Wednesday, July 15, 2026
317435a0-b68f-494e-8ca2-a14bf6e2b499
| Summary | ⛅️ Mostly clear until evening. |
|---|---|
| Temperature Range | 23°C to 31°C (73°F to 87°F) |
| Feels Like | Low: 78°F | High: 102°F |
| Humidity | 76% |
| Wind | 10 km/h (6 mph), Direction: 154° |
| Precipitation | Probability: 6%, Type: No precipitation expected |
| Sunrise / Sunset | 🌅 05:46 AM / 🌇 08:01 PM |
| Moon Phase | Waxing Crescent (4%) |
| Cloud Cover | 17% |
| Pressure | 1008.02 hPa |
| Dew Point | 72.33°F |
| Visibility | 6.21 miles |
The Larnaca district government (EOA) said on Tuesday that 90 buildings believed to be Turkish Cypriot properties are being assessed as potentially dangerous following extensive inspections.
In a statement, it said the inspections were carried out as part of its responsibilities under the buildings regulation law to identify and manage dangerous buildings.
According to the organisation, the 90 buildings have been identified as properties believed to fall under the category of Turkish Cypriot properties and are now being examined to determine whether they meet the legal criteria to be officially declared dangerous buildings.
As part of the process, the organisation said it had sent an official letter to the Turkish Cypriot Property Management Service requesting confirmation that the buildings are managed by the Guardian of Turkish Cypriot Properties.
The letter included detailed information on each property and called on the competent authority to proceed with the necessary actions where appropriate.
“Taking into account the seriousness of the issue and the possible implications for the safety of citizens and neighbouring properties,” the EOA called on the Turkish Cypriot Property Management Service to “take all appropriate measures within the framework of its responsibilities”.
It also requested to be informed of any measures already taken or planned by the service to ensure effective coordination between the authorities responsible for managing the properties and addressing any safety risks.
It said timely communication between the bodies involved was necessary to facilitate “the timely adoption of all necessary measures to protect public safety”.
The inspections form part of a broader programme to identify buildings that may present structural risks to residents, neighbouring properties or members of the public.
The EOA said it remains committed to carrying out its statutory responsibilities to identify dangerous buildings, prevent potential hazards and safeguard public safety.
Chief Returning Officer, Elikkos Elias, said on Tuesday that Anastasia Anthousi’s appeal to the electoral court over a disputed parliamentary seat was “honest”, whilst assuring that any ruling by the court would be fully implemented.
Anthousi, a Disy candidate for Nicosia during the recent parliamentary elections held in May, had filed an objection requesting a recount of votes at a polling station in Nikitari, after a correction of five votes affected the second distribution of parliamentary seats and resulted in a seat moving from Disy to Elam.
Elias said that if the electoral court orders a recount of the specific ballot box, “we will obey the court and recount them”.
“If it is proven that there was no change in the final result announced for Nikitari, then things will remain as they are,” he said.
“If it is however proven that there was an error by the specific polling station, the court will decide and tell us what to do.”
The objection concerns a recount at the Nikitari polling station, where five votes initially recorded in favour of Elam were later corrected and attributed to Edek.
The change affected the allocation of seats under the second distribution process.
Anthousi received 7,606 votes and is seeking a recount, the annulment of the result concerning the disputed seat and recognition as the elected candidate if the court rules in her favour.
The elections service has confirmed that the objection has been registered and that it will comply with any decision issued by the electoral court.
Elias said the case also raised wider concerns about the structure of the electoral system, calling for a review by the House.
“We should be concerned about whether our electoral system is correct,” he said, adding that “we need to review our electoral system, especially the issue of the second distribution”.
He said the current system “suffers” and referred to the movement of a parliamentary seat between districts following the recent elections, describing the process as “demoralising” for candidates.
“A seat changed province within five minutes, went from one party to another and ultimately ended up being elected in the Paphos province with a very small number of voters,” Elias said.
He added that the electoral framework should be examined “to make it fairer”, while the final decision on Anthousi’s appeal remains with the electoral court.
Transport Minister Alexis Vafeades said on Tuesday that a proposal had been reached between the Public Works Department and Limassol municipality over controversial pedestrian crossings and bollards installed as part of the city’s sustainable plan.
Vafeades said the discussions had resulted in “golden ratios” being found, with the Public Works proposal providing for the removal of specific measures and their replacement with alternative road safety interventions.
Vafeades confirmed that senior engineers had inspected the issue on site before developing possible solutions.
The minister said the aim was to balance road safety requirements with concerns raised by residents and businesses affected by the changes.
The proposed changes are awaiting approval from the Limassol municipal council before implementation can begin.
“At the moment we are awaiting the approval of the city council to what the department has responded to,” Vafeades said.
“Once we have that, the projects will be implemented and there will be changes.”
The controversy began after plastic bollards were installed along roads across Limassol to separate cycle lanes from vehicle traffic under the sustainable urban mobility plan.
Residents and motorists raised concerns over accessibility, road layout and the impact of the measures on daily movement.
The issue received further attention after footage circulated showing a driver removing several bollards from Thekla Lysioti Street.
Limassol municipality later removed bollards from outside school premises, with Mayor Yiannis Armeftis saying the intervention was intended to allow safer access for student drop-off and pick-up.
The municipality had previously sent an 11-point letter to the Transport Ministry requesting adjustments to projects being implemented by the Public Works Department.
Vafeades said consultations had taken place repeatedly but acknowledged that some residents may not have fully understood how the changes would affect areas outside their homes.
“What has become clear is that people most likely did not realise what would happen in front of their homes, and I consider this a weakness,” he said.
He added that the focus should remain on finding solutions that meet both mobility and safety requirements.
“A sustainable urban Limassol is something that will serve our children and future generations,” Vafeadis said.
A National Guard soldier is among two Greek Cypriots who will remain in custody for a further two days in the north, after a ‘court’ there extended their detention over allegations that they entered a military restricted area without following required procedures.
