard from the heat and stir in the melted chocolate and butter until smooth. Cover the surface of the custard with greaseproof paper and leave to cool.
Preheat the oven to 180C.
Assemble the galaktoboureko: Grease a 31cm x 23cm baking dish. Layer half the filo sheets in the dish, brushing each sheet generously with melted butter and allowing the edges to overhang.
Spread the cooled custard evenly over the pastry. Fold the overhanging filo over the custard, then cover with the remaining filo sheets, brushing each with butter. Tuck in the edges neatly and score the top into portions. Pour over any remaining butter and sprinkle lightly with cold water to prevent the pastry from curling.
Bake for 50–60 minutes, or until golden brown and crisp.
Remove from the oven and immediately ladle the cooled syrup evenly over the hot pastry. Leave for at least 1 hour to absorb the syrup before cutting and serving.
A delicious fusion of two favourites, traditional galaktoboureko and rich chocolate – creating a dessert that is both comforting and irresistible.
Loulla’s book My Kosmos My Kitchen can be ordered from www.amazon.com or www.austinmacauley.com/book/my-kosmos-my-kitchen. For more traditional Greek and Cypriot recipes and inspiration, join Loulla’s Facebook group Loulla’s Recipe Share
Cyprus may find itself with insufficient electricity by 2030, opposition politicians warned on Thursday, calling on the government to get its act together fast.
MPs were speaking to the press following a closed-doors session of the House audit committee, which reviewed a report by the Audit Office into the stalled LNG project at Vasiliko.
The session itself was off-limits to the media, due to sensitive matters discussed which might impact arbitration proceedings underway in London between the Cypriot state and the Chinese consortium that formerly held the contract for the LNG terminal.
But in remarks later, Akel leader Stefanos Stefanou spoke of “one of the biggest scandals in the history of Cyprus…which leaves the island exposed in terms of electricity sufficiency.”
Stefanou added: “We risk being left without power after 2030, and the solutions will be bloody, financially speaking.”
Moreover, the non-use of natural gas means electricity prices remain high for consumers, while at the same time Cyprus has to keep buying greenhouse gas emissions allowances because of reliance on heavy fuel oil for electricity generation.
According to the Akel MP, between 2018 and mid-2025 Cyprus paid €1.2 billion for these allowances.
“Faced with this terrible scandal, the Christodoulides administration’s approach is this: slow as molasses.”
Instead of defusing this “ticking time bomb”, said Stefanou, “the government has added to its explosive power.”
The MP explained that by the end of 2029, authorities must decommission power turbines at the Dhekelia power station, plus three more turbines at the Vasiliko plant.
This means that 720 megawatts will be taken offline, and will need to be replaced.
“The government must assume its responsibilities and give convincing answers.”
Regarding developments with the half-finished LNG project, Stefanou said only that from their briefing, MPs understood that the government is still looking for new contractors.
“They’re still at the preliminaries. It’s no accident the parliamentary session was held behind closed doors.”
Alma MP Odysseas Michaelides acknowledged that the current administration “inherited” the LNG debacle, but hastened to add that it has not fixed the problem over the past three years.
The closed session was attended by the auditor-general as well as officials from the energy ministry, the attorney-general’s office, the energy regulator, and the Natural Gas Public Company (Defa).
The LNG contract was awarded in 2019 with a 24-month deadline for completion.
The Chinese-led consortium subsequently submitted four delivery timetables, all missed – September 2022, July 2023, October 2023 and lastly July 2024.
In July of the same year the consortium tore up the contract, citing insurmountable differences with the Cyprus government and claiming unpaid invoices.
Despite government promises of a swift resolution, the LNG project remains in limbo.
The Prometheas, a floating storage and regasification unit and a key component of the project, is still anchored in the Strait of Malacca near Malaysia.
In parliament last September, a former official at the Transmission System Operator revealed that the sub-contractor hired to build the jetty at Vasiliko had declined to take responsibility for the materials and infrastructure equipment as they require repair and/or remanufacture.
Meanwhile the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (Eppo) is leading an ongoing investigation into the LNG terminal over suspected procurement fraud, corruption, and the misappropriation of over €101 million in EU funds. The probe, triggered by a damning Audit Office report, centers on irregularities in the contract awarded to the Chinese-led consortium.
The father accused of negligence leading to the deaths of his two young children was on Thursday ordered to remain in police custody by a British Bases court which ruled the seriousness of the allegations and the risk of absconding outweighed arguments for his release.
The emotionally-charged hearing, was marked not only by arguments over whether the defendant should remain behind bars, but also by an unusual exchange between the bench and journalists over freedom of the press.
During the hearing the prosecution argued that the defendant should remain in custody because he presented a substantial flight risk.
The prosecution also referred to evidence suggesting the defendant may have consumed alcohol on the day of the incident as he had gone to “purchase alcohol after he had finished his job and did not go straight home.”
The defence strongly opposed the application, arguing there was no evidence that the defendant intended to flee and that he had extensive and longstanding ties to Cyprus. The court heard from the defence that the defendant had access to financial resources for the bail, including approximately €1,500 in savings and a further €5,000 from another source.
Defence counsel told the court that the defendant had established personal and community connections and that the defendant’s brother lives in Cyprus.
Counsel further argued that the defendant’s conduct following the incident was inconsistent with an intention to flee, noting that he remained at the scene and cooperated fully with the authorities.
