Huginn Daily

Thursday, July 2, 2026

252660f5-2aa5-484a-bb76-e7c2f03c0f2e

Weather

XKCD

Other

• Public should not pay for state’s ‘waste management failures’

  The union of municipalities on Wednesday expressed its concern over the implementation of the landfill tax, citing serious economic and environmental implications and describing it as an “image of a lack of comprehensive planning”.

  “The green transition cannot be built with fragmented decisions, delays and the transfer of financial burdens to municipalities and residents,” the union said. 

  The union spoke of “costs caused by the failure of the state and its inability to have the necessary waste management infrastructure”, saying that municipalities were already suffering under “increased financial obligations” and were additionally called upon to implement waste management policies.

  “There is no coherent state approach and clear strategic planning for the implementation of such an important measure,” the union said.

  It said that what it described as a “delay in decision-making and the absence of a coordinated national strategy” could jeopardise European funding amounting to €23 million, which is set to be allocated for the development of recycling, source separation and modern waste management.

  “These are investments that are a key condition for achieving national and European environmental objectives and for the definitive move away from the outdated practice of landfilling,” the union said.

  Calling on the government to “assume its responsibilities for the chronic deficiencies”, the municipalities demanded the implementation of a comprehensive national plan to ensure efficient waste management and the utilisation of EU funds for the creation of necessary infrastructure.

  “It requires timely planning, adequate infrastructure, substantial cooperation and clear political will, so that the unacceptable and environmentally damaging practice of landfilling waste can finally be stopped,” the union said.

  The union reiterated that it would not accept further financial burdens to be placed on the municipalities and the public and demanded solutions.

  “Municipalities and residents cannot and should not pay the price of state failure and the inability to promptly implement the necessary infrastructure, which imprisons the country in the unacceptable practice of landfilling waste,” the union concluded.

• Police say investigation into officer’s shooting of wife and subsequent suicide ongoing

  Police on Wednesday said the criminal investigation into the shooting of a woman by her police officer husband and his subsequent suicide remains ongoing, stressing that any public conclusions about the circumstances of the case would be premature.

  In a statement, police expressed their “deep sorrow” over the incident, adding that their thoughts remain with the woman, who continues to fight for her life, and with her family.

  The force said a full and thorough criminal investigation was underway and that no further comment would be made until investigative procedures had been completed.

  “Only through the investigation will all the facts be established, and any conclusions at this stage would be premature,” the statement said.

  The police statement comes amid public discussion following the incident, including questions regarding the mental health and wellbeing support available to members of the force.

  In response, police stressed that issues relating to the mental health and welfare of officers are not neglected and pointed to the existence of a dedicated human resources support unit staffed by registered psychologists.

  According to the statement, the unit provides psychological support, implements prevention and training programmes and, where required under the existing legal framework, activates procedures designed to protect both members of the force and third parties.

  Police said they would continue to act with transparency, responsibility and full respect for the integrity of the investigation.

• Government to table bill granting investigative powers to anti-corruption authority

  The government intends to table legislation granting investigative powers to the Anti-Corruption Authority, the permanent secretary of the justice ministry, Giorgos Panteli, told parliament’s legal affairs committee on Wednesday, signalling support for a significant overhaul of the authority’s powers.

  The announcement came during a discussion on competing legislative proposals submitted by ruling party Disy and the opposition movement Alma, both aimed at enabling the authority to conduct criminal investigations.

  The legal service also expressed support for discussing such a reform. Assistant attorney-general Savvas Angelides said the legal service favoured a “positive and constructive” dialogue on the issue and suggested that a comprehensive government bill would be preferable to piecemeal amendments.

  The Anti-Corruption Authority itself, through its chairman Haris Poyiatzis, said it was ready to assume investigative powers but warned that its chronic understaffing would need to be addressed.

  Following the meeting, legal affairs committee chairwoman and Disy MP Fotini Tsiridou said parliament had given the executive branch until October to submit a draft bill.

  “We gave a timeline so that, at least by October, we have before us something that would help improve the functioning of the independent authority,” she said.

  The debate centred on two legislative proposals currently before parliament.

  The Disy proposal would allow the Anti-Corruption Authority to appoint independent criminal investigators from a list prepared by the Cyprus Bar Association and approved by the attorney-general.

  Alma’s proposal would instead allow the authority to appoint criminal investigators directly whenever it identifies possible criminal offences.

  Poyiatzis indicated that the authority supported the Alma proposal, arguing that the Disy model would undermine its independence.

  “We disagree with the Disy proposal whereby investigators would be selected from a list prepared by the bar association and approved by the attorney-general. This reduces the authority’s independence,” he said.

  He also rejected the idea that criminal investigations conducted by the authority should be supervised by the attorney-general.

  “If we are to conduct criminal investigations, we want to control them ourselves,” he added.

  Poyiatzis revealed that the authority has received 849 complaints to date, of which 580 have been investigated, while 269 remain pending.

  He also highlighted the authority’s staffing problems.

  “We have 16 people working there. Only the office clerk has permanent employment status,” he said.

  The discussion was briefly overshadowed by a procedural dispute after Alma MP Michalis Paraskevas questioned the participation of Angelides in the committee meeting, claiming Angelides had recused himself from matters involving the Anti-Corruption Authority because cases concerning him were pending before it. Angelides however rejected the claim.

  The Anti-Corruption Authority was established in 2022 to investigate allegations of corruption and strengthen transparency and accountability in public life. However, critics have repeatedly argued that its lack of independent investigative powers has limited its effectiveness and contributed to lengthy delays in handling cases.

• Rents to be paid electronically as of July 1

  The tax department on Wednesday issued an announcement saying that as of July 1, the payment of rent in Cyprus can no longer be paid in cash but must be paid electronically via debit or credit card or any other recognised means of electronic payment.

  The department said that the new regulation applies to all natural and legal persons regardless of the rent amount or property use and that any owner of immovable property in Cyprus may not accept any other method of rent collection in the future.

• Turkey blames Cyprus for blocking EU customs union upgrade

  Turkey’s foreign minister Hakan Fidan on Wednesday accused Cyprus of blocking efforts to modernise the customs union between Turkey and the European Union, despite what he described as strong support from the vast majority of EU member states.

  Speaking at a joint press conference in Ankara with Kyrgyz foreign minister Jeenbek Kulubayev following the seventh meeting of the Turkey-Kyrgyzstan Joint Strategic Planning Group, Fidan addressed Turkey’s relations with the EU, the Cyprus issue, the Organisation of Turkic States and the upcoming Nato summit.

  Fidan said there was a strong desire on both sides to update the EU-Turkey customs union but claimed that progress was being hindered by the stance of the Republic of Cyprus, which he referred to as the “Greek Cypriot side”.

  “Because the Greek Cypriot side is exercising a certain block on this issue, the necessary steps cannot be taken at the desired pace,” he said.

  He argued that when one member state does not achieve its objectives on a particular issue, it can block decisions in other areas that are important to the rest of the bloc.

  “What we see is that the overwhelming majority of the European Union supports the updating of the customs union,” Fidan said.

  During his meeting with his Kyrgyz counterpart, Fidan said the two sides had also discussed efforts to end what he described as the “unjust isolation” of Turkish Cypriots.

  He described Turkish Cypriots as “an inseparable part of the Turkic world”, adding that discussions had also focused on the war in Ukraine and the risk of wider regional escalation.

  Fidan also referred to the Organisation of Turkic States, describing it as the embodiment of the shared will of the Turkic world and saying that efforts were underway to make the organisation more institutionalised and effective.