According to reports within local media, the male detainee is serving his military service in the National Guard.
The man and woman were detained on Sunday after allegedly crossing into the north through the Limnitis crossing point in a private vehicle, according to reports from the Turkish Cypriot press.
During proceedings on Tuesday, Turkish Cypriot ‘police officer’ Orcun Karantagi claimed the two Greek Cypriots crossed from the government-controlled areas without stopping at the control point or completing the required entry procedures.
It is alleged that the pair were later located while attempting to return to the government-controlled areas through the Zodia crossing point, where they were arrested.
The two are facing allegations of unlawful entry into a first-degree military prohibited zone.
Parliament on Tuesday rejected government legislation introducing a landfill tax on municipal waste, with MPs arguing that households should not bear additional costs before the necessary waste management infrastructure and an effective recycling system are in place.
The regulations were defeated by 26 votes to 19, with Disy and Diko voting in favour, while Akel, Elam, Alma and Direct Democracy voted against.
Under the proposal, a landfill tax of €10 per tonne would have applied to municipal waste sent to landfill until the end of next year.
The charge would then have increased by €5 per tonne each year from 2028 until reaching €70 per tonne.
The government had argued that the measure formed part of Cyprus’ green tax reform and was intended to reduce the amount of municipal waste sent to landfill, which currently stands at 68 per cent compared with the European Union target of 10 per cent by 2035.
It also warned that the legislation was a milestone under the Recovery and Resilience Plan, with its rejection placing €23 million in European funding at risk.
During the debate, MPs criticised successive governments for failing to develop the infrastructure needed to support modern waste management before introducing new charges.
Elam MP and environment committee chairman Linos Papayiannis said the country continued to rely on landfill “without the necessary infrastructure having been created”, while Direct Democracy MP Yiannis Laouris described the proposal as “sketchy and incomplete”, saying no comprehensive long term strategy had been presented.
Alma president Odysseas Michaelides said the debate demonstrated “the collapse of the national waste strategy” and criticised the continued operation of the Kosi waste management facility through repeated contract extensions.
He argued the proposal would unfairly burden citizens regardless of whether they reduced their waste or recycled.
Akel MP Nikos Kettiros described the proposed levy as a “government incompetence tax” rather than a green tax, arguing that Cyprus would continue sending waste to landfill regardless of whether the measure was approved.
Disy MP Andreas Constantinou said the “Pay as You Throw” scheme should have been implemented before any landfill tax was introduced, while parliamentary spokesman Demetris Demetriou said the country had “failed overall in waste management” and criticised delays in delivering planned infrastructure.
Despite expressing reservations, both Disy and Diko backed the proposal, arguing that rejecting it could jeopardise European funding needed for future waste management projects.
Following the vote, the agriculture ministry described parliament’s decision as “a particularly negative development”, warning that the rejection would prevent the disbursement of €23 million in funding for waste management projects by local authorities.
The ministry said that, together with national co financing, the available funding would have totalled approximately €48 million.
It added that the government had reduced the proposed landfill charge from €35 to €10 per tonne, delayed its introduction and secured additional funding for municipalities.
While insisting that “today’s vote against does not cancel the government’s plan”, the ministry said parliament had deprived local authorities of resources they had requested and called on those who opposed the measure to explain “why they deprived the country of €23 million in European funding”.
Turkish vice president Cevdet Yilmaz on Tuesday dismissed a recent European Parliament resolution on rape committed by Turkish soldiers during the 1974 invasion, describing it as “legally and morally unfounded” and insisting it “has no force”.
Speaking after a meeting of the Turkish cabinet, Yilmaz said Ankara rejected the resolution “in the most categorical manner”, claiming the European Parliament had acted under the influence of “Greek Cypriot lobbies”, which he argued undermined its impartiality and credibility.
He also maintained that the EU lost the ability to approach the Cyprus issue objectively after admitting Cyprus as a member state.
The European Parliament adopted the resolution last week, calling for recognition of the rape and sexual violence suffered by women and girls during the invasion, greater support for survivors and the preservation of historical testimony.
It also urged accountability for conflict related sexual violence and reaffirmed that such crimes must not be forgotten.
Responding to the resolution, Yilmaz defended Turkey’s invasion of Cyprus, repeating Ankara’s perennial position that the operation was a “peace operation” carried out under its rights as a guarantor power.
He argued that those seeking to assign historical responsibility should instead remember “the coup and the atrocities of Eoka”, adding that the intervention had brought “peace and security” to both Turkish Cypriots and Greek Cypriots.
Yilmaz further claimed that, had Turkey not invaded in 1974, Cyprus could have faced “a humanitarian tragedy” comparable to “what is unfolding today in Gaza”.
He also accused the European Parliament of failing to show sufficient concern over the humanitarian situation in Gaza while choosing to adopt what he described as a politically motivated resolution on Cyprus.
“Those who do not demonstrate the required sensitivity towards such crimes cannot make politically motivated decisions on the Cyprus issue,” he said.
Yilmaz urged the European Parliament to adopt what he described as “a fairer and more balanced stance”, free from “ideological and lobbying influences”.
He said the institution’s responsibility was to defend “the rule of law and justice” rather than “serve political expediencies“.
According to estimates cited in academic research and survivor testimonies, the Turkish armed forces employed sexual violence during Operation Attila as a tactic of war, with figures suggesting that up to 1,500 Greek Cypriot women and children were subjected to rape, gang rape and related abuses.
Researchers have argued that such violence contributed to the forced displacement of civilians and was used to instil fear in local populations, accelerating the Greek Cypriot population’s flight southwards.
The scale of abuse was so significant that the Orthodox Church temporary lifted the ban on abortion in the aftermath of the war.