In his ruling, the judge stated that the defendant’s connections to Cyprus have “of course largely gone” (making reference to the defendants children) adding that he did “not minimise that the defendant would be grieving for the loss of his children”.
However, he concluded that the seriousness of the charges remained the overriding consideration.
“The sole ground for objecting to bail is that the defendant will abscond. That he will fail to attend again. I must look at the information and try and assess as far as I can. On the information presently available I consider it strong. It includes cctv, number plate recognition amongst other aspects, he added.”
“There is a presumption that I must grant bail unless a number of recognisable factors exist,” he said.
The judge found that those factors were present in this case, concluding that there remained a real risk the defendant would fail to attend trial if released “describing the difficulty of obtaining the return of someone from the northern areas if he went there”. “The defendant is aware of the seriousness and in my judgement has strong incentive to abscond” he said.
“I do not consider that any conditions would be sufficient to mitigate those risks,” he said.
The defendant will remain in custody until July 16.
Throughout the hearing, members of the defendant’s family, including his partner, sat quietly in court.
At the commencement of today’s hearing, the judge opened Pandora’s box by addressing the issue of reporting restrictions according to the law of England and Wales.
Referring to last week’s hearing at length, during which members of the media had been reprimanded over the use of mobile phones in court, the judge explained that pre-charge remand applications are ordinarily heard in camera not in open court because investigators may need to disclose sensitive details of ongoing police inquiries.
“If that information enters the public domain, the investigation may be compromised,” he said, explaining that in such circumstances courts have the power to impose temporary restrictions to protect the integrity of criminal proceedings.
The judge added that once formal charges are filed, cases move into open court, creating a different balance between the principles of open justice and the need to ensure a fair trial.
At the end of the hearing, journalists present questioned the court on the extent of press freedom and how reporting restrictions could be reconciled with the public’s right to know.
In response, the judge acknowledged the fundamental importance of a free press in a democratic society.
“The law of the bases must be respectful of freedom of the press as a fundamental aspect of a free society,” he said, adding that the role of the court was to balance that principle against the interests of justice.
“You may have a different view to the court,” he told reporters, “but ultimately the maintenance of justice is paramount.”
The court of appeal has increased a prison sentence from seven years to ten years on each of 48 charges involving the sexual abuse of a minor, authorities said on Thursday.
The decision was made on June 30, 2026 after the attorney-general appealed, arguing that the original sentence was too lenient given the severity of the offences.
The case was heard in private due to the victim’s age.
The court maintained additional restrictions from the first-instance court, including a ban on the defendant working or being in areas frequented by children and a prohibition on residing near such places.
The defendant was also placed under supervision during his imprisonment in the central prisons and for a further five years after release.
The appeal court said the increased sentence better reflects the severity of the offences and the need for deterrence.
While featuring as a pundit during televised coverage of Wednesday evening’s World Cup last 32 tie between DR Congo and England, President Nikos Christodoulides suggested that Cyprus could one day host football’s showpiece event itself.
“We organised and invested in Eurobasket. I was with the prime minister of Spain and he told me that they will co-host the next World Cup with Portugal and Morocco. Why should we not also bid for a World Cup together with other countries in the region?” he asked.
He added that Cyprus is “close to Greece, Israel, and Egypt”, and that while this new aim of his is an “ambitious plan”, he believes that “we must set difficult goals”.
As Christodoulides pointed out, the island co-hosted Eurobasket alongside Finland, Latvia, and Poland last year, while in 2024, it hosted the under 17 boys’ European football championships. However, hosting a World Cup is a very different ask altogether.
Could Cyprus, therefore, host a World Cup? Based on the currently available infrastructure on the island, the answer would be a flat no.
World football governing body Fifa’s guidebook for would-be hosts for the 2030 World Cup, which Spain, Portugal, and Morocco will jointly host, sets out a strict set of requirements for those wishing to bring the World Cup to their own country.
In total, hosting nations must propose a minimum of 14 stadiums, all of which must have a minimum seating capacity of 40,000, with stadiums used for the semifinals required to have a minimum capacity of 60,000 seats, and the stadium used for the opening match and the final required to have a minimum capacity of 80,000 seats.
Additionally, would-be host nations must propose 72 base camp training site options for participating teams, all of which must be paired with a hotel, as well as four training sites and hotels per stadium for teams travelling to games, and two base camp training sites for referees, coming to a total of 128 training centres and hotels.
Host cities must also propose two sites each with a minimum capacity of 15,000 people to be used for “fan festivals”.
Cyprus would appear to fall at the first hurdle in this regard, given that the island’s largest football stadium, Nicosia’s GSP Stadium, has a seating capacity of only 22,859.
In addition, the Republic of Cyprus’ second-largest stadium, Nicosia’s Makario Stadium, closed last year, while its third-largest, Limassol’s Tsirio Stadium, was described as a “garbage dump” in 2024, and its fourth-largest, Larnaca’s GSZ Stadium, is all but mothballed.
The island does host quality football venues, with Limassol’s Alphamega Stadium and Larnaca’s AEK Arena both modern stadiums in their own right and categorised by European football governing body Uefa as “four-star” grounds – the highest level available.
However, the former has a seating capacity of 10,700, and the latter a seating capacity of 8,058, rendering both unusable for World Cup football.
Cypriot reunification would offer little in the way of help in that regard, too, given that the north’s football stadiums are also small and lacking in modern facilities.