  Referring to recent meetings in Ankara with the European Union’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs Kaja Kallas, enlargement commissioner Marta Kos and commissioner for internal affairs and migration Magnus Brunner, Fidan described the visit as “an important milestone”.

  “Turkey’s full membership of the European Union remains one of our strategic objectives,” he said, adding that President Tayip Erdogan had demonstrated a strong commitment and vision regarding Turkey’s European aspirations.

  According to Fidan, relations between Turkey and the EU have recently moved in a more constructive direction, with the resumption of high-level dialogues on issues including trade, migration, security, science and technology.

  He added that the European Investment Bank had begun partially resuming activities in Turkey, while Turkish authorities were also pursuing the country’s participation in the Single Euro Payments Area (Sepa).

  Fidan said discussions with EU officials had also covered foreign policy, energy, transport, trade, migration and visa liberalisation.

  He argued that the EU recognises Turkey’s geographical position and infrastructure capabilities, as well as the country’s potent

• BirdLife Cyprus and Terra Cypria raise concerns over Lady’s Mile beach

  By Alexandra Epifaniou

  The environmental organisations BirdLife Cyprus and Terra Cypria have renewed their concerns over the Lady’s Mile beach, urging the British bases administration to publicly clarify how it ensures compliance with legal and environmental obligations of business operations in the area. 

  The Lady’s Mile is a protected area of high importance and the summer season “is particularly critical, as it coincides with the breeding season for sea turtles and bird species that use the area’s coastal and wetland habitats”, the organisations emphasised. 

  Activities in the area that have raised serious questions include nighttime events, increased use of the beach during evening hours and the presence of bright lighting and noise.

  Additionally, extensive and heavy infrastructure, such as sunbeds, which, by law, must be removed between 7pm and 7am, as well as water sports, equally pose a risk to the area’s ecological integrity they said.

  The administration has effectively enforced restrictions in the past by regulating which events could proceed.

  “This past practice shows that the relevant procedures, both for licensing and oversight, exist and can be implemented when the necessary administrative will is present,” the organisations said. Even so, an increasing deterioration in regulation over the past five years is said to have been observed. As such, they are calling on the Limassol and Kourion municipalities for a transparent regulatory framework.

  The British bases administration has, in turn, mentioned that it recognises the evident challenge in reconciling both the existence of recreational activities and the protection of Lady’s Mile. “Protecting the region’s natural environment and ensuring the safety of those who visit and use it is at the top of our priorities,” it previously stated.

• Fire near Astromeritis checkpoint brought under control

  A fire which broke out in dry grass and wild vegetation near the Astromeritis checkpoint on Wednesday afternoon has been brought under control, the fire service said.

  Fire service spokesman Andreas Kettis said on X that firefighting units from Nicosia stations, supported by organised volunteer groups, responded to the blaze after it broke out near the crossing point.

  Aircraft that were already on patrol in the area were immediately diverted to the scene and carried out water drops to assist ground crews.

  The forestry department and civil defence were also mobilised and dispatched personnel to support firefighting efforts.

  In an update posted later on X Wednesday, Kettis said the fire had been brought under control after burning approximately four hectares of dry grass, wild vegetation and a number of olive trees.

  Three fire engines from the fire service, one vehicle from the forestry department and two organised volunteer groups remained at the scene to deal with any remaining hotspots.

  Authorities have launched an investigation into the cause of the fire.

  The incident comes as authorities remain on high alert for wildfires amid high temperatures and increased fire risk across Cyprus.

• Port Shield 2026: Counter-terrorism exercise tests emergency response at Limassol port

  A large-scale counter-terrorism exercise involving police, emergency services and port authorities was carried out at Limassol port’s container terminal on Wednesday, in what organisers described as the first ever exercise of its kind to be conducted at the facility using real operational resources.

  The exercise, called, “Port Shield 2026”, took place at the Eurogate Container Terminal Limassol (ECTL) and was organised by the terminal operator in collaboration with the Cyprus police and the Cyprus Ports Authority.

  According to organisers, the exercise was designed to assess the effectiveness of existing security measures, test operational coordination procedures and strengthen cooperation between public and private sector agencies in responding to potential terrorist threats affecting ships and port facilities.

  Conducted under realistic operational conditions, the full-scale field exercise tested the preparedness and response capabilities of participating services through a simulated security incident.

  The exercise involved executives and staff from Eurogate CTL, as well as personnel from the Cyprus police, the ambulance service, the deputy ministry of shipping, the Cyprus Ports Authority and DP World Limassol.

  Eurogate CTL chief operating officer Alexandros Demetriades said the exercise provided an opportunity to evaluate both security measures and operational coordination procedures under realistic conditions.

  “We are pleased with the successful outcome of the exercise,” he said, adding that lessons learned would be carefully assessed to further improve response times and coordination among participating services.

  Demetriades noted that the exercise was the first large-scale operation of its kind to be conducted at the port of Limassol using actual operational resources and involving a significant number of participants.

  “As operators of the container terminal, which handles a significant share of Cyprus’ trade on a daily basis, terminal security remains one of our highest priorities,” he said.

  He added that Eurogate CTL would continue to strengthen its risk prevention practices and security measures in cooperation with the relevant authorities to ensure that the terminal remains among the safest container facilities in the eastern Mediterranean.

• Israeli defence chief highlights role of Cyprus and Greece

  Cyprus and Greece could play a key role in a broader regional security architecture stretching from India and the Gulf to the eastern Mediterranean, the director general of Israel’s defence ministry, Maj Gen (ret.) Amir Baram, said on Wednesday.

  Speaking at the Herzliya Conference hosted by Reichman University, Baram argued that the threat posed by Iran requires not only stronger Israeli defence capabilities, but also the expansion of Israel’s strategic partnerships across the region.

  According to Baram, recent conflicts have demonstrated to regional actors the costs associated with Iran’s military strengthening and created a shared interest in building a broader strategic axis “from India, through the United Arab Emirates, to Greece and Cyprus”.

  He said Israel’s technological and operational expertise, combined with the economic power of Gulf states, could form the basis of a new “security and economic front” spanning a large part of the region.

  “The war has shown all regional players the cost of Iran’s military build-up,” Baram said, arguing that this had created new opportunities for cooperation among countries with shared strategic interests.

  Baram stressed, however, that expanding regional partnerships should not be viewed as a substitute for Israel’s strategic alliance with the United States.

  Rather, he said, stronger regional cooperation could enhance Israel’s strategic flexibility and strengthen its international standing.

  He also referred to a new US-Israel security memorandum currently under discussion, arguing that the relationship between Washington and Jerusalem should be based not only on shared values, but also on concrete strategic interests.

  The remarks come amid growing regional discussions on the creation of new security and economic frameworks linking countries in the eastern Mediterranean, the Gulf and South Asia, against the backdrop of continued tensions involving Iran and shifting geopolitical alliances in the wider region.

• Witness breaks down during cross-examination in Stylianos case

  The former nursery school teacher of 14-year-old Stylianos Constantinou, who died by suicide in September 2019, broke down in tears on Wednesday during lengthy and at times intense cross-examination before the Nicosia district court.

  The witness completed her testimony after facing sustained questioning by defence lawyers, who challenged both the credibility of her evidence and her account of disclosures she said Stylianos had made to her while attending nursery during the 2008-2009 school year.

  During the hearing, defence lawyers repeatedly referred to photographs taken in Stylianos’ classroom, arguing that they did not support the picture the witness had painted of the child’s condition during his early school years.

  The witness was also questioned about the obligations of teachers to report suspected child abuse and why, despite her concerns at the time, no report had been made to the authorities.