Scholarly work has also referenced claims that sexual violence was enacted by TMT militants in retaliation to historic intercommunal violence witnessed in the early 1960s, as well as retribution for the military victory made by the Cypriot 31st commando squandron (31MK) at the Battle of Kotza Kaya beneath St Hilarion.
Transport Minister Alexis Vafeades gave new reassurances on Tuesday that Cyprus faces no shortage of fuel stocks amid the continuing conflict in the Persian Gulf.
Around 20 per cent of global oil transits through the Strait of Hormuz, the strategic waterway that’s been virtually cut off since the start of hostilities in late February.
Speaking to Stockwatch, the minister said the European Commission has since March been monitoring the fuel situation and “appears ready” to handle the problem – should one arise – given that Europe avails of strategic reserves.
Despite this, he added, “and without being alarmist, we should be very careful and constantly monitor developments.”
Contacted by the Cyprus Mail later, Vafeades clarified he was referring to jet fuel only when commenting on the adequacy of fuel stocks.
As for the strategic oil reserves, they’re under the responsibility of Kodap, the Organisation for Storage and Management of Oil Stocks – which comes under the supervision of the energy ministry.
The minister said that, to his knowledge, for now Cyprus has no issue with fuel stocks in general – be it the strategic reserves or commercial stocks.
He said he was not aware of Kodap releasing any of the strategic reserves to the market since the outbreak of the war in the Gulf.
Similar sanguine comments were made to the media by Dinos Lefkaritis, the CEO of Petrolina.
“For the time being, we’re covered,” he said. “However, we don’t know what comes up tomorrow morning.”
According to Lefkaritis, his company faces no problem in importing fuel: “Deliveries happen on a weekly basis, and we’ve had no problem up until this moment.”
Eurostat data shows nothing out of the ordinary for Cyprus. The latest reporting available, for the month of May, shows the island has 91 days equivalent of strategic oil stocks – with the normal being 90 days.
The strategic oil reserves in May came to 546,000 metric tonnes.
Commercial stocks held by economic operators came to 72,000 metric tonnes.
No EU country reported data for June; that’s likely because it takes time to collate and report the data to the European Commission.
However, several EU countries have not reported any data on their stocks for the month of May either – including Germany, Denmark, Greece, Spain, France and Italy.
An industry source told the Cyprus Mail that “this is a bit suspect”.
The mandatory 90 days for strategic oil reserves is calculated according to the consumption in that timeframe during the previous year.
The majority of the reserves are physically held in Cyprus, with a small quantity stored abroad.
Strategic reserves include physical stocks as well as stocks on paper, called ‘tickets’.
The government may release part of the reserves at times of emergency.
Cyprus imports fuel from two main sources: the refinery in Haifa, and the refinery at Aspropyrgos, Greece.
Disy MP George Pamborides exchanged criticism with figures close to former party leader Averof Neophytou on Tuesday over the timing of discussions surrounding the party’s candidate for the 2028 presidential election.
The disagreement followed comments attributed to sources close to Neophytou and circulated within local media, who said that resolving the Cyprus problem should be the priority rather than discussions over potential presidential candidates.
The sources said that “everyone’s ambition should be the resolution of the Cyprus problem and not the chairs”, adding that the current focus should be on diplomatic efforts rather than internal party competition.
Responding on the X platform, Pamborides said he agreed with the position attributed to Neophytou’s associates, writing that “Disy was founded to solve the Cyprus problem and this shall always take precedence over any other issue, much less the personal agendas of any politician”.
However, Pamborides’ statement also criticised political figures preparing for the presidential race, referring to those who “gather advisors and staff around them, arranging ministerial positions” and “set up election headquarters and entertain party executives all day long”.
“Cyprus is too small to hide,” he wrote, adding that politicians would be judged on their handling of negotiations, “starting with the government itself”.
Pamborides said he hoped no one would attempt to use the Cyprus problem to serve political communication strategies, warning that anyone doing so would face “very heavy responsibilities”.
The comments came days after Pamborides announced that he would seek the Disy nomination for the 2028 presidential election, naming himself alongside Neophytou and House President Annita Demetriou as possible candidates.
Demetriou said Pamborides’ interest in becoming the party’s candidate was “legitimate”, while maintaining that Disy would field its own candidate in the presidential election.
Neophytou, who led Disy from 2013 to 2023, was the party’s candidate in the 2023 presidential election but failed to reach the second round, finishing behind Nikos Christodoulides and Akel-backed candidate Andreas Mavroyiannis.
Christodoulides had previously been a Disy member but ran as an independent candidate in 2023 after the party selected Neophytou as its nominee.
Pamborides returned to political activity this year after serving as health minister between 2015 and 2018 under former president Nicos Anastasiades.
During his ministerial term, he oversaw negotiations that led to the creation of the General Healthcare System (Gesy).
Disy has not yet selected a candidate for the 2028 presidential election, with Demetriou among the figures considered as a possible contender following her continued leadership of the party.
Russians accounted for 51 per cent of foreign residential property purchases in Cyprus during 2025, a report published on Tuesday by Russian business magazine Business Petersburg showed.
Despite European sanctions and tighter banking controls affecting transactions, the publication said Cyprus continues to attract Russian investors because of its European Union membership, sizeable Russian-speaking community, favourable tax framework and permanent residence scheme available through the purchase of newly built property.
Citing real estate market executives, the report said “51 per cent of purchases were made by Russians”, with buyers primarily seeking to preserve capital, relocate businesses, particularly in the technology sector, and secure permanent residence within the European Union.
According to the report, demand is concentrated on newly built properties valued between €500,000 and €1.5 million, with Limassol, Larnaca and Paphos remaining the most sought-after locations.
It added that the opportunity to obtain permanent residence through the purchase of a newly built property worth at least €300,000 continues to be a significant incentive for overseas buyers.
The publication said Russian purchasers nevertheless continue to face obstacles when acquiring property in the Republic, largely due to enhanced compliance procedures introduced by Cypriot banks following sanctions imposed on Russia.
