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Fuel Prices Decline Post Tax Reduction Amid Global Tensions

Fuel prices declined after an excise tax cut of 8.33 cents per liter took effect under emergency legislation, with the measure expected to lower petrol and diesel costs across Cyprus.

Market Relief As Prices Fall

Early market data indicate that 95 octane petrol may fall to around €1.50 per liter, while diesel could reach €1.83, following recent increases of about 30 cents and 50 cents respectively over the past month. Retailers are gradually adjusting prices depending on supplier and location, as the tax cut begins to ease fuel costs in the short term.

Global Turbulence And Its Impact

Brent crude oil rose above $109 per barrel amid tensions involving Iran, the United States and Israel, continuing to drive volatility in global energy markets. These international price movements are influencing local fuel costs and may limit the duration of the current price reductions.

Regulatory Oversight And Consumer Guidance

Konstantinos Karagiorgis, Director of the Consumer Protection Service, said daily inspections are ongoing to monitor pricing practices and track variations across fuel stations. Price differences of up to 20 cents have been recorded, with 95 octane ranging between €1.527 and €1.678, prompting authorities to advise consumers to compare prices before purchasing.

Policy Impact And Monitoring

The tax reduction will remain in effect until June 30, 2026, with an estimated fiscal cost of €18.6 million, while authorities continue to monitor its impact on retail pricing. Future price trends will depend on developments in international energy markets and domestic supply conditions.

OpenAI Brings Unlimited Text Chats To Free ChatGPT Users

Unlimited Text Conversations Roll Out

OpenAI is removing limits on text-based conversations for all ChatGPT users, following the platform’s recent milestone of surpassing one billion weekly users.

The update introduces GPT-5.6 Luna as the default model for Free and Go users, replacing GPT-5.5.

New “Think” Button For More Complex Questions

Alongside unlimited text chats, Free and Go users will gain access to a new “Think” button, allowing them to use additional reasoning power for more complex queries.

OpenAI noted that separate usage limits will continue to apply to file uploads, image generation, voice features and other multimodal tools.

Faster Responses For Paid Subscribers

The update also brings improvements for ChatGPT Plus and Pro subscribers. They will receive access to GPT-5.6 Sol, an upgraded model designed for everyday tasks such as web research, planning, writing, decision-making and answering questions. According to OpenAI, the model delivers shorter, more robust responses.

The company noted that this version is separate from the GPT-5.6 Sol model used in Codex and Work, which remains unchanged. Plus and Pro subscribers will also receive a new thinking slider, allowing them to adjust how much reasoning the model applies before generating an answer, depending on the complexity of the task.

OpenAI Reports Fewer Errors

According to OpenAI’s internal testing, GPT-5.6 Luna produces 62% fewer factual errors than GPT-5.5 Instant, while GPT-5.6 Sol reduces factual errors by 68%.

The updated GPT-5.6 Sol model is available to Plus and Pro users starting today. The remaining features for Free and Go users will roll out throughout the week, with unlimited text chats and the new Think button becoming available next week.

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