  Counsel for Stylianos’ father, Constantinos Kazantzis, returned repeatedly to the issue, putting it to the witness that if she believed the child was being subjected to violence, she had a duty to notify the police.

  The witness acknowledged that she was in her first year as a teacher at the time and lacked the experience and knowledge she has today.

  “If I were faced with the same situation now, I would report it immediately,” she told the court.

  Defence lawyers also raised the issue of the interdepartmental procedures manual on domestic violence, arguing that the teacher should have been aware of the relevant provisions. The witness responded that she had not known of the manual at the time.

  Questioned about photographs showing Stylianos with his classmates, the defence argued that there was no obvious difference in his appearance or clothing compared with the other children. The witness replied that the photographs had been taken on school picture day and insisted that, in her daily experience of teaching him, he frequently arrived wearing the same clothes, which were often dirty.

  “I came here to say what I lived through,” she told the court.

  The emotional atmosphere intensified when lawyer Victor Akamas, representing the third defendant, challenged the witness’s claim that Stylianos had told her his father had hit him with a belt.

  The teacher broke down in tears.

  “I have Stylianos on my mind all day” she said before the court. “I come here, you show me his photographs and tell me that I’m lying. This is very difficult for me.”

  Addressing the defence lawyers, she said she had appeared in court to recount what she had personally experienced and remembered from the period when Stylianos was her pupil, rejecting suggestions that she had altered or embellished her account.

  Earlier in the proceedings, the defence had also suggested that a meeting between the witness and a representative of the attorney-general’s office before her testimony amounted to coaching.

  The witness rejected the allegation, explaining that the meeting had lasted around 15 to 20 minutes and had been limited to explaining court procedures, without discussing the questions she would be asked.

  During her examination, the teacher had described Stylianos as a child who frequently appeared neglected during his nursery school years, often wearing the same clothes repeatedly and arriving at school in dirty clothing. She also testified about what she said the child had confided to her regarding his home life.

  The hearing will continue on Thursday with testimony from another teacher who taught Stylianos during the following school year, 2009-2010, and is expected to give evidence about her own observations of the boy.

  The case before the Nicosia district court concerns the circumstances surrounding the death of Stylianos Constantinou, who died by suicide at the age of 14 in September 2019. The court is examining potential responsibilities within the family as well as possible failings by state services.

  Proceedings have focused on allegations of abuse and neglect within the family environment, whether the child’s mother was aware of incidents and failed to report them, and whether officials from the social welfare services adequately assessed and acted on information available to them.

• Cyprus poised to make ‘continuous concessions’ by energy giants

  Energy expert Dr Charles Ellinas on Wednesday warned that the Cypriot government is likely offering “continuous concessions” to multinational energy corporations so as to persuade them to drill for natural gas under the seabed off the island’s coast.

  He was speaking after ExxonMobil and QatarEnergy jointly declared the ‘Pegasus’ field and the ‘Glaucus’ field, which are both located in Block 10 of Cyprus’ exclusive economic zone (EEZ), to be “marketable”, and was keen to play the development down.

  “When they did the confirmatory drilling and then announced that the two fields contain between six and eight million cubic feet, they had a deadline to announce whether the field is commercially viable, and they did so. This does not mean that it will proceed with development,” he told the Cyprus News Agency.

  He also pointed out that the two corporations’ final investment decision regarding the drilling for gas to be made will likely not be made before 2029, with natural gas from the two fields as such not expected to be exported until 2033 at the earliest.

  “What worries me, however, are the terms to which we have agreed, because it seems that lately we are making huge concessions to the companies. We seem to be mainly interested in the political part of the agreements, rather than the commercial part,” he said.

  Asked what this view is based on, he pointed out that ExxonMobil has “signed memorandums of understanding with Egypt to export natural gas through the Egyptian terminal”, which could either be the Segas liquefaction terminal in the Egyptian port city of Damietta or a planned new terminal in Port Said.

  “Based on the liquefied natural gas prices expected at the time ExxonMobil starts exporting, the margins are small,” he warned.

  “For it to become commercially viable, Cyprus must make concessions,” he added.

  “From what I hear through the industry, through the companies working in this sector, we have made many concessions, to the point where the share of the profits for Cyprus will be low, especially if the LNG price is at the lower margins expected, and the Brent oil price is also low by then,” he said.

  He added that if the government continues to offer concessions, the corporations will continue to demand even more.

  “We have reached the point where we do not give so much importance to the commercial benefits. We, as Cyprus, give more importance to the political ones, namely the fact that so many years after having discovered natural gas, we have done nothing, and are going for an export,” he said.

  He then made reference to the fact that a final investment decision is yet to be signed by Italian multinational corporation Eni regarding the ‘Kronos’ gas field, which is located in Block 6 of Cyprus’ EEZ.

  “It seems that the problems are continuing, so that the company cannot announce a final investment decision, since the studies have been completed. That means that there are commercial differences,” he said, suggesting that this may mean that Eni, too, is “pressing for more concessions” from the Cypriot government.

  Additionally, he said that the amount of LNG entering the market may increase by as much as 40 per cent in the coming years, and that with those “huge quantities” entering the market, “it is expected that LNG prices will decrease considerably”.

  With this in mind, he said that he expects American multinational corporation Chevron, which holds the rights to Block 12 of Cyprus’ EEZ alongside Israeli energy company NewMed Energy, and the BG Group, which is owned by Royal Dutch Shell, to also ask for more concessions.

  Block 12 contains the ‘Aphrodite’ gas field, and Ellinas said that Chevron had suggested that it would cost €4 billion to extract and export the gas in the field, even without the installation of a floating processing unit above the field in the sea.

  However, he said, “we forced them to install a platform and they did, but I believe they will come and start asking us for more concessions”.

  “I hope they do not, but I am worried about it,” he added.

  Returning to the matter of ExxonMobil and its plans to expand its exploration into Blocks 4 and 10A, he said that the company now has control over a “huge area of the eastern Mediterranean”, allowing it “good prospects for new discoveries”.

  To this end, he said that it is “important that they start drilling in these blocks soon as well”.

  He said that the ‘Pegasus’ field and the ‘Glaucus’ field already contains “sufficient” quantities of natural gas to be transported to Egypt, but that “if new discoveries are made and the quantities double”, the infrastructure available in Egypt will no longer be sufficient, “and [ExxonMobil] will look for other ways to export”.

  As such, he said, the company is “giving itself leeway on how to proceed in the future, without committing itself now”.

• Greece contributes €67,000 to CMP

  Greece has contributed €67,000 to the Committee on Missing Persons (CMP) in Cyprus, providing further support for efforts to locate, identify and return the remains of missing persons to their families.

  The contribution, made on June 30, brings Greece’s total financial support to the CMP since 2006 to €542,000, according to a statement issued by the committee.

  The funding will support the CMP’s operations during 2026 and help advance its humanitarian mandate of investigating the fate of missing persons from both Cyprus communities.

  Since becoming operational in 2006, the committee’s bicommunal project has identified and returned the remains of 1,075 missing persons to their families for burial.

  The CMP was established in April 1981 under the auspices of the United Nations following an agreement between the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot communities. Its creation followed calls contained in two United Nations General Assembly resolutions for a mechanism to address the issue of missing persons in Cyprus.

  The project on the exhumation, identification and return of remains became operational in 2006 and has since relied heavily on international donor support. The European Union remains the project’s principal financial contributor.

  The committee said continued support from donors remains essential to the implementation of its bicommunal humanitarian work.

• Partner released as father of boys found dead in car to appear before British base court

  The father of two young boys who were found dead inside a car in the Dhekelia British bases area is due to appear before a court on the bases on Thursday, as the man’s partner was released unconditionally earlier on Wednesday.