As a result, it said the completion of property purchases can take between three and six months as financial institutions carry out extensive due diligence checks.
The report also examined the property market in the north, where it said lower prices and more flexible payment arrangements have attracted the interest of Russian buyers.
However, it warned that the lack of international recognition of the north and continuing disputes over property ownership create “significant legal and investment risks” for prospective purchasers.
The publication advised investors to exercise caution when considering properties that had been built on land subject to ownership claims by Greek Cypriot refugees.
Despite identifying investment opportunities in the north, the report concluded that the Republic remains “the safest choice” for buyers seeking legal certainty, access to the European market and a stable investment environment.
American singer Jason Derulo is expected to perform at a luxury resort in Kyrenia this Saturday.
According to the resort’s social media posts as well as online ticketing platforms, Derulo is scheduled to appear at the Chamada nightclub, which has been constructed in Ayios Epiktitos.
International artists performing in the north have previously faced criticism from Greek Cypriot groups and organisations, with some events having been cancelled following public pressure.
In 2017, Irish musician Bob Geldof and his band The Boomtown Rats performed at an event organised by Eastern Mediterranean University in Famagusta.
The appearance attracted criticism from Greek Cypriot groups, however Geldof’s performance went ahead as planned.
In 2010, Jennifer Lopez withdrew from a planned concert at a hotel in the north after criticism over the political implications of the appearance.
Her representatives at the time said she was not aware of the political sensitivies regarding the north.
Spanish singer Julio Iglesias also cancelled a scheduled concert in Kyrenia in 2010 after controversy surrounding the event.
Reports at the time said his representatives argued they had not been fully informed regarding the political status of the area where the concert was planned.
Derulo, who has sold over 250 million singles worldwide and achieved 14 platinum singles, has also faced controversy in recent years after singer Emaza Gibson filed a lawsuit alleging sexual harassment and other claims connected to a professional relationship. Derulo himself has denied all such allegations.
Reports that the Turkish Cypriot man injured in an attack in Ayia Napa had died are false, authorities in the north said on Tuesday, adding that his condition remains stable as he continues treatment in the intensive care unit of Nicosia general hospital.
The north’s ‘health ministry’ said the 47-year-old man remains alive and is receiving medical care. It added that his general condition is stable.
The man, identified as Ahmet Tan, was hospitalised after suffering serious injuries during an attack in the Ayia Napa area in the early hours of July 5.
He sustained a fractured skull and a brain haemorrhage and has undergone two brain surgeries.
Tan’s condition had previously been described as critical, with Turkish Cypriot ‘health minister’ Hakan Dincyurek saying after visiting him that “his life was still in danger”.
Four Swedish nationals have been arrested and remanded in custody in connection with the incident. Police investigations into the circumstances of the attack are continuing.
The four suspects are expected to appear before court again this week as proceedings continue.
Seven girls aged between 12 and 15 have alleged they were sexually abused by a 64-year-old man at a horse-riding school in Lapithos, with investigators in the north continuing inquiries as further complaints emerge.
The suspect remained in custody on Tuesday after a ‘court’ remanded him for a further three days.
The case has attracted widespread attention following reports that the number of complainants increased from two to seven within days.
According to Turkish Cypriot media, the allegations centre on a horse farm in Lapithos where the girls attended riding lessons.
All seven complainants are reported to be foreign nationals.
The investigation began after a British woman reported that her two daughters, aged 15 and 12, had allegedly been sexually abused by her Turkish Cypriot partner.
Following publicity surrounding the initial allegations, five more girls reportedly came forward with similar complaints.
The girls allege the suspect sought to prevent them from reporting the abuse through intimidation, repeatedly telling them that “no one will believe you”.
A court initially ordered the man’s detention on July 10 before extending the order for a further three days on Tuesday as investigators examine the growing number of allegations.
According to reports, investigators are focusing on collecting witness statements, examining evidence and determining whether there may be additional victims.
Turkish Cypriot media also reported that after the first complaint was filed, the suspect crossed into the government-controlled areas before later returning to the north.
Reports said a complaint was also submitted to authorities in the Republic, although no further details have been released.
The case has prompted the Association for Supporting Women’s Life (Kayad) to launch a campaign entitled ‘I Believe You’, aimed at encouraging women and children who have experienced sexual harassment, assault or abuse to seek help and report offences.
The organisation said people who contact the association will receive free legal and psychosocial support throughout the reporting process.
“Speaking out takes courage. Silence protects the perpetrators. Solidarity is the strongest starting point for justice,” the organisation said.
Kayad called on the authorities to conduct the investigation with sensitivity, ensure the protection of the children’s rights and privacy, and carry out all investigative procedures thoroughly.
It further warned that phrases such as “no one will believe you” can discourage victims from coming forward and contribute to continued silence surrounding sexual abuse.
Cyprus reaffirmed its close defence partnership with France on Tuesday as National Guard personnel marched in the Bastille Day military parade in Paris.
National Guard Chief Lieutenant General Emmanouel Theodorou attended the celebrations at the invitation of chief of the armed forces of France Lieutenant General Fabien Mandon, joining official events marking France’s national day.
A flag detachment of Cyprus and a National Guard unit comprising 23 personnel took part in the military parade along the Champs Elysees.
According to the National Guard, Cyprus’ participation in the celebrations for only the second time since 2007 reflects “the historical friendship of the two peoples” and the “particularly high level” of strategic cooperation between Cyprus and France.
Theodorou also held a bilateral meeting with Mandon during his visit, with discussions focusing on international security developments, the prospect of strengthening the EU’s defence capabilities as well as the security environment in the east Mediterranean.
The events followed President Nikos Christodoulides’ visit to the Cypriot contingent ahead of the parade, where he praised the personnel selected to represent the Republic.
Addressing members of the National Guard, the president said the invitation to march with the Cyprus flag on the Champs Elysees carried significant symbolic importance and reflected the strength of bilateral relations.
