## What's Changed
* chore(automation): enforce 'help wanted' label permissions and update guidelines by @bdmorgan in https://github.com/google-gemini/gemini-cli/pull/16707
* fix(core): resolve circular dependency via tsconfig paths by @sehoon38 in https://github.com/google-gemini/gemini-cli/pull/16730
* chore/release: bump version to 0.26.0-nightly.20260115.6cb3ae4e0 by @gemini-cli-robot in https://github.com/google-gemini/gemini-cli/pull/16738
* fix(automation): correct status/need-issue label matching wildcard by @bdmorgan in https://github.com/google-gemini/gemini-cli/pull/16727
* fix(automation): prevent label-enforcer loop by ignoring all bots by @bdmorgan in https://github.com/google-gemini/gemini-cli/pull/16746
* Add links to supported locations and minor fixes by @g-samroberts in https://github.com/google-gemini/gemini-cli/pull/16476
* feat(policy): add source tracking to policy rules by @allenhutchison in https://github.com/google-gemini/gemini-cli/pull/16670
* feat(automation): enforce '🔒 maintainer only' and fix bot loop by @bdmorgan in https://github.com/google-gemini/gemini-cli/pull/16751
* Make merged settings non-nullable and fix all lints related to that. by @jacob314 in https://github.com/google-gemini/gemini-cli/pull/16647
* fix(core): prevent ModelInfo event emission on aborted signal by @sehoon38 in https://github.com/google-gemini/gemini-cli/pull/16752
* Replace relative paths to fix website build by @chrstnb in https://github.com/google-gemini/gemini-cli/pull/16755
* Restricting to localhost by @cocosheng-g in https://github.com/google-gemini/gemini-cli/pull/16548
* fix(cli): add explicit dependency on color-convert by @sehoon38 in https://github.com/google-gemini/gemini-cli/pull/16757
* fix(automation): robust label enforcement with permission checks by @bdmorgan in https://github.com/google-gemini/gemini-cli/pull/16762
* fix(cli): prevent OOM crash by limiting file search traversal and adding timeout by @galz10 in https://github.com/google-gemini/gemini-cli/pull/16696
* fix(cli): safely handle /dev/tty access on macOS by @korade-krushna in https://github.com/google-gemini/gemini-cli/pull/16531
* docs: clarify workspace test execution in GEMINI.md by @mattKorwel in https://github.com/google-gemini/gemini-cli/pull/16764
* Add support for running available commands prior to MCP servers loading by @Adib234 in https://github.com/google-gemini/gemini-cli/pull/15596
* feat(plan): add experimental 'plan' approval mode by @jerop in https://github.com/google-gemini/gemini-cli/pull/16753
* feat(scheduler): add functional awaitConfirmation utility by @abhipatel12 in https://github.com/google-gemini/gemini-cli/pull/16721
* fix(infra): update maintainer rollup label to 'workstream-rollup' by @bdmorgan in https://github.com/google-gemini/gemini-cli/pull/16809
* fix(infra): use GraphQL to detect direct parents in rollup workflow by @bdmorgan in https://github.com/google-gemini/gemini-cli/pull/16811
* chore(workflows): rename label-workstream-rollup workflow by @bdmorgan in https://github.com/google-gemini/gemini-cli/pull/16818
* skip simple-mcp-server.test.ts by @scidomino in https://github.com/google-gemini/gemini-cli/pull/16842
* Steer outer agent to use expert subagents when present by @gundermanc in https://github.com/google-gemini/gemini-cli/pull/16763
* Fix race condition by awaiting scheduleToolCalls by @chrstnb in https://github.com/google-gemini/gemini-cli/pull/16759
* cleanup: Organize key bindings by @scidomino in https://github.com/google-gemini/gemini-cli/pull/16798
* feat(core): Add `generalist` agent. by @joshualitt in https://github.com/google-gemini/gemini-cli/pull/16638
* perf(ui): optimize text buffer and highlighting for large inputs by @NTaylorMullen in https://github.com/google-gemini/gemini-cli/pull/16782
* fix(core): fix PTY descriptor shell leak by @galz10 in https://github.com/google-gemini/gemini-cli/pull/16773
* feat(plan): enforce strict read-only policy and halt execution on violation by @jerop in https://github.com/google-gemini/gemini-cli/pull/16849
* remove need-triage label from bug_report template by @sehoon38 in https://github.com/google-gemini/gemini-cli/pull/16864
* fix(core): truncate large telemetry log entries by @sehoon38 in https://github.com/google-gemini/gemini-cli/pull/16769
* docs(extensions): add Agent Skills support and mark feature as experimental by @NTaylorMullen in https://github.com/google-gemini/gemini-cli/pull/16859
* fix(core): surface warnings for invalid hook event names in configuration (#16788) by @sehoon38 in https://github.com/google-gemini/gemini-cli/pull/16873
* feat(plan): remove `read_many_files` from approval mode policies by @jerop in https://github.com/google-gemini/gemini-cli/pull/16876
* feat(admin): implement admin controls polling and restart prompt by @skeshive in https://github.com/google-gemini/gemini-cli/pull/16627
* Remove LRUCache class migrating to mnemoist by @jacob314 in https://github.com/google-gemini/gemini-cli/pull/16872
* feat(settings): rename negative settings to positive naming (disable* -> enable*) by @afarber in https://github.com/google-gemini/gemini-cli/pull/14142
* refactor(cli): unify shell confirmation dialogs by @NTaylorMullen in https://github.com/google-gemini/gemini-cli/pull/16828
* feat(agent): enable agent skills by default by @NTaylorMullen in https://github.com/google-gemini/gemini-cli/pull/16736
* refactor(core): foundational truncation refactoring and token estimation optimization by @NTaylorMullen in https://github.com/google-gemini/gemini-cli/pull/16824
* fix(hooks): enable /hooks disable to reliably stop single hooks by @abhipatel12 in https://github.com/google-gemini/gemini-cli/pull/16804
* Don't commit unless user asks us to. by @gundermanc in https://github.com/google-gemini/gemini-cli/pull/16902
* chore: remove a2a-adapter and bump @a2a-js/sdk to 0.3.8 by @adamfweidman in https://github.com/google-gemini/gemini-cli/pull/16800
* fix: Show experiment values in settings UI for compressionThreshold by @ishaanxgupta in https://github.com/google-gemini/gemini-cli/pull/16267
* feat(cli): replace relative keyboard shortcuts link with web URL by @imaliabbas in https://github.com/google-gemini/gemini-cli/pull/16479
* fix(core): resolve PKCE length issue and stabilize OAuth redirect port by @sehoon38 in https://github.com/google-gemini/gemini-cli/pull/16815
* Delete rewind documentation for now by @Adib234 in https://github.com/google-gemini/gemini-cli/pull/16932
## New Contributors
* @imaliabbas made their first contribution in https://github.com/google-gemini/gemini-cli/pull/16479
**Full Changelog**: https://github.com/google-gemini/gemini-cli/compare/v0.26.0-nightly.20260115.6cb3ae4e0...v0.26.0-nightly.20260119.20580d754