  Meanwhile, arrangements are being made for the bodies of the two boys to be sent to Bulgaria to be buried, at state expense.

  Police continue their investigation into the circumstances surrounding the tragedy.

  In a statement issued on Wednesday, the police on the bases confirmed that the children’s father is scheduled to appear before the court sitting at Dhekelia at noon on July 2 whilst the stepmother who had also been detained in connection with the case, was released unconditionally earlier on Wednesday.

  “The SBA police can confirm that investigations into the tragic deaths of two children are ongoing,” the statement said.

  Police added that, as enquiries remain active, they were “unable to comment further on the circumstances surrounding the deaths, including the cause of death”.

  “The SBA Police remain committed to conducting a thorough and professional investigation and will provide further information when it is appropriate to do so,” the statement added.

  The police also appealed for the privacy of the family and all those affected by the incident to be respected.

  The children’s father and his partner were initially arrested on suspicion of negligence and appeared before the Dhekelia court earlier this week. Reports indicated that the children aged eight and ten had remained inside the vehicle, which was within the Dhekelia British base on Sunday, for several hours.  

  German forensic and technical experts have been brought in to assist investigations into the deaths of the two boys found inside the BMW in Xylofagou, with authorities examining whether an electronic locking system may have played a role in the incident.

  The involvement of the specialists was confirmed on Tuesday as bases’ police continued inquiries into the deaths of the children. 

  Postmortem examinations carried out earlier have not yet established a definitive cause of death.

  Police said that following the autopsy “the cause of death will require further testing to be determined”, with additional forensic and toxicological analysis expected.

  Investigators are also reviewing electronic devices belonging to the children’s father and stepmother.

  Mobile phones were seized for forensic examination to retrieve data including messages, photographs and location records.

• Cyprus records 17 femicides since 2020

  Seventeen cases of femicides were recorded in the period between 2020 and 2025, with two attempted femicides registered in 2026 alone, according to police data published on Wednesday.

  The extent of the issue is further demonstrated by the number of women and children accommodated in shelters for victims of violence, totalling 300 women and 347 children in 2025, housed in shelters in Nicosia, Limassol, Paphos and in alternative shelters in other districts.

  The police statistics were made public only one day after a 55-year-old police officer attempted to kill his wife and later took his own life in Limassol on Tuesday.

  A second incident only a few days before saw a 38-year-old woman and her 58-year-old mother seriously injured by the former’s ex-husband in Nicosia on Sunday.

  Speaking to the Cyprus News Agency (CNA), president of the national coordinating body for the prevention and combatting of violence against women at the justice ministry Aristos Tsiartas said that his agency, created in 2022, is actively promoting policies to prevent and effectively address gender-based violence across the island.

  The body has proceeded with the training of approximately 200 professionals from the education, health, social policy and justice sector, with a similar training programme planned for around 100 police officers in the near future.

  According to Tsiartas, the body is currently implementing information campaigns to raise public awareness regarding gender-based violence and strengthen the available support services for women. It is also working on a unified database for domestic violence which is expected in 2027.

  “The creation of the archive is estimated to also contribute to the recording, mapping and systematic monitoring of femicide, the most extreme form of gender-based violence, which has now become a specific crime in the implementing law-framework of the Istanbul Convention,” he said.

  Moreover, Tsiartas highlighted the importance of the ELPIS application.

  Launched as part of the national strategy to prevent and combat violence against women in 2024, the app enables victims to contact the police without alerting the offender.

  “[ELPIS} constitutes an innovative technological tool, which provides victims of violence with the possibility of direct and discreet communication with the police authorities in cases of danger,” he said.

  Tsiartas also mentioned that his body promotes the operation of the pan-European support helpline for gender-based violence 116016 and supports the operation of the 24-hour helpline of the association 1440.

  Asked about government support for victims of gender-based violence, he said that based on an amended legislation which came into force in 2024, victims are now recognised as a distinct category of beneficiaries eligible for free legal aid.

  “This specific amendment to the Law on Legal Aid removes significant financial and procedural obstacles faced by victims of violence and substantially strengthens their access to justice and the protection of their rights,” he said.

  The recent attempted murders are part of a wider trend that shows 76 per cent of reports of violence against women in Cyprus in 2023 and 2024 were cases of domestic violence.

  The Association for the Prevention and Handling of Violence in the Family (Spavo), in a recent statement warned of an increase in domestic and gender-based violence cases, saying that incidents were becoming more complex and severe and warned of intensified violence in approximately half of the cases.

  Spavo noted that different forms of abuse often coexist and are invariably accompanied by psychological violence.

  The organisation’s counselling service handled 81 new cases in 2025, with women accounting for 98.8 per cent of victims and men 1.2 per cent. The largest proportion of victims were aged between 35 and 45 years old (43.2 per cent), followed by those aged 45 to 60 (24.7 per cent) and 25 to 35 (23.5 per cent).

  Meanwhile, the Women’s House recorded 374 cases during the year, including 153 new cases.

  Spavo currently operates 17 services and programmes, while 5,728 calls were received through the national 1440 helpline in 2025.

  If you or someone you know are victims of gender-based violence please reach out to one of the helplines listed below:

  1440 24/7 free counselling hotline supporting victims of domestic/gender-based/intimate partner violence

  116016 24/7 EU helpline for family violence

• Govt launches new online benefit finder platform

  The government on Wednesday announced the launch of a new online platform through which people are able to discover state benefits and allowances for which they may be eligible.

  The platform features a five-stage set of questions, in which users are asked about their residence status, age, employment status, and details regarding their household, income, and property, with that information then offering a list of benefits to which one may be entitled based on their answers.

  At present, the government said, the platform offers details regarding 45 allowances and benefits, including student grants, rent subsidies for displaced persons, unemployment benefit, sickness benefit and other state benefits.

  It added that the platform will be “continuously enriched with new services”.

  The platform can be found here

• Court accepts controversial evidence in Avakoum monks’ trial

  There will be no trial within a trial in the Avakoum monks’ case concerning photographs of items, including cash, that the prosecution submitted as evidence.

  This is because the items were photographed after the monks had left the monastery and thus their rights were not being violated, the court said on Wednesday.

  The Nicosia criminal court dismissed the defence’s request for a trial within a trial regarding the evidence.

  The defence had said the first bundle of items had been confiscated from the Avakoum monastery by masked men without a search warrant.

  The second, it said, was photographs taken from a safe belonging to the mother of one of the defendants, again without a search warrant.

  The prosecution had disagreed with the objection, arguing that the main issue was the admissibility of the evidence and that the monks were not living in the monastery when the search was carried out.

  The court said there was no common ground regarding the facts cited by the defence concerning the two raids by masked men and could not examine the alleged violation of rights of third persons.

  “We deem that the extent and nature of the objection would lead to the fragmentation of the main trial,” the court said and decided not to allow a trial within a trial.

  This, it clarified, did not mean that the evidence would be admissible in court and that any objections would be examined in due course.

  Proceedings continued with the questioning of a witness, however the defence lawyers of both defendants said the witness was illegally in the space at the time the evidence was collected.

  The court reminded the decision against a trial within a trial and listed the two bundles of photographs as evidence.

  Questioning the witness, the prosecution asked if he agreed the photographs originated from the Tamasos bishopric and the Avakoum monastery. The witness agreed.

  The court adjourned and the cross-examination of the witness will continue on July 6 at 9.30am.

  It also set a schedule for July, with proceedings continuing on July 8, 13, 20 and 22 at 9.30am.

  The two monks are facing charges of money laundering and fraud.