He described defence cooperation between Cyprus and France as being at “the highest level” and congratulated the contingent for representing the country at one of France’s most prominent national ceremonies.
Christodoulides also paid tribute to National Guard personnel serving in international missions and multinational formations, reaffirming the government’s commitment to strengthening the Republic’s defence capabilities.
Cypriot authorities have had no involvement in an ongoing European VAT fraud investigation other than the sharing of information, it was reported on Tuesday.
Citing sources in Cyprus familiar with the issue, the Cyprus News Agency said that so far authorities on the island have cooperated in the criminal probe “in the context of the mechanisms of the European Public Prosecutor’s office which operate in EU member-states and which cooperate with the central offices of Eppo in Luxembourg”.
The assistance of Cypriot authorities has been limited to information sharing, the same sources said. Cyprus police did not conduct investigations on the island, nor were any investigative/interrogation measures taken.
The sources did not rule out European authorities seeking more assistance from Cyprus authorities in the future.
According to a statement released by Eppo on Tuesday, the Eppo office in Athens last week conducted searches and seizures at several locations in Attica and Kastoria as part of an ongoing investigation into suspected VAT carousel fraud involving the trade of small electronic goods and the laundering of criminal proceeds.
The investigation, which began almost a year ago, has revealed a network of companies established in Bulgaria, Cyprus, the Czech Republic and Greece, allegedly used to trade small electronic goods across the EU.
“At issue is a suspected VAT carousel fraud scheme, a criminal scheme that exploits the VAT exemption applicable to cross-border transactions between EU member states. According to the evidence gathered so far, between 2021 and 2025, the suspects allegedly used a chain of so-called missing traders – companies created for the purpose of evading VAT obligations – to distribute electronic goods within Greece and other EU countries, while avoiding the payment of VAT or enabling the fraudulent reimbursement of VAT that had never been paid.”
The probe has shown that the suspected scheme caused losses of at least €46.9 million to the EU and Greek budgets through unpaid VAT. In addition, investigators identified indications that a further €24.2 million in VAT was either not paid or incorrectly declared.
The investigation also resulted in the freezing of cryptocurrencies worth approximately €900,000 and other digital assets valued at around €4.5 million. According to the Greek authorities, this constitutes the largest freezing of digital assets ever carried out at national level.
In addition, freezing orders were issued for 88 real estate properties with an estimated value exceeding €4.5 million, as well as for multiple bank accounts.
The Eppo is the independent public prosecution office of the European Union. It is responsible for investigating, prosecuting and bringing to judgment crimes against the financial interests of the EU.
Sixteen-year-old Nikola Savic won three gold medals at the International STEM Olympiad Grand Final in Rome, raising the flag of the Republic of Cyprus on the podium after claiming top honours in mathematics, science, and technology and engineering.
The competition, held from July 2 to 8, brought together 1,154 finalists and guests from 54 countries, while more than 38,000 students from 153 countries participated across all stages of the Olympiad.
Savic celebrated his 16th birthday on the opening day of the event, adding the three gold medals to a collection of more than 30 international golds.
Speaking to the Cyprus Mail, he described the experience as “unforgettable”.
“I respected the level of the competition, but I arrived in Rome with great confidence and a strong belief in my own abilities,” he said.
Savic said his success was the result of years of preparation, continuous study and participation in international competitions.
“Olympiads require a huge investment of time and discipline, but the feeling of standing on the winners’ podium after all that effort cannot be measured,” he said.
Alongside his competition commitments, Savic attends both the American Academy Larnaca and the MGIMO Gorchakov Lyceum.
Regarding education in Cyprus, Savic said that “There are schools that genuinely make a great effort by organising and promoting competitions”, but that ultimately, a great deal also depends on the individual student’s initiative.
“I firmly believe there are young people in Cyprus who can help raise the country’s standing in science, technology, engineering and mathematics,” he said. “My message is not to wait until you feel completely ready or until someone else creates an opportunity for you.”
Savic shared his future academic aspirations, stating that what matters to him more than any title or position is that his work has genuine value and leaves a lasting impact, adding that inventor Nikola Tesla remains one of his greatest inspirations.
“I am extremely proud to represent and promote Cyprus internationally. I hope that my achievements will contribute to the country’s greater international recognition”, he concluded.
Twenty three major school infrastructure projects worth over €125 million are currently underway and will be completed for the 2026 to 2027 academic year, the education ministry said on Tuesday.
These projects aim to make public schools safer, more modern and better equipped for students and teachers.
Key investments include the new technical school of Limassol and the Limassol branch of the Pedagogical Institute, costing €33.7 million combined.
An additional €36.5 million is allocated for the new technical school of green professions in Ayios Lazaros, Aradippou.
The programme also features significant upgrades to existing schools, including the €6.5 million expansion and seismic upgrade of the 2nd technical school of Limassol and the €7.3 million reconstruction of Deftera primary school.
Further earthquake protection projects are planned for schools including the Evryviadeio gymnasium and Drosia gymnasium in Larnaca, as well as Constantinoupoleos gymnasium in Nicosia.
The ministry and local school boards will continue smaller maintenance, and improvement works to enhance safety and learning environments across the island, the ministry said.
Coffee lovers who bring a reusable cup to participating cafés on July 18 will receive a free coffee as part of the Bring Your Own Cup Day campaign, organised by City Friends Club to encourage the reduction of single-use waste.
The initiative will run from 9am to 11am at 19 cafés across Limassol, Paphos, Nicosia and Larnaca.
The event forms part of Coffee Friends Club, a City Friends Club initiative launched in 2023 under which participating cafés offer customers a discount of up to 15 per cent when they use their own reusable cup. For the two-hour campaign, participating cafés will instead offer coffee free of charge.
Visitors will also have the chance to win prizes after organisers hid two City Friends Club mascot stickers in each participating café.