The north’s largest football stadium, northern Nicosia’s Ataturk Stadium, theoretically has a capacity of around 15,000, though less than half of that is seated, while its second-largest, Morphou’s Uner Berkalp Stadium, has a four-figure capacity and asbestos in its roof.
While the north is also home to one of Cyprus’ most beautiful football venues in Famagusta’s Canbulat Stadium, which sits in the shadow of the towns Venetian walls, the prospect of people watching World Cup matches perched atop those same 600-year-old walls would likely make Fifa officials balk.
The island redeems itself on the question of training sites, however, given that, according to the tourism deputy ministry, a total of 280 operational hotels are registered with it across the island, with a total capacity of 32,245 beds.
Fifa’s requirement that those hotels be less than a 20-minute drive from any given training site could also be surmounted by Cyprus, given that most villages on the island have serviceable football pitches in them.
On the matter of fan parks, it would not be beyond the imagination for fans to gather in public spaces such as Nicosia’s Eleftheria Square or Acropolis Park, or on Limassol’s Molos seafront, on Larnaca’s Finikoudes seafront, or in Paphos’ Kennedy Square or Town Hall Square.
Given that Cyprus’ biggest deficiency, therefore, appears to be in relation to its stadiums, rather than any other aspect, the option of co-hosting a tournament, as Christodoulides suggested, would be the island’s best bet.
Multiple countries first hosted a World Cup in 2002, when South Korea and Japan jointly hosted the tournament, while this year’s tournament, in Canada, the United States, and Mexico, is the first to be hosted by three different countries. Canada, for example, provided just two of this year’s 16 host stadiums – a much more attainable figure for Cyprus.
Christodoulides’ suggestion of Egypt and Greece as co-hosts may also hold water, too, given the existing and under-construction football stadiums in both countries.
Egypt has four football stadiums with seating capacities exceeding 40,000, the largest of which, located in the country’s as-yet-unnamed new administrative capital, has 93,940 seats.
Greece at present has just one – Athens’ Spyros Louis Olympic Stadium – which has a seating capacity of 69,618, but plans are afoot for new football stadiums exceeding the minimum capacity to be built in Piraeus, Thessaloniki, and Athens for Olympiacos, Paok, and Panathinaikos respectively.
Returning to the idea of a post-solution Cyprus, Turkey could also present itself as a possible World Cup co-host, given that there are no fewer than eight football stadiums with seating capacities of more than 40,000 in the island’s neighbour to the north, and a ninth under construction.
Of those eight, four are located in Istanbul, while the four others which already exist are located in Izmir, Bursa, Konya, and Trabzon, and the under-construction stadium is located in the capital, Ankara.
Turkey has also been selected to co-host Euro 2032 alongside Italy, supplying no fewer than 10 stadiums to the bid, though it must be noted that the requirements to host a European Championships are less stringent.
Were Cyprus to be asked to build two football stadiums to host a World Cup, the task, while more surmountable, may still leave question marks.
On paper, it may appear that the most natural plan would be an expansion of the GSP Stadium, though this would in fact require either demolishing the adjacent athletics track and hotel, or closing the only motorway heading southwards out of the capital.
Quadrupling the size of the Alphamega Stadium could be a more likely bet, given the expansive car park in which it is set, while the land on which the Makario, Tsirio, and GSZ Stadiums are set could prove to be fertile ground for new stadiums, with a World Cup on the line.
Additionally, Ayia Napa’s football grounds are located in an expanse of otherwise unused land. A World Cup stadium there could give visiting fans the summer of their lives.
Likewise, in a post-solution Cyprus, the Ataturk Stadium is set in an area of the outskirts of Nicosia which is eminently open to development.
Any such development would, of course, cost a lot of money and cause a fair amount of upheaval, but yet, it is not entirely out of the question.
MPs were riled on Thursday on hearing from the government that installing countdown timers is incompatible with envisaged upgrades to the traffic cameras system.
The matter was discussed at the House transport committee, where MPs from various parties again proposed countdown timers at traffic lights – which they say would give motorists a heads-up so they don’t get fined for running a red light.
But officials from the department of public works said such a system would be incompatible with a ‘smart system’ which authorities plan to introduce.
Alexis Avgoustis, an official with the department, informed parliamentarians that a public tender is underway for the installation of ‘smart’ traffic lights; the government aims to award the €7 million contract by September.
The official said the companies participating in the tender informed authorities that countdown timers are not compatible with ‘smart lights’ – which feature dynamic switching.
Smart traffic cameras utilise artificial intelligence and machine learning to monitor traffic volume in real-time and adjust green light intervals to clear congestion. They go beyond basic surveillance to automatically read license plates, detect seatbelt infractions, and spot mobile phone usage.
Avgoustis said the new ‘smart’ system would initially be deployed at 125 points in Nicosia and Limassol, later to cover the other districts as well. It would be funded via the Thalia programme – a €1.81 billion multi-fund development strategy for Cyprus, co-financed by EU Cohesion Policy Funds and national contributions.
But MPs were unconvinced, asking how the government wants to use artificial intelligence to monitor traffic on the one hand, while on the other hand it’s ruling out countdown timers.
Akel MP Valentinos Fakontis called the traffic cameras system “the biggest theft at the expense of the public” and said it amounts to a “tax collection mechanism”. He noted that despite use of the system, road deaths have in fact increased.