  The Holy Synod has already upheld their defrocking, while they also face criminal proceedings.

  Charges brought before the religious court and listed in its latest ruling include lewdness, “sodomy, impurity and cohabitation,” posting and distributing indecent photos, “acts of solicitation,” fraud and misleading believers with fabricated miracles.

  According to the verdict, Nektarios, described as the ringleader of the affair, went so far as to pretend that Saint Avakoum had taken over his body, faking his voice and staging fainting episodes during “exorcisms” to extort money from believers.

• Woman shot by husband police officer remains in critical condition

  The 46-year-old woman who was shot by her husband on Tuesday remains intubated and in critical condition, police told the Cyprus Mail on Wednesday.

  “The woman is in the hospital in a critical condition,” the police said.

  The woman had suffered serious injuries after being shot by her husband, a police officer who later took his own life, outside a primary school on Tuesday morning.

  The officer, who was on duty with the port police, had reported for work early in the morning, collected his service firearm and informed colleagues he would be away for five minutes.

  The shooting occurred at around 6.35am while the woman was travelling to work.

  Investigators are examining the sequence of events that resulted in the pair meeting at the location, while individual and financial conditions are among the lines of enquiry being evaluated.

  Police on Wednesday said that investigations have so far revealed that the 55-year-old appears to have met with his wife outside the St Spyrdion high school where their discussion resulted in an argument and “intense confrontation”.

  Efforts to investigate the motive that led to the incident are ongoing with investigators examining all gathered evidence and witness material.

  Local newspaper Politis on Wednesday reported that no psychological examinations are required for the possession of service weapons for police officers, noting that the tests officers must undergo mainly covered overall knowledge of handling the weapons.

  It said that the procedure for granting weapons to officers is based solely on the certification of competence which is issued by a commander of the motorised Immediate Action Unit (MMAD), which does not include a psychological examination.

  In order to maintain the certificate, officers must undergo a re-evaluation by the MMAD every five years.

  According to the paper, police officers who score at least 60 per cent or higher are considered “capable” of holding the certificate. If an officer does not pass the test, he will be “recalled as soon as possible and for as long as necessary” until he receives said certification.

  Should a medical report confirm that an officer is deemed incapable of the possession and handling of a service weapon due to mental or physical illness, the chief of police should be informed immediately, the newspaper said.

• RES electricity generation in Cyprus topped 35% in May

  The share of electricity generation from renewable sources in Cyprus has steadily increased over the first five months of the year, reaching 36.88 per cent in May, according to Eurostat data published on Wednesday.

  Cyprus remains significantly behind the European Union as a whole in average renewable energy generation. In the first three months of 2026, Cyprus generated approximately 23.5 percent of its electricity from renewable sources, while that figure stood at 45.5 per cent for the European Union.

  Cyprus has consistently ranked among the bottom five EU nations in percentage of renewable energy generation. At the same time, it has seen significant quantities of wasted solar energy during peak production times due to a lack of energy storage systems.

  In January, Cyprus started the year with 19.71 per cent renewable energy generation, followed by 24.68 per cent in February and 26.05 per cent in March. In April, this rose to 29.23 per cent.

  In the first quarter of the year, the EU nations with the lowest renewable energy generation were the Czech Republic at 12.7 per cent, Malta at 13.0 per cent and Slovakia at 17.2 per cent.

  The European Union’s 45.5 per cent in the first quarter marks an increase from 42.7 per cent last year. Wind energy was the leading source of renewable energy, accounting for 44.9 percent of total renewable sources, followed by hydropower in second and solar energy in third.

  The EU nation with the highest portion of its electricity generated from renewable sources in Denmark, at 90.0 per cent in the first quarter of the year. Denmark’s energy comes primarily from wind power, and it is followed by Portugal at 82.9 per cent, which gets its energy mostly from hydropower, and Lithuania at 75.7 per cent.

• Media reports Board of Peace decisions taken, but meeting still shrouded in mystery

  Israeli media on Wednesday reported that decisions have been taken by the Gaza Board of Peace, suggesting that a meeting, possibly in Cyprus, did take place, although no official has yet confirmed that such a meeting has started, or even where it took place.

  According to Israeli newspaper the Times of Israel, the Board of Peace decided on Wednesday to relieve its director of deradicalisation, Jason Olson, of his duties, with the newspaper quoting an unnamed official from the Board of Peace as saying that his “recent detail in support of the Board of Peace mission has concluded”.

  The official was quoted as having added that “we thank him for his capacity-building contributions”.

  Olson, a Mormon academic who had prior to his appointment to the Board of Peace served as an executive agent in the United States army’s Middle East and North Africa peacekeeping operations, and had previously penned an article in the Jerusalem Post titled, “Why we’re standing with Israel: A Latter-day Saint view”, was appointed to the role in May.

  The Times of Israel reported that his dismissal “came as much of the Board of Peace’s professional staff were meeting in Cyprus in order to ready a committee of Palestinian technocrats for entering Gaza in place of Hamas”.

  Since government spokesman Konstantinos Letymbiotis confirmed a week ago that the meeting would take place, the Cypriot government has been reticent to pass comment on the matter, with Foreign Minister Constantinos Kombos having stressed that Cyprus is neither “organising”, nor “co-organising” the meeting.

  He had also been keen to point out that the Cypriot government is “not participating in the discussions”, and although Letymbiotis had said that “officials” had “requested meetings” with Kombos, no such meetings have been announced this week. A meeting between former British prime minister Tony Blair – a member of the Board of Peace – and President Nikos Christodoulides in Nicosia which had been announced for Monday never took place.

  Meanwhile, Israel Hayom reported that the Board of Peace has taken a decision to open “‘Hamas-free’ humanitarian zones” in Gaza, with civilian populations to be directed to camps in those areas, where they will receive humanitarian aid.

  It said that “civilians with no weapons or affiliation with Hamas” will first be directed to the suburb of Tel Sultan, which is located to the north of Rafah, adjacent to the Egyptian border.

  “Multinational forces under the Board of Peace’s management will also arrive in the area and will be based at a facility built for them at Camp Amitai,” which is located just outside of the Gaza strip, near the Kerem Shalom border crossing.

  Those forces, it added, “are expected to be equipped with nonlethal weapons to maintain order in the humanitarian zones”, while soldiers from the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) will “continue to hold its positions and deepen its grip on areas beyond the yellow line”, a demarcation line separating the 60 per cent of Gaza which now falls entirely under Israeli control.

  Additionally, the newspaper reported that the Board of Peace “has begun identifying sites in communities around the Gaza border area for the establishment of large logistics warehouses that will serve its efforts to regulate the humanitarian shelters”.

  It stated that Israelis living near the Gaza strip had expressed reservations regarding the reported plan, arguing that “the shelters must not be established as long as Hamas remains armed”.

  However, it added, the Board of Peace and the Israeli government believe that the establishment of those zones and camps within them “is the way to deepen the blow to Hamas, by disconnecting it from the population”.

  The reports notwithstanding, no official was able to confirm Wednesday’s meeting’s whereabouts, or whether it had happened at all.

  Additionally, the Cyprus Mail attempted to contact the US state department, the US embassy in Nicosia, and the World Bank regarding the meeting, but received no response.

  It had been reported last week that the meeting would take place at a “resort” on the island, though with no official announcements or photographs of any kind having been forthcoming, it remains unclear where the meeting was held, with the only evidence that it was held at all being the various media reports circulating regarding decisions made.

  Cyprus was one of dozens of countries invited to join the Board of Peace, with Kombos saying on the day of the board’s inauguration that the island was waiting for the European Union to form a common position on the matter before taking a decision.