Those who find them will receive gifts including reusable cups, eco tote bags, desserts and other prizes.
According to City Friends Club, the initiative helped prevent around 25,000 disposable coffee cups from ending up in landfill during the first half of 2025, based on data provided by participating cafés.
Participating cafés are:
Limassol: Ray Kitchen & Bar Germasogeia, Ray Kitchen & Bar Mesa Geitonia, Nomad Bread & Coffee Germasogeia, Nomad Bread & Coffee Gladstonos, Nomad Bread & Coffee Theklas Lysioti, Stories, Il Parco, Astry, Black Coine, Bleu Coffee, The Cookhouse, The Republic, Parisian Flat, Dune Cafe and Tartufo Gelato.
Paphos: Ray Kitchen & Bar.
Nicosia: Green Colibri Specialty Coffee.
Larnaca: Paul’s Coffee Roasters and Zya Cafe.
Find out more about the project: https://cityfriends.club/coffee_eng
City Friends Club (СFC) actively engages in daily street cleaning, organises community cleanups and promotes eco-consciousness through a range of educational initiatives. Since 2021, the team has been actively cleaning key areas across Limassol with 6 trucks and 15 cleaners and hosting regular monthly cleanups for volunteers and corporate groups in parks, beaches, and other public spaces. With professional cleaners and more than 3,000 volunteers engaged, CFC has collected 465,640 kg of garbage over the entire work period since 2021.
The Larnaca district government (EOA) has secured over €39 million in European funding for infrastructure projects, water management, and the district’s green and digital transition, authorities said on Tuesday.
Since its establishment, the EOA has consistently utilised European funding to modernise services, enhance environmental sustainability and build resilient infrastructure for residents.
Around €11 million has been obtained from Cyprus’ Recovery and Resilience Plan for various water supply and sewerage projects.
These include installing 27,500 smart water meters in Larnaca, building a new 12,000 cubic metre water reservoir for 24-hour water security, and digitally transforming water and sewerage services.
As part of this digital upgrade, the authority is collaborating with the University of Cyprus to develop the Zenon drinking and wastewater support system.
Other initiatives focus on protecting the sewerage network from hydrogen sulphide damage and installing photovoltaic systems for energy independence.
The authority has also secured over €27 million from the Thalia 2021 to 2027 Cohesion Policy Programme for Phase C of the Larnaca Sewerage System.
An additional €1.2 million is allocated for flood alleviation works in Ayios Lazaros and Okkoular.
Beyond infrastructure, the authority is involved in several European research and innovation programmes aimed at enhancing environmental sustainability.
These include the Freshness project (€250,000 funding), the Sludge2Energy project (€622,500), and the Regenious project (€750,000).
These initiatives focus on energy efficiency, sustainable water management, converting sewage sludge into energy and biochar, and developing circular economy technologies.
Larnaca EOA’s participation in these projects demonstrates its long-term commitment to innovation and environmental protection.
The authority has partnered with several academic and research institutions, including the University of Cyprus, the Cyprus University of Technology, the University of the Aegean, the Hellenic Mediterranean University, the Cyprus Marine and Maritime Institute, and the American University of Cyprus.
It has also collaborated with multiple water and sewerage organisations across Cyprus and Greece.
A team of Cypriot university students behind agritech startup LIVIA has won the European Innovation of the Year award at Gen-E 2026, Europe’s largest entrepreneurship festival, after representing Cyprus in Riga, Latvia.
The team had qualified for the European finals after winning the JA Cyprus Company of the Year competition in April. Alongside the innovation award, LIVIA also received the FedEx Access Signature Award, recognising its international growth potential.
LIVIA is an agritech startup developed by Altair Astronomy & Space and founded by university student Christos Charalambous. The company uses artificial intelligence, autonomous drones, satellite imagery and Earth observation technologies to help farmers monitor crop health more efficiently and sustainably.
Currently participating in the IDEA Innovation Center accelerator programme, the startup is developing an autonomous precision agriculture platform designed to help farmers monitor irrigation needs, detect crop diseases and improve overall field management while reducing costs.
The team comprises Christos Charalambous, co-founder and chief executive officer, Theofanis Orfanou, co-founder and chief technology officer, Ariadni Pashouli, biology lead, and Antreas Leonidou, machine learning and artificial intelligence lead.
Together, the team combines expertise in aerospace, computer science, artificial intelligence, biology, and engineering to develop technologies that apply innovations from the space sector to one of the world’s most important industries, agriculture.
The team is now focused on completing its product, launching pilot projects with local agricultural partners and expanding internationally.
JA Cyprus chief executive Antigoni Komodiki said the award was “a proud moment” not only for the team but for Cyprus.
“Their achievement shows that young people from our country have the talent, ambition and ability to compete and lead at the highest European level. This first-place award is also a recognition of the growing entrepreneurship and innovation ecosystem in Cyprus, and a powerful reminder of what can be achieved when young people are given the right opportunities, support and trust,” she told the Cyprus Mail.
LIVIA chief executive Christos Charalambous said the team’s success came from demonstrating that the project had progressed beyond the concept stage.
“What made the difference was our ability to move beyond just having an idea and demonstrate real progress towards a product that can create measurable impact,” he told the Cyprus Mail.
“We invested a great deal of time in understanding the market, validating the problem and building a solution around real customer needs. We were able to communicate our progress and ambition clearly throughout both the pitches and the jury interviews.”
The health ministry on Tuesday urged the public to take extra precautions as temperatures are set to climb above 40C, warning that extreme heat can pose serious health risks.
People are advised to stay informed through official weather forecasts and heatwave warnings and, where possible, remain in cool, shaded or air-conditioned places.
The ministry also recommends avoiding direct sun exposure between 11am and 5pm and postponing strenuous outdoor work or exercise during the hottest part of the day.
Residents should drink plenty of water even if they do not feel thirsty, avoid excessive alcohol and caffeine, and eat light meals rich in fruit and vegetables.