He said ways should be found to make countdown timers work with the government’s ‘smart’ system by 2027, when the current contract for traffic cameras expires.
The existing traffic cameras contract runs until September 2027, with the government holding an option to extend the agreement for an additional two years.
Alma MP Irini Charalambidou claimed that the installation of ‘smart lights’ at the Nicosia general hospital roundabout has created more problems than it has solved.
Echoing other colleagues, she wondered whether improving road safety is in fact the purpose of the traffic monitoring system.
According to a recent report by the European Transport Safety Council, road fatalities in Cyprus rose by 9.8 per cent to 45 deaths in 2025, continuing an upward trend from 41 deaths in 2024 and 34 in 2023. Despite recent spikes, the island has achieved a 13.5 per cent overall reduction in road deaths compared to 2019.
The leading causes of fatalities include driver distraction (such as using mobile phones), speeding, and driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan Erhurman on Thursday stressed his support for United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres’ efforts to bring about a resumption of negotiations in earnest on the Cyprus problem, as efforts on all sides continue to gear up.
“We had shared with our people months ago that there would be movement in the process starting in July, following the elections and the [Council of the European Union] rotating presidency in the south. Yesterday was the first day of July. Our people’s will for a solution is clear,” he began.
To this end, he said that “we have stated that we support Guterres’ efforts”, and that “we continue to support them”, before making reference to his four-point methodology, which he says must be fulfilled for negotiations to resume.
“Our principles and methodology have been shared repeatedly with all parties and our people. These are clear and known to everyone. We are closely following and evaluating all international initiatives which have the potential to influence developments regarding the Cyprus issue,” he said.
He added that “we will not be a tool for provocations or games, no matter which side they come from”, and said that instead, “I think our patience, composure, seriousness, and determination are now known to everyone”.
Then, he passed comment on the various media reports which have surfaced in weeks offering suggestions as to the status of progress in talks on the Cyprus problem, saying that “we had said that there was no formal plan, only some ideas”.
“If anyone had doubts, I think that there should be no doubts with the new statements,” he added, in reference to remarks made by UN envoy Maria Angela Holguin on Wednesday, in which she said the reports were “rich in assumptions and creativity”.
On this front, he said that “we will continue to inform our people in a timely manner about every meaningful development”.
“As we always say, we have neither engaged in, nor will we engage in the peddling of despair or hope, because we have no intention or need to reap political gain from any process or outcome,” he said.
He added that “our only concern is the rights, future, equality, security and connection with our people’s world, especially that of our children and the preservation of the position of Turkish Cypriots as active participants”.
“We are extremely calm, we are working tirelessly and we are determined,” he said.
Holguin herself had on Wednesday called on Cypriots to “seize this historic opportunity to negotiate a lasting solution” and said that Guterres is “evaluating which could be the next phases that will convince both parties to take concrete steps towards a final solution”.
Looking ahead, she said that she will “continue sparing no effort” to work with Guterres “with the view to supporting Cypriots reaching an understanding and a final agreement that will bring security and prosperity to the whole island”.
In this endeavour, her next meeting will be with European Council President Antonio Costa in Brussels on July 13, with that meeting having been postponed until after next week’s Nato summit, which will take place in Ankara.
Ahead of that Nato summit, the EU’s foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos, and Internal Affairs Commissioner Magnus Brunner all visited Turkey and signed a joint declaration with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan offering their support for Guterres’ efforts in Cyprus.
The summit itself, too, could play a role in the ramping up of efforts on the Cyprus problem, given that it will be hosted by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and attended by the leaders of Cyprus’ other two guarantor powers, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer.
While Cyprus is not expected to top next week’s agenda, the summit will take place with discussions regarding security guarantees in a post-solution Cyprus centring on the idea of those guarantees being provided through a Nato-based structure.
Those guarantees may come in the form of the new Cypriot republic’s accession to Nato, alongside the presence of Nato troops from Turkey, Greece, France, the United Kingdom, and the United States on the island.
However, when questioned on the prospect of Holguin meeting Nato officials while in Brussels, which is also the seat of Nato’s headquarters, and of Nato-based security guarantees in a post-solution Cyprus, a Nato official told the Cyprus Mail that “there are no meetings planned with the envoy and the topic has not been discussed at Nato”.
After Holguin’s contacts in Brussels later this month, she will return to Cyprus with a view to holding more meetings with both Erhurman and President Nikos Christodoulides with a view to convening an enlarged meeting on the Cyprus problem.
That meeting will involve the island’s two sides, its three guarantor powers, Greece, Turkey, and the United Kingdom, and the UN, and will likely take place next month.
President Nikos Christodoulides’ decision to postpone this week’s cabinet meeting by a day so as to hold a meeting with Diko leader Nicholas Papadopoulos on Wednesday “should not cause any surprise”, government spokesman Konstantinos Letymbiotis said on Thursday.
“The president’s meeting with the leaderships of the parties which support the government take place at regular intervals and should not cause any surprise. This is something which goes without saying,” he said, before adding that “several meetings” involving Christodoulides and Papadopoulos “have already taken place”.
Wednesday’s meeting, he said, was the fourth of its kind since May’s parliamentary elections.
“Diko is a key partner of the government and has contributed and continues to contribute, like Dipa and Edek, to a large extent, to the implementation of the government’s work,” he said.