  EU members Bulgaria and Hungary did join the board as full members, while Cyprus, in line with the EU’s broad position, in the end decided to attend meetings as an observer.

• Nicosia municipality to end paper invoices from January 2027

  Nicosia municipality announced on Wednesday it will stop issuing paper invoices from January 1, 2027 and move fully to electronic communication for all bills and charges.

  The last paper rubbish collection fees for 2026 have already been sent to residents in the municipal districts of Nicosia, Engomi and Ayios Dhometios.

  The municipality said the change is part of its environmental policy and wider efforts to modernise services.

  Residents are asked to use the QR code provided on their 2026 invoice to register their contact details for each property so they can continue receiving updates and notices.

  Officials stressed that each invoice and fee category carries a separate QR code, requiring separate registration in each case.

  Payments for 2026 charges can be made online through the municipality’s website, or in person at citizen service offices and the central municipal treasury.

  Card payments are accepted at service offices, while cash payments are accepted only at the central treasury.

  The municipality also outlined the process for submitting objections regarding discount criteria, which must include supporting documents and be submitted via municipal offices or email.

  Objection forms are available on the municipality’s website, with a deadline of July 31, 2026.

  Officials warned that late or incomplete submissions will not be examined.

  The municipality also reminded residents that payment deadlines are stated on each invoice and that late payments will incur a 10 per cent surcharge, as provided under legislation.

Github

• Enterprises can default to auto model selection

  Enterprise administrators can now set model to auto in the enterprise managed-settings.json to make Copilot auto model selection the default for new conversations.

  Add auto to .github-private/.github/copilot/managed-settings.json in your source organization for enterprise governance so new conversations start with Copilot auto model selection by default. Users can still switch to a different model on a per-conversation basis. GitHub Copilot automatically pulls and applies these settings for users licensed through your enterprise account with Copilot Business or Copilot Enterprise.

  Backward compatability

  • The model permission is available in VS Code 1.126+
  • The supported path for AI standards is copilot/managed-settings.json, with backward compatibility for .github/copilot/settings.json.
  • If you’ve already configured a source organization for custom agents, this setting uses that same .github-private repository. You can confirm that your configuration is active on the Agents page under AI controls in your enterprise settings.

  To learn more, see managed-settings.json permissions.

  Join the discussion within GitHub Community.

  The post Enterprises can default to auto model selection appeared first on The GitHub Blog.

• GitHub Models is being fully retired on July 30, 2026

  In June, we announced that we are retiring GitHub Models and closed it to new customers. We’re now sharing the timeline for the next step: GitHub Models will be fully retired on July 30, 2026.

  After that date, GitHub Models—including the playground, model catalog, inference API, and bring your own key (BYOK)—will no longer be available to any customer. This includes existing customers with active usage.

  What’s changing

  • GitHub Models will be fully retired on July 30, 2026. After this date, the playground, model catalog, inference API, and BYOK endpoints will no longer be available, and the related UI will be removed.
  • This affects all customers. Unlike the first step in June, this change applies to everyone, including existing customers with active usage.
  • Brief brownouts ahead of retirement. To help you prepare, we will run short, scheduled service interruptions (brownouts) on July 16 and July 23, 2026. During a brownout, GitHub Models requests will temporarily return errors before service is restored.

  What you can do

  For new and existing projects that need AI model access, Azure AI Foundry offers a broad model catalog. To build AI-powered workflows directly on GitHub, GitHub Copilot gives you access to a range of models.

  To learn more, check out our docs about GitHub Models. You can also join our community discussions to ask questions and share feedback.

  The post GitHub Models is being fully retired on July 30, 2026 appeared first on The GitHub Blog.

• Enterprise managed-settings.json is generally available

  GitHub Enterprise Cloud customers can configure AI standards through a managed-settings.json file maintained in a .github-private repository in a selected organization. This allows the enterprise to define new governance and extensibility flows that apply to Copilot clients such as VS Code or Copilot CLI. The configuration in managed-settings.json is in addition to the policies available in the AI Controls tab in enterprise settings.

  managed-settings.json takes precedence over file-based configuration set by users in their clients for the supported keys. The configuration is fetched from the server by Copilot every time a user authenticates, stored in memory, and refreshed hourly.

  Supported keys

  All defined keys are optional so that you may choose what configuration applies best for your governance and extensibility strategy. Additional keys will be continuously added over time.

  • extraKnownMarketplaces
  • enabledPlugins
  • strictKnownMarketplaces
  • disableBypassPermissionsMode
  • model

  Supported clients

  Today the configuration defined in managed-settings.json is enforced in VS Code and Copilot CLI whenever a user has a Copilot Business or Copilot Enterprise license issued from the enterprise or one of its organizations. We are working to extend this support across all Copilot clients through the Copilot SDK.

  Getting started

  To start using enterprise managed settings, you’ll need to select an organization to host your configuration in the AI Controls tab in enterprise settings or via the API. Copilot looks for managed-settings.json in the organization’s .github-private repository. In the source organization’s .github-private repository, create the managed settings file at copilot/managed-settings.json. Add any of the supported keys and values and commit the file to the default branch for the configuration to take effect in VS Code and Copilot CLI.

  Backward compatibility

  • The supported path for AI standards source is copilot/managed-settings.json, with backward compatibility for .github/copilot/settings.json.
  • If you’ve already configured a source organization for custom agents, this setting uses that same .github-private repository. You can confirm that your configuration is active on the Agents page under AI controls in your enterprise settings.

  To learn more, see configuring enterprise managed settings.

  Join the discussion within GitHub Community.

  The post Enterprise managed-settings.json is generally available appeared first on The GitHub Blog.

• Secret scanning adds validators for Asana, IBM, and MessageBird

  Secret scanning now runs validity checks on Asana, IBM, and MessageBird secrets so you can tell whether a leaked credential is still active.

  Validity checks added

  These patterns now support validity checks.

  Provider	Secret type
  Asana	asana_legacy_format_personal_access_token
  Asana	asana_personal_access_token
  IBM	ibm_cloud_iam_key
  MessageBird	messagebird_api_key

  Learn more

  Learn more about secret scanning and see the full list of supported secrets in our documentation. Let us know what you think in the community discussion.

  The post Secret scanning adds validators for Asana, IBM, and MessageBird appeared first on The GitHub Blog.

• Secret scanning public monitoring for enterprises

  GitHub is committed to empowering the developer community by helping organizations recognize and address the risks of secret leaks wherever they happen. We believe every enterprise should know the moment its secrets leak in public, no matter where it happens on GitHub. That’s why public monitoring is now in public preview for enterprises with GitHub Secret Protection, at no additional cost.

  Secrets don’t respect boundaries; scanning for them shouldn’t either.

  What is public monitoring?

  GitHub monitors the entire public surface of github.com for leaked secrets in real time. Public monitoring attributes those secrets back to your enterprise, based on where your people commit.

  Secret scanning has always protected the repositories you own. But secrets leak beyond that boundary. For example, a developer commits to a personal fork or an open source project, or they paste a token into a public issue or pull request, and this often happens from an account your security team isn’t tracking. Exposures like these were nearly impossible to find and often only surfaced after they’d been abused by bad actors.

  Public monitoring closes that gap. It finds these vulnerabilities and attributes them to your enterprise so you can respond quickly. The feature scans for secrets exposed anywhere in public content across github.com—including git content, pull request comments, and GitHub issues—and natively attributes each one back to your enterprise, through GitHub’s identity layer and verified domains.

  Because the activity happens on GitHub, so does the attribution: in real time (not a nightly async crawl), definitively with native platform metadata (not on a guess from a commit email), and across arbitrary public repositories (not just surfaces where you tell us to look).