Loose, light coloured clothing, hats, sunglasses and sunscreen are also recommended.
The ministry stressed the importance of checking regularly on elderly relatives, neighbours and anyone living alone, while reminding parents never to leave children or pets inside parked vehicles.
It also warned that heatstroke is a medical emergency. Symptoms include severe headache, dizziness, extreme fatigue, nausea, rapid heartbeat and fainting.
Move anyone showing signs of heat illness to a cool place, provide water if they are conscious, and call 112 for medical help if symptoms worsen or heatstroke is suspected.
June 2026 is about visibility and trust with a clearer view of your GitHub Copilot usage, a new trust layer for MCP servers, and the first C++ scenarios for the modernization agent reaching general availability.
Here’s what’s new with GitHub Copilot in Visual Studio 2026. Check the Insiders channel for the latest:
@Modernize in Copilot Chat.# followed by the pull request ID. This functionality requires View pull requests for a Git repository under Preview Features.This update is available to users on all GitHub Copilot plans, including Copilot Free, Student, Pro, Pro+, Max, Business, and Enterprise.
Download Visual Studio 2026 to experience all the new Copilot features today. To learn more about what’s new, check out the Visual Studio blog and release notes.
Stay up to date on the latest Copilot features by following the Visual Studio blog, where you’ll find roadmap updates and opportunities to share feedback.
The post GitHub Copilot in Visual Studio — June update appeared first on The GitHub Blog.
This update brings major advances in customization and model provider flexibility to all tiers of GitHub Copilot for JetBrains IDEs. With richer plugin and provider experiences, improved conversational interactions, and stronger reliability, teams can more confidently tailor Copilot to how they build software.
We’ve expanded bring your own key support with custom endpoints. You can now configure OpenAI-compatible custom endpoints with API keys to use your own models.
GitHub Copilot for JetBrains now includes a more complete plugin management experience in customizations. You can browse and install plugins through the marketplace or from the source repository.
This makes it easier to shape Copilot around team-specific workflows without jumping between disconnected setup surfaces.
Customizations now support Claude agent provider, allowing you to set up custom agents, skills, and instructions. Available for GitHub Copilot Pro and higher plans in public preview.
This release adds support for local sandboxing, including new sandbox settings and configuration flows in the JetBrains plugin. This feature is in public preview. For more information, see About cloud and local sandboxes.
This release adds a built-in debugger skill for Copilot CLI sessions, enabling agent-driven debugging workflows directly in your development environment. It helps you investigate issues step by step with guided debugging support. This feature is in public preview.
This version also improves usability across chat, model selection, customization views, and CLI sessions.
We’ve improved reliability and stability across authentication recovery, account switching, provider and session persistence, and editor interaction paths. These fixes reduce friction in long-running sessions and make Copilot behavior more consistent when switching modes, providers, or work contexts.
We’ve adjusted Copilot CLI provider policy handling for CLI-as-default scenarios. Disabling Copilot CLI by policy no longer affects Copilot CLI provider in JetBrains IDEs.
We encourage you to try out the latest version of the GitHub Copilot plugin and share your feedback. Your input is invaluable in helping us refine and improve the product.
Your feedback drives improvements. We’d love to hear about your experience in the following channels:
The post GitHub Copilot for JetBrains expands BYOK capabilities appeared first on The GitHub Blog.
GitHub code scanning now surfaces AI-powered security detections directly on pull requests, expanding vulnerability coverage to languages and frameworks not currently supported by CodeQL. These detections help teams identify and address potential issues in parts of the codebase that previously had no native scanning coverage, all before code is merged.
AI so you can easily distinguish them from CodeQL results.AI security detections are powered by GitHub’s AI detection engine and automatically run when a pull request is opened or updated. Results appear as the engine returns them. There’s no need to wait for all analysis sources to complete. These findings are informational and won’t block pull request merges.
To use the feature, AI security detections must be allowed by your Enterprise policy and enabled at the organization level. Additionally, CodeQL default analysis must be enabled on the repository. While CodeQL is not the tool performing the AI analysis, the AI detection engine relies on it to function.
This feature is now in public preview on github.com for customers with GitHub Code Security (GitHub Advanced Security). It can be enabled for repositories or organizations that use CodeQL default setup, after being allowed by an enterprise owner at the enterprise level.
During public preview, AI security detections require a GitHub Copilot license and draw down your organization’s AI credits. Usage consumes AI credits only when detections run. Learn more about AI credits billing.
To learn more, check out our GitHub Code Scanning documentation. Join the discussion and leave feedback on the Code scanning shows AI security detections on PRs announcement in the GitHub Community.
The post Code scanning shows AI security detections on pull requests appeared first on The GitHub Blog.
Dependabot now waits until a new release has been available on its registry for at least three days before opening a version update pull request. This cooldown is now the default and requires no configuration.
New releases are a common entry point for supply chain attacks where a compromised or broken version can reach your dependency updates before maintainers and the community have caught it. A short delay gives that signal time to surface, so you are less likely to merge a bad release the moment it ships.
A few things to know:
cooldown option in your .github/dependabot.yml to set a different window or opt out entirely.This default applies to Dependabot version updates across all supported ecosystems on github.com and will take effect in GitHub Enterprise Server (GHES) 3.23.
Learn more in our docs about Dependabot cooldowns.
The post Dependabot version updates introduce default package cooldown appeared first on The GitHub Blog.
You can now run a security review on your in-flight code changes directly from the GitHub Copilot app. The /security-review slash command is shipping in public preview, bringing the same AI-driven vulnerability scanning already available in Copilot CLI into your everyday coding workflow.
/security-review analyses your current workstream changes and returns:
The scan is tuned to catch common, high-impact vulnerability classes such as injection flaws, cross-site scripting, insecure data handling, path traversal and weak cryptography.