Asked about the content of Wednesday’s meeting, he said that “it was a common view of everyone that the implementation of the government’s work, the polices which the government promotes and implements, are successes”.
To this end, he said that members of Diko’s leadership “have recognised this since they themselves had proposed it during the pre-election period in a very characteristic way, recognising the positive aspects of participation in governance”.
“In addition, there was an exchange of views on a number of issues,” he said, before saying that the meeting took place “in the spirit of respect an honesty which governs this cooperation”.
Then asked whether the government was “bothered” by the fact that the letter sent by Papadopoulos to Christodoulides was leaked to the media, he said that “the choice of the person who leaked it does not concern the government”.
Papadopoulos had written to Christodoulides on Tuesday, asking for a meeting to be held regarding “the possible cabinet reshuffle”, “the forthcoming appointments to the boards of semi-state organisations in view of the end of the incumbent members’ terms”, and “the way in which the governance agreement works and the cooperation between us”.
Rumours of a cabinet reshuffle have been rife since May’s parliamentary elections, which saw two of the parties which have offered support to Christodoulides, Dipa and Edek, lose all their seats in the House.
Between them, the two parties control three ministries, with Labour Minister Marinos Mousiouttas and Defence Minister Vasilis Palmas belonging to Dipa, and Agriculture Minister Maria Panayiotou belonging to Edek.
Diko, with its eight seats in parliament, is now the only government-supporting party in the legislature, and as such may wish to use this fact to grow its stake in the current government.
This sense may be heightened after Disy and its leader Annita Demetriou elected to stand for and win the House presidency rather than exchange the role for Diko’s support for her likely campaign at the 2028 presidential election.
At present, three ministries are run by Diko, with Finance Minister Makis Keravnos, Energy Minister Michael Damianos, and Health Minister Neophytos Charalambides belonging to the party.
Thus far, Christodoulides has refused to be publicly drawn on the prospect of a cabinet reshuffle, saying last month that he has “no comment” to make on the matter.
Papadopoulos’ reference to “the way in which the governance agreement works and the cooperation between us”, too, may be noteworthy, with Diko having taken up a habit in recent decades of withdrawing its support for governments in the middle of their terms.
Since 1993, only Papadopoulos’ father Tassos Papadopoulos has served as president without at some point during his term having lost the support of Diko.
The party supported Glafcos Clerides’ government from its taking of office in 1993 until 1997, and then supported Demetris Christofias’ government from its taking of office in 2008 until 2001, before also supporting Nicos Anastasiades’ government from its taking of office in 2013 until 2014.
Government spokesman Konstantinos Letymbiotis on Thursday said that only Turkey must demonstrate that it intends to be constructive with regard to the next steps to be taken on the Cyprus problem.
“Consultations are taking place both behind the scenes and in public. They are ongoing, they are happening under the auspices of the United Nations Secretary-General [Antonio Guterres] himself,” he said.
He added that “what remains, the only party which must demonstrate a constructive disposition, a constructive will for progress to be made on the Cyprus problem, is certainly occupying Turkey”.
On this front, then made reference to the joint declaration signed by the EU’s foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos, and Internal Affairs Commissioner Magnus Brunner, and Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, declaring support for Guterres’ efforts, and UN envoy Maria Angela Holguin’s statements on the Cyprus problem.
“We welcome the fact that [Holguin] also recognises the role that the European Union can play in this effort … and this just one day after the joint declaration … Therefore, this is of particular, exceptional importance, taking into account the timing of both of these statements,” he said.
He then pointed out that Holguin had said that Guterres “remains fully committed” to the effort to bring about a resumption of negotiations in earnest on the Cyprus problem, and stressed that the Greek Cypriot side is “in constant consultation with all parties, the UN, and the EU”.
To this end, he said that at next week’s Nato leaders’ summit in Ankara, there will be “an opportunity … for important contacts”, highlighting the fact that it will be attended by European Council President Antonio Costa, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, and Guterres.
In addition, the summit will be hosted by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and attended by the leaders of Cyprus’ other two guarantor powers, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer.
“For us, the goal remains unchanged, namely to contribute in every possible way to the convening of this informal multilateral meeting this summer, as Holguin stated herself during her last visit to Cyprus,” he said.
He also stressed that that conference, commonly referred to as an enlarged meeting, which will involve the island’s two sides, its three guarantor powers, and the UN, “should have as its goal the announcement of the resumption of negotiations with a view to the definitive resolution of the Cyprus problem”.
“We do not want an informal multilateral conference as an end in and of itself. We want an informal multilateral conference in which we will discuss the essence of the Cyprus problem,” he said, adding that this “should be clear”.
Returning to the matter of Turkey, he said that “the only party which should, and we expect, to demonstrate this constructive attitude, especially since it demands improvement and progress in its relations with the EU … is Turkey”.
Turkey, he said, has been “ignoring and bypassing the fact that it cannot” achieve better relations with Europe “while illegally occupying the territory of an EU member state”.
“If there is sincere political will, if there is intention on Turkey’s part, the informal multilateral conference can and must be convened. Our own actions continue as usual, with the aim of convening the multilateral conference at the end of July or the beginning of August, whenever this can be practically arranged,” he said.
On the scheduling of the meeting, he said that “we have no information about any differentiation” from the original plan to hold it either towards the end of this month or at the beginning of next month.