  Public monitoring works “out of the box” with no setup or configuration required; just enable it and start seeing results.

  How does attribution work?

  GitHub attributes a public finding to your enterprise using two main heuristics, leveraging metadata across GitHub’s identity layer, domain verification, and token metadata.

  Method	What it checks	Catches
  Member-based attribution	The committer’s GitHub account belongs to your enterprise as an enterprise member	Leaks from managed accounts and known members
  Verified domain matching	The committer’s email is on a domain your organization or enterprise has verified	Leaks from personal accounts using a work email

  Verified domain matching applies even when the account isn’t linked to your enterprise and even when the email isn’t public. Each finding shows which method attributed it, along with the secret type, the public location (e.g. file, issue, pull request, discussion, etc.), and the committer.

  How to enable public monitoring?

  Enterprise owners and enterprise security managers can enable public monitoring from their Security tab. Once enabled, you’ll see recently leaked secrets, and GitHub will begin scanning for future matches.

  Learn more

  Learn more about secret scanning and public monitoring in our product documentation. Have feedback? Let us know by joining the discussion—we’re listening.

  The post Secret scanning public monitoring for enterprises appeared first on The GitHub Blog.

• New C++ language server config skill for Copilot CLI

  The Microsoft C++ Language Server is now available as a plugin on the Copilot Plugins marketplace. It includes a new built-in setup skill that helps automate project setup, making it easier to generate and maintain the compile_commands.json file the language server needs to understand your code.

  Why this matters

  The C++ language server relies on a compile_commands.json file to provide precise semantic intelligence (i.e., symbol navigation, diagnostics, and code changes that reflect how your compiler actually sees the code). Previously, creating this file required manual steps that varied by build system. The new setup skills handle this automatically for CMake and MSBuild projects, and they provide a repeatable pattern for custom build systems.

  What’s new

  Available via the Copilot Plugins marketplace

  The C++ language server can now be installed directly as a Copilot CLI plugin:

  /plugin install cpp-language-server@copilot-plugins

  This replaces the previous npm-based installation and simplifies getting started and staying updated with the latest releases on Windows, Linux, and macOS.

  Generate compile commands skill

  The new generate compile commands skill lets you generate or refresh your compile_commands.json directly from Copilot CLI. Simply say “regenerate compile commands” or “load project” and the skill will configure your compilation database based on your project type and platform.

  The language server automatically watches for changes to compile_commands.json, so updates take effect without restarting.

  Recommended configuration by project type

  CMake projects

  If you don’t already have a compile_commands.json generated from your CMake builds, the recommended path is to use the skill to generate one for you. Alternatively, you can pass -DCMAKE_EXPORT_COMPILE_COMMANDS=TRUE when configuring CMake to directly produce the file from your build.

  CMake has native support for compile command generation, and the skill helps configure the project so the language server has the compilation database it needs.

  MSBuild projects

  For MSBuild-based projects, you have two options:

  1. Guided setup: Use the skill to onboard the project by saying “regenerate compile commands” or “load project.” The skill produces the configuration needed for the language server.
  2. Manual generation: Use the sample extractor application to generate compile_commands.json from your MSBuild project. While it works out-of-the-box for many projects, it may require adaptation for complex configurations.

  Custom build systems

  Custom builds often use hermetic, vendored, or wrapper-based toolchains that standard discovery cannot always detect. For these projects:

  • Create a project-specific skill that captures your build setup once and makes it repeatable.
  • Teams can still manually provide their own compile_commands.json file.
  • The detailed guidance in the repository covers what settings to pin and how to structure a skill so Copilot can reliably regenerate compile commands.

  Getting started

  Install the plugin and follow the quick start guide to accept the EULA:

  /plugin install cpp-language-server@copilot-plugins

  Then say “regenerate compile commands” or “load project” to configure your project. Reinvoke the skill whenever your build configuration changes to keep the language server in sync.

  An active GitHub Copilot subscription is required.

  Feedback

  Help us improve the Microsoft C++ language server for Copilot CLI by filling out our short survey. To report a problem or suggest an improvement, open an issue in our GitHub repository.

  The post New C++ language server config skill for Copilot CLI appeared first on The GitHub Blog.

• Kimi K2.7 Code is generally available in GitHub Copilot

  Kimi K2.7 Code, an open-weight model, is now generally available in GitHub Copilot. This is the first open-weight model offered as a selectable option in the Copilot model picker, giving you more choice and a lower-cost option for your coding workflows.

  Kimi K2.7 Code is hosted by GitHub on Microsoft Azure.

  This model is billed at provider list pricing under usage-based billing. See GitHub Copilot’s pricing for models and requests for details.

  Availability in GitHub Copilot

  Kimi K2.7 Code is beginning to roll out to Copilot Pro, Pro+, and Max plans. You’ll be able to select the model in the model picker in Visual Studio Code. Rollout will be gradual and we’ll continue to monitor the model’s quality and performance.

  We’ll expand to Copilot Business, Enterprise, and additional surfaces over the coming weeks. Check back soon if you don’t see it yet.

  You’ll be able to select the model in the model picker in:

  • Visual Studio Code version 1.127.0 or later
  • Visual Studio version 17.14.6 or later
  • Copilot CLI
  • GitHub Copilot cloud agent
  • GitHub Copilot App
  • github.com
  • GitHub Mobile iOS and Android
  • JetBrains version 1.9.1-251 or later
  • Xcode
  • Eclipse

  Enabling access for Copilot Business and Copilot Enterprise

  Kimi K2.7 Code is off by default for Copilot Business and Copilot Enterprise. Plan administrators must enable the Kimi K2.7 Code policy in Copilot settings before anyone in their organization can select it. If the policy is left off, the model stays unavailable to that organization.

  We recommend administrators review open-weight models against their own security, compliance, and data-governance requirements before enabling them.

  Learn more

  To explore all models available in GitHub Copilot, see our documentation on supported models and choosing the right AI model for your task.

  Share your feedback

  Join the discussion in GitHub Community to share your feedback.

  The post Kimi K2.7 Code is generally available in GitHub Copilot appeared first on The GitHub Blog.

• Copilot vision is generally available

  Copilot vision is now generally available. You can attach images and PDFs directly to your chat prompts so Copilot can reason about what it sees alongside your code.

  Supported file types

  Type	Formats
  Images	JPEG (.jpg, .jpeg), PNG (.png), GIF (.gif), WebP (.webp)
  Documents	PDF (.pdf)

  Where it works

  Copilot vision is available across the following surfaces:

  Surface	Notes
  GitHub Copilot Chat in VS Code	Paste, drag-and-drop, or right-click to attach images in the chat panel; works in ask, plan, and agent modes
  github.com Copilot Chat	Attach images and PDFs directly in chat on github.com
  GitHub Copilot CLI	Attach image paths when using Copilot in the terminal

  Available on all Copilot plans

  Copilot vision is now available to all Copilot subscribers: Free, Pro, Pro+, Business, and Enterprise. No policy changes or admin actions are required to turn it on.

  Previously, users on Copilot Business and Copilot Enterprise needed the Editor Preview Features policy enabled at the org or enterprise level. Vision is now on by default for everyone.

  For users on GitHub Copilot Business and GitHub Copilot Enterprise, GitHub retains image and PDF attachments for approximately 24 hours to provide the service.

  The post Copilot vision is generally available appeared first on The GitHub Blog.

• Set AI credit session limits in Copilot CLI and SDK

  You can now set AI credit session limits in Copilot CLI and the GitHub Copilot SDK to cap the amount an agent spends in a session. This is especially useful for automation, where no one is actively monitoring the agent’s work.