The /security-review command gives you a way to catch issues while you’re still working without leaving your coding environment. It complements GitHub code scanning, Dependabot, and secret scanning by giving you a lightweight, on-demand check on your local changes.
Open a project in the Copilot app, make your code changes, and run /security-review to scan those changes. The command is available to Copilot Free, Pro, Business, and Enterprise users during public preview.
Join the discussion and share your feedback in the GitHub Community.
The post Security reviews now available in the GitHub Copilot app appeared first on The GitHub Blog.
Starting today, security teams can create, edit, and manage secret scanning custom patterns with the REST API.
The following endpoints are generally available:
GET .../secret-scanning/custom-patterns list patternsPOST .../secret-scanning/custom-patterns create patternsPATCH .../secret-scanning/custom-patterns/{id} update patternsDELETE .../secret-scanning/custom-patterns delete patternsThese endpoints are available at repository, organization, and enterprise levels for secret scanning customers. They cover basic CRUD operations, including creation, deletion, and modification of custom patterns. Dry runs and the final publishing step are still currently completed in the UI. You can follow the GitHub changelog for future updates.
Learn more in the REST API documentation for secret scanning and about custom patterns.
The post Manage secret scanning custom patterns via REST API appeared first on The GitHub Blog.
I’ve been deploying applications to my home server for a while, and the biggest bottleneck I kept running into was how long it took for updates to actually deploy. I was using Watchtower, but since it relies on cron-based polling, I would push an image and then sit there waiting up to 5 minutes for my server to actually pull and restart the container.
I wanted something that updated instantly, so I built Dockwatch.
Instead of polling for changes, Dockwatch acts as a lightweight, event-driven webhook receiver. You just point your CI/CD pipeline (like GitHub Actions) or Docker Hub webhooks to it. The absolute second your pipeline finishes pushing a new image, your container updates with zero delay.
A few technical details:
docker-compose.yml file so your declarative config always matches what's running.I built this specifically because I wanted a real-time deployment solution without having to set up a massive orchestrator like Kubernetes.
It's completely open-source. If you’re looking for a faster alternative to Watchtower, I’d love for you to try it out or take a look at the code!
GitHub: https://github.com/soerjadi/dockwatch Docker Hub: https://hub.docker.com/r/soerja/dockwatch
(I also wrote a deep-dive on how I architected it if you're interested in the Go implementation: [https://medium.com/@soerja/dockwatch-a-webhook-driven-docker-manager-38bc071ffd4b\])
| submitted by /u/SnooWords9033 [link] [comments] |
Been chewing on this for a while. We run a SAST tool on our Go services and I have realized none of us can say how accurate it is. It throws findings, we work through some, we ignore a lot and we have never once measured how many were real versus noise. We just vibe it.
What set me off was two scanners disagreeing hard on the same repo. One flagged 30 criticals while the other found 6. They cannot both be right and I have no way to tell which one is lying to me. Everyone sells accuracy now, especially with all the AI code we are pushing but no one hands you a way to check the claim.
How are you all measuring whether your scanner is right, not just whether it is loud.
Hey everyone!
My team and I built a pure-Go PII detection library and then decided to open source it. Our product is a Go gateway that masks sensitive data in transit. For PII detection, that meant running Presidio in python as a separate service next to it. When it broke, our masking would break as well.
So we wrote Alcatraz (like Presidio, ba-dum-tss), in-process detection, the core is stdlib-only, 45 entity types across 12 countries (US because you have to and Brazil because that's home). Structured IDs are checksum-validated Luhn, mod-97, so it's not shape-matching only.
My benchmarks put it 10-100x faster than Presidio, lib to lib. Table and methodology are in the repo and every feedback is welcomed. I’ll leave the repo link in the comments!
Hey r/golang,
I wanted to share go-utcp, a Go client for the Universal Tool Calling Protocol.
Tool providers often expose themselves through completely different interfaces—HTTP/OpenAPI, gRPC, GraphQL, WebSockets, local commands, MCP, and so on. go-utcp provides one API for discovering, searching, calling, and streaming results from all of them:
tools, err := client.SearchTools("", 10) result, err := client.CallTool(ctx, "provider.tool", map[string]any{ "name": "Gopher", }) It currently includes:
.env variable substitutionInstall it with:
go get github.com/universal-tool-calling-protocol/go-utcp@latest The repository includes standalone client and server examples for every supported transport. It requires Go 1.25+ and is licensed under MPL 2.0.
GitHub: https://github.com/universal-tool-calling-protocol/go-utcp
Feedback is very welcome—especially on the API design, transports you’d like to see supported, and real-world tool-calling use cases we should test against.
| Hey r/golang — I wanted to share go-agent, a Go framework for building AI agents without hiding everything behind a large abstraction layer. It includes:
The goal is to keep the runtime composable and Go-native: small interfaces, explicit dependencies, and standard There are no-key examples using the included dummy model and in-memory storage: Repository: github.com/Protocol-Lattice/go-agent I’d especially appreciate feedback from Go developers on the API design, workflow model, and which integrations or examples would make the project more useful. Contributions and bug reports are welcome too. [link] [comments] |
I've just published a new tutorial about how I use HTMX together with Go. It covers the patterns I use for template rendering, sending partial/full-page responses, managing redirects and errors, along with the HTMX config settings I normally use. Hopefully it provides a good starting point for anyone else wanting to do the same.
When I started my blog, I wanted to keep hosting costs at zero, so I built it in Go and ran it on a tiny VPS with only 1/8th of a CPU core (with SMT) and 1GB of RAM. I expected maybe 10 requests per second before it choked, but Go’s insane speed and lightweight concurrency easily handled 150+ RPS. As a Python dev, I really enjoyed working in Go. Go's incredibly fast to run and just a great language to work with overall. Plus, it definitely has a better mascot than Python. I really enjoyed working on this project and hope to do more work with Go in the future.
If you want to see the load testing graphs, check it out here: https://policypackets.au/posts/blog-hosting