Licensed sewage and septic tank operators from Limassol staged a protest outside the presidential palace on Thursday, urging the government to designate a legal disposal site for wastewater and warning they will continue strike action if no solution is found.
Around 10 sewage tankers gathered outside the presidential palace before a delegation met deputy government spokesman Yiannis Antoniou to present their demands. During the meeting, Antoniou also held a telephone conversation with Agriculture Minister Maria Panayiotou, according to the Cyprus News Agency.
The operators say the lack of adequate disposal facilities in Limassol has made it increasingly difficult for them to carry out their work, creating risks for public health and the environment.
They also appealed to President Nikos Christodoulides to intervene personally, arguing that the issue affects not only their profession but also businesses, tourism and residents across the district.
Speaking during the protest, association vice-president Ambrosios Constantinou said Limassol was facing a serious shortage of facilities for disposing of sewage.
He claimed homes had experienced sewage overflows, creating sanitation concerns, and called on the government to reopen an older disposal site until problems at the biological treatment plant are resolved.
Association member Kostakis Karapateas said operators had exhausted all avenues of dialogue with the authorities.
“Our request is simple,” he said. “The competent government departments must immediately designate a legal disposal site so that we can continue working.”
He said Limassol generates around 600 cubic metres of sewage each day, rising to as much as 900 cubic metres during the summer months, while the current treatment capacity is insufficient to meet demand.
According to Karapateas, tanker drivers are often forced to wait for hours to unload a single load before being told the treatment plant can no longer accept additional wastewater, disrupting services to various premises.
He argued that the problem stemmed from years of inadequate infrastructure rather than the actions of the operators themselves.
The sewage and septic tank operators said they were not seeking financial assistance but sufficient infrastructure to allow wastewater to be disposed of legally and safely in line with Cypriot and European legislation.
They warned that unless a workable solution is found, their strike action will continue.
We’ve made three improvements to the Copilot usage metrics API that make its reports more complete and accurate: GitHub Copilot CLI now reports suggested lines of code, users seen only through server-side telemetry now have their IDE identified, and AI credit consumption is now attributed more completely.
loc_suggested_to_add_sum and loc_suggested_to_delete_sum fields, which previously always reported 0 for the CLI. Code generation counts are also more accurate on newer CLI versions, where suggested and accepted edits are de-duplicated so the same edit isn’t counted twice.totals_by_ide, so totals_by_ide reflects more of your Copilot users.0.0 AI credits despite real usage. First, AI credit consumption not associated with an organization was being dropped. It’s now attributed to the correct organization or enterprise. Second, users seen only through server-side telemetry were not being matched to their billing data. Their consumption is now included. Thanks to these updates, ai_credits_used totals more completely reflect actual consumption.ai_credits_used totals more accurately reflect what your users actually consumed.1.0.57 onward. Code generation de-duplication applies from version 1.0.64 onward. Between 1.0.57 and 1.0.64, code generation activity may be slightly undercounted for the CLI.Visit the Copilot usage metrics API documentation to learn more.
The post Improved accuracy and coverage in Copilot usage metrics reports appeared first on The GitHub Blog.
We will deprecate Gemini 2.5 Pro and Gemini 3 Flash across all GitHub Copilot experiences (including Copilot Chat, inline edits, ask and agent modes, and code completions) on July 31st, 2026:
| Model | Deprecation date | Suggested alternative |
|---|---|---|
| Gemini 2.5 Pro | 7-31-2026 | Gemini 3.1 Pro |
| Gemini 3 Flash | 7-31-2026 | Gemini 3.5 Flash |
Please update your workflows and integrations to use the supported models before these dates. Copilot Enterprise administrators may need to enable access to the alternative models through their model policies in Copilot settings. As an administrator, you can verify availability by checking your individual Copilot settings and confirming that the policy is enabled for the specific model. Once enabled, you’ll see the model in the Copilot Chat model selector in VS Code and on github.com. No action is required to remove the older models once they have been deprecated.
GitHub Enterprise customers with questions or concerns are encouraged to reach out to their account manager for further assistance.
To learn more about the models available in Copilot, see our documentation on models and get started with Copilot today.
Join the GitHub Community to share your feedback.
The post Upcoming deprecation of Gemini 2.5 Pro and Gemini 3 Flash appeared first on The GitHub Blog.
You can now run GitHub Copilot CLI in GitHub Actions using the built-in GITHUB_TOKEN.
This means that you no longer need to create and store a personal access token (PAT), eliminating the operational and security risks of managing long-lived PATs for automations at scale.
When you run Copilot CLI with the Actions token in an organization-owned repository, AI credits consumed by the CLI are billed directly to the organization.
In order to use this feature, you must enable the “Allow use of Copilot CLI billed to the organization” Copilot policy. This is enabled by default if you have the existing “Copilot CLI” policy enabled.
Once enabled, workflows just need the copilot-requests: write permission and can authenticate with the workflow’s built-in GITHUB_TOKEN. No additional secrets are required.
To learn more, see “Using Copilot CLI in GitHub Actions with GITHUB_TOKEN” in the GitHub Docs.
Note: You must be on a recent version of Copilot CLI. Update with
copilot update, or reinstall the latest version withnpm install -g @github/copilot.
User-level budgets are not considered when billing directly to the organization because the cost is not attributed to a user. There are multiple ways to manage spend when using this billing method:
The post Copilot CLI no longer needs a personal access token in GitHub Actions appeared first on The GitHub Blog.