  Set a limit before you start work or kick off jobs, and Copilot tracks AI credit usage across the entire session, including model calls, subagents, and background work like compaction. When the limit is reached, the agent wraps up and lets you know instead of running until the task is finished or until you manually stop it.

  • In an interactive session, use /limits to view, set, or remove your limit. When it’s reached, Copilot prompts you to raise or adjust it and then continues from where it stopped. There’s no need to restart the task.
  • For noninteractive runs, pass --max-ai-credits to bound a single run. The run ends when the limit is reached, so it’s easy to use in scripts.

  Session limits are a soft cap. Since usage is only known after a response returns, a response that’s already underway finishes before Copilot stops, so actual usage may slightly exceed the number you set. A session limit controls spend for one session—it complements, but doesn’t replace, your overall budgets and spending limits.

  Session limits are available in public preview for Copilot for Individuals, Business, and Enterprise, and are subject to change. They’re supported in Copilot CLI 1.0.66 and later, and in Copilot SDK 1.0.5 and later.

  To get started, update GitHub Copilot CLI by running copilot update in your terminal. To learn more, see Setting a session limit in Copilot CLI and Optimize AI usage.

  Share feedback with the /feedback command in a CLI session or open an issue in our public repository.

  The post Set AI credit session limits in Copilot CLI and SDK appeared first on The GitHub Blog.

• Browser tools for GitHub Copilot in VS Code are generally available

  Editor’s note (July 1, 2026): Added more detail about which permissions stay under your control and the existing network domain controls.

  Browser tools for GitHub Copilot in VS Code are now generally available. Agents can now drive a real browser, navigate live web apps, and feed what they find back into the chat. Browser tools are on by default with general availability, shaped by feedback from preview users.

  What agents do in the browser

  Under the hood, agents get the same browser actions a developer would use. They can:

  • Open pages and navigate, click, type, hover, drag, and handle dialogs.
  • Read page content, capture console errors, and take screenshots.
  • Run scripted flows when a sequence of steps is more efficient than tool calls.

  DevTools are also right in the browser toolbar so you can inspect elements, view console output, and debug pages yourself.

  You stay in control

  • Your tabs are private by default: The agent can’t read or interact with a page you opened until you select Share with Agent, and you can revoke that access at any time.
  • The agent’s tabs are isolated: Pages the agent opens itself run in fresh sessions with no access to the cookies or storage from your everyday browsing. Agents running in parallel in the Agents window each keep their browser tabs private from one another.
  • Sensitive permissions stay under your control: Capabilities like the camera, microphone, location, notifications, and clipboard reads are never granted automatically. Each one needs your explicit approval for a site, and agents can’t approve them on your behalf. Only low-risk actions, such as sanitized clipboard writes, are allowed by default.

  Enterprise controls

  Admins can centrally manage browser tools:

  • A new dedicated on/off switch (workbench.browser.enableChatTools)
  • Existing agent network domain controls (chat.agent.allowedNetworkDomains and chat.agent.deniedNetworkDomains, enabled with chat.agent.networkFilter) that restrict which sites agents and the integrated browser can reach. Denied domains take precedence, and both lists support wildcards (e.g., *.example.com).
  • Workspace trust and approval prompts still apply

  Get started

  Browser tools are available in both the editor window and the Agents window. Update VS Code and ask the agent to open or test a page.

  For details, see the browser tools for agents docs and the browser agent testing guide, and share feedback in the microsoft/vscode repository.

  The post Browser tools for GitHub Copilot in VS Code are generally available appeared first on The GitHub Blog.

Reddit

r/golang

• Who's Hiring

  This is a monthly recurring post. Clicking the flair will allow you to see all previous posts.

  Please adhere to the following rules when posting:

  Rules for individuals:

  • Don't create top-level comments; those are for employers.
  • Feel free to reply to top-level comments with on-topic questions.
  • Meta-discussion should be reserved for the distinguished mod comment.

  Rules for employers:

  • To make a top-level comment you must be hiring directly, or a focused third party recruiter with specific jobs with named companies in hand. No recruiter fishing for contacts please.
  • The job must be currently open. It is permitted to post in multiple months if the position is still open, especially if you posted towards the end of the previous month.
  • The job must involve working with Go on a regular basis, even if not 100% of the time.
  • One top-level comment per employer. If you have multiple job openings, please consolidate their descriptions or mention them in replies to your own top-level comment.
  • Please base your comment on the following template:

  COMPANY: [Company name; ideally link to your company's website or careers page.]

  TYPE: [Full time, part time, internship, contract, etc.]

  DESCRIPTION: [What does your team/company do, and what are you using Go for? How much experience are you seeking and what seniority levels are you hiring for? The more details the better.]

  LOCATION: [Where are your office or offices located? If your workplace language isn't English-speaking, please specify it.]

  ESTIMATED COMPENSATION: [Please attempt to provide at least a rough expectation of wages/salary.If you can't state a number for compensation, omit this field. Do not just say "competitive". Everyone says their compensation is "competitive".If you are listing several positions in the "Description" field above, then feel free to include this information inline above, and put "See above" in this field.If compensation is expected to be offset by other benefits, then please include that information here as well.]

  REMOTE: [Do you offer the option of working remotely? If so, do you require employees to live in certain areas or time zones?]

  VISA: [Does your company sponsor visas?]

  CONTACT: [How can someone get in touch with you?]

  submitted by /u/jerf
  [link] [comments]
• If we can use Go and n8n for AI Systems

  Hi friends ,

  I saw someone comment that his company uses python for experimentation , and go for performant deployment ... so i begin to think about making in parallel or using one of them (Go , n8n) for AI Systems ... i used to make no code low code using n8n and a new beginner with golang so tell me.. using both of them for AI systems . or prefer a tool on the other?

  thanks for your time^^

  submitted by /u/OsamaGharib
  [link] [comments]
• I've switched from Dotnet to Go and I have some tensions with the language. has anyone resolved these?

  I've been writing in C# and ASP.Net for most of my career, and 4 months ago I switched to Go.

  So far I really like the concurrency model, how robust the standard lib is with anything to do with networking, and the general "vibe" of the language.

  But there are some tensions I feel when I'm writing it that I can't get past, and I'm not sure whether there's a click that needs to happen or that's just the tradeoffs that Go makes.

  1. In Go every package is a dir, every subpackage is a subdir, and marking a subpackage as internal to the package it's in require an "internal" dir. I find myself avoiding splitting logic and concerns into subpackages even when I think I should because I don't want to clutter the repo. Is this just something you have to power through?

  2. I usually favor baking business rules into types, I found it helps catch bugs at development time, It is possible in Go, but it feels like it requires more ceremony, simply declaring a type over a primitive doesn't let you constrain its creation in any way, even with structs it's hard to make constructor functions a must, and with enums and union types not part of the language it takes a lot of code to constrain a field to a closed set of values or blocking invalid combinations of fields from being set together. Are there patterns I should use that make those easier?

  3. I find myself putting a lot of thought into DI, configuration layering, input binding and validation, all stuff I used to get from the framework without putting much effort into it, those are very much "opt in" in Go, how do you make sure the all contributers opt in consistently?

  I get that all of those points are by design, the Go philosophy favors small microservices with flat codebases and little abstraction to keep everything explicit, But it seems like keeping a codebase maintainable in Go requires consistent discipline and some craftsmanship across the team, And as an individual contributor, even a senior one, I don't always call the shots, So how do you navigate this in a long running project with people coming and going?

  submitted by /u/Ok_Brain208
  [link] [comments]