GitHub Enterprise Cloud customers with enterprise managed users can now access GitHub Copilot agent session data across all Copilot clients, including:
This gives you direct visibility into agent session activity (e.g., prompts, responses, and tool calls) so you can manage AI usage across your enterprise. You can choose to access this data via a streaming endpoint or the REST API. To enable this, go to the Copilot subpage in AI Controls and select Enable everywhere for both “Copilot Usage Records Streaming” and “Copilot Usage Records API”.
You can initiate a streaming connection to an event collector or SIEM tool of your choice from your audit log settings. Once configured, GitHub automatically streams all session data for your enterprise to that endpoint. Microsoft Purview is also available as a supported streaming endpoint in public preview, giving customers in the Microsoft ecosystem a direct pathway to send auditability data from all GitHub Copilot clients. For more information, see our documentation on setting up audit log streaming.
The REST API lets enterprise owners pull the last 48 hours of session data on demand using this endpoint:
GET /enterprises/{enterprise}/copilot/usage-records: Retrieve Copilot usage records for an enterprise.To learn more, read the Copilot Usage Records REST API documentation.
The post Copilot agent session streaming is now in public preview appeared first on The GitHub Blog.
You can now cap how much of your enterprise’s monthly included AI credits a cost center can use. This is available through the REST API today. Management in the cost center settings UI is coming soon.
Editor’s note (July 1, 2026): Clarified that this currently only applies to the REST API.
Your Copilot licenses come with monthly included AI credits that pool together across your enterprise. This included usage pool is exhausted before any additional usage is spent. Without a control in place, one cost center can spend credits during that phase that another cost center’s licenses paid for. An AI credit pool stops a cost center from using more included AI credits than its own assigned Copilot Business and Copilot Enterprise licenses fund, so each group stays within what it paid for and your chargeback boundaries hold.
An AI credit pool is separate from a cost center budget. The cap governs the included usage pool of AI credits, limiting how much of the shared pool a cost center can draw. A cost center budget governs the metered phase, capping charges after the pool is exhausted. You can use both on the same cost center.
You toggle the AI credit pool on when you create or edit a cost center containing at least one user or enterprise team. GitHub calculates the pool limit automatically from the licenses assigned to that cost center and adjusts it as you add or remove licenses, so you never set or maintain a number yourself. You can also decide what happens when a cost center reaches its cap: block further included usage or let it continue as additional spend if your enterprise allows overages.
This is available for Copilot Business and Copilot Enterprise on GitHub Enterprise Cloud and supports the enterprise teams and cost center user-level budgets releases. Together they make up GitHub’s initial suite of spend controls for AI usage at scale.
To learn more, see Budgets for usage-based billing and About cost centers.
Join the discussion or submit feedback within GitHub Community.
The post Cost centers now support AI credit pools appeared first on The GitHub Blog.
Issue fields are now generally available for all GitHub organizations on Free, Team, Enterprise, and GitHub Enterprise Cloud with data residency plans and will ship in GitHub Enterprise Server 3.23. Issue fields bring structured, typed metadata to issues, making it easy to track priority, effort, dates, and custom values consistently across your organization.
Since public preview in May, more than 40,000 organizations have adopted issue fields to add structured metadata that’s searchable, reportable, and consistent across every repository.
What’s new since public preview:
Every organization automatically gets four default fields (Priority, Effort, Start date, and Target date) that work out of the box. Organization admins can customize fields, add new ones, and configure which fields appear on each issue type from Settings > Planning > Issue fields.
To learn more, see the issue fields documentation. Share feedback in the community discussion.
GitHub now enforces a limit of 100 stored edits per content item for issues, issue comments, pull requests, and pull request review comments. When a new edit pushes the count beyond 100, the oldest intermediate edits are automatically removed while preserving the original content and the most recent 99 changes.
This limit aligns stored data with actual usage, where over 97% of API consumers never paginate beyond the first page. The original content and most recent 99 edits are always preserved. The GraphQL userContentEdits connection and REST API continue to work as before. This applies to all plans and will ship in GitHub Enterprise Server 3.23.
The post Issue fields are now generally available appeared first on The GitHub Blog.
Well...this fun experiment took about 5 months of my free time (no AI slop i promise). I got interested in rule engines early this year so i started building one in Go to fit my exact needs. I'm posting this because i've been staring at it alone for too long and I would really like some outside eyes to help with direction. I think it's in a good state now to share with you all.
I'm not sure how to write this post so maybe the best approach is to show an example and work through it:
signal GiveAward(pid, award) // add more here: emojis, curly quotes, etc. const MARKERS = ["—"] rule SlopFilter { text = strings::lower(input.text) out score = len(arrays::filter(MARKERS, |m| strings::contains(text, m))) out slop = score > 0 emit GiveAward(input.id, "bravo") when !slop } What you see above is a basic nodora ruleset. A rule is a pure function: the same input always yields the same output. Evaluating a rule gives you back two things: outputs (facts about the input) and signals (things that should happen next). Notice that the rule does not constrain the output shape. The output can be any value (see the out keyword), not just a boolean decision. The input-output contract between the rules and consumers is up to you to define.
A signal is a named event the rule can fire off, like "give this post an award" or "flag for review" type thing. An asynchronous side effect of the rule. Declaring it doesn't do anything, it just says this signal exists and takes these arguments. The engine decides through emit statement when to fire it, which you can listen for.
Using the nodora CLI, we can compile this example with:
$ nodora compile -f ./example.ruleset Then go through evaluation:
$ echo '{"id":1,"text":"This is a great post"}' | nodora eval -f ./example.json --stdin which outputs:
{"outputs":{"score":0,"slop":false},"emitted_signals":[{"name":"GiveAward","args":[1,"bravo"]}]} We can act on a signal with:
$ echo '{"id":1,"text":"This is a great post"}' | nodora eval -f ./example.json -e GiveAward="echo giving {2} award to post with id {1}" --stdin {"outputs":{"score":0,"slop":false},"emitted_signals":[{"name":"GiveAward","args":[1,"bravo"]}]} giving bravo award to post with id 1 If we put an em dash in the text and evaluate again:
$ echo '{"id":1,"text":"This is a great post — really."}' | nodora eval -f ./example.json --stdin {"outputs":{"score":1,"slop":true},"emitted_signals":[]} There is a lot more to it, you can read the full docs at nodora.org/docs. The engine is fully open-source (github repo).
Note: In most cases you probably won't use the CLI for evaluation. Its mainly there for quick testing. You'd usually embed the engine directly into your go project, or use one of the language bindings: js (wasm) and rust (working on others)
I'd love to hear your overall thoughts and feel free to ask anything :)
| Matcha is a terminal email client written in Go, built on Bubble Tea. After 40+ releases on the v0.x line, the first release candidate for v1.0.0 is out. PGP encryptionMatcha can now encrypt and decrypt mail with PGP. A few details worth mentioning:
gitmailIf you use UsabilityTerminal mail clients tend to have a steep learning curve, and a lot of this release goes at that problem:
Composer and rendering
PluginsThe plugin system now has a proper marketplace, browsable in the TUI or on the web, with 35+ community plugins. Themes can be installed from the CLI and browsed from web, and plugins can now customize the UI itself. Submitting a plugin is one form away! ProvidersThis release adds separate SMTP and IMAP logins. Fixes
Prebuilt binaries for Linux, macOS, and Windows (amd64 + arm64) are on the release page.
[link] [comments] |
I have one year of production experience with Go and have recently worked extensively on concurrency patterns. Do you have any suggestions?
| Author here. This is a nine-year account of building Rune, a new IDE for Go. It started when my Vim's go-to-definition broke in 2017 and I decided to build my own editor rather than adopt an IDE. Happy to answer questions. [link] [comments] |
The idea is to keep SQL explicit and readable, but avoid fragile string-based column names, placeholders, and query fragments.
It is not an ORM and has no code generation step. You define typed table structs once, compose queries with typed columns, and render SQL + args for database/sql, sqlx, etc.
Current features:
The project is still pre-v1, so I’m especially looking for feedback on API ergonomics, naming, and real-world usage.
I’ve been going through the release notes for 1.27 RC1 and I have my own notes.
I was excited to see that generic methods are finally there, I wanted these for a long time! Having said that, I’m also disappointed in them as well. AFAIU, they let a method declare its own type parameters, but they don't let you specify a different constraint on the type parameters of the receiver. So something like this still wouldn’t work:
type List[T any] []T func (x List[T comparable]) Equal(y List[T]) bool { ... } The receiver can only name T, it can't re-constrain it to comparable. So you're back to dropping down to a package-level func Equal[T comparable](a, b List[T]) bool, which defeats the purpose for me.
Am I misreading the spec, or is narrowing the receiver's constraint still not possible? Would love to be wrong here.
Not to be a total killjoy, there are also things I genuinely love about this release. Especially having uuid in the standard library (IMO it should have been there years ago) and the simd package (I know it’s still experimental, but it’s a cool addition that I hope over time gets adopted in some of the widely-used libraries, giving us all better performance :D).
| A Gin middleware that recovers from panics, logs them with structured context, and tells broken connections apart from real server errors. Three takeaways
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I am looking for a package to redact tokens/secrets from a string.
I found trufflehog, but it is AGPL, which means I must not use that package.
I want common patterns of secrets to be found and replaces with [REDACTED].
Example: ghp_.... or secret-token: (RFC8959)
Please do not tell me to use regex. I am looking for a package which already knows common patterns of tokens/secrets.
BTW, there is gitleaks, but it is a cli tool, not a package for redacting.
How would you solve that?
| GONK is a lightweight API gateway written in Go. It is designed for edge, IoT, industrial and air-gapped environments where you need a simple and efficient solution. Has anyone tried it or similar tools for edge use cases? [link] [comments] |
Im making an htmx-go application with the gin framework and in it I use images
since Im using htmx I primarily use forms to send images since its really the only way I know
anyhow how I validate the image type is through this function
func getMemeImageType(header *multipart.FileHeader) (string, error) { if strings.HasSuffix(header.Filename, ".png") { return "png", nil } if strings.HasSuffix(header.Filename, ".jpg") || strings.HasSuffix(header.Filename, ".jpeg") { return "jpeg", nil } if strings.HasSuffix(header.Filename, ".webp") { return "webp", nil } return "", errors.New("unsupported image format") } pretty rough I know
so can you guys recommend a library that can:
A: find the image type of a formFile
B: confirm the file is valid encoding for whatever stated image type it is
C: image resizing capabilities for performance purposes