Latest news with #EuroVerify
Euronews
12-06-2025
- Euronews
Can AI chatbots speak in their own 'secret' language?
A viral video which shows three different chatbots speaking in their own "secret language" has amassed hundreds of thousands of views across various social media platforms. The clip shows three chatbots engaging in a phone call in English, in which they discuss "an employee's badge number". When the machines realise that they are all speaking to other bots, they ask each other whether they should switch to "Gibberlink", prompting them to start emitting high-pitched noises, in what appears to be something out of a science-fiction film. Gibberlink — a term which combines "gibberish" and "link" — is real. While use of the technology is limited, it enables AI engines to communicate in their own language. EuroVerify asked Anton Pidkuiko, who co-founded Gibberlink, to review a number of online clips. "Many of the videos are imitating an existing technology — they show phones which aren't really communicating and there is no signal between them, instead the sounds have been edited in and visuals have been taken from ChatGPT." Fake online videos purporting to show Gibberlink software have begun to emerge after the technology was created in February by Pidkuiko and fellow AI engineer Boris Starkov, during a 24-hour tech hackathon held in London. The pair combined ggwave — an existing open-source technology that enables data exchange through sound — with artificial intelligence. So, although AI can communicate in its own language, it is not "secret", as it is based on open-source data and is coded by humans. For Pidkuiko, the technology is comparable to QR codes. "Every supermarket item has a bar code which makes the shopping experience much more efficient." "Gibberlink is essentially this barcode — or think of it as a QR code — but over sound. Humans can look at QR code and just see black and white pieces. But QR codes don't scare people." While the use of Gibberlink technology is very limited at present, its creators believe it will become more mainstream, "as it stands, AI is able to make and receive phone calls," Pidkuiko said. "With time, we will see an increase in the number of these robot calls — and essentially more and more we will see that one AI is exchanging." Although this technology presents the risk of stripping humans of meaningful interactions, as well as replacing a further swath of unnecessary jobs, for Pidkuiko Gibberlink, it would be a means of maximising efficiency. "If you manage a restaurant and have a phone number that people call to book tables, you will sometimes receive calls in different languages," stated Pidkuiko. "However, if it's a robot that can speak every language and it is always available, the line is never blocked and you will have no language issues." "Another way the technology could be used, is if you want to book a restaurant, but don't want to ring 10 different places to ask if they have space, you can get AI to make the call and he restaurant can get AI to receive it. If they can communicate more quickly in their own language, it makes sense", concluded Pidkuiko. However, fears around what could happen if humans become unable to interpret AI communications are real, and in January the release of AI software DeepSeek R1 raised alarm. Researchers who had been working on the technology revealed they incentivised the software to find the right answers, regardless of whether its reasoning was comprehensible to humans. However, this led the AI to begin spontaneously switching from English to Chinese to achieve a result. When researchers forced the technology to stick to one language — to ensure that users could follow its processes — its capacity to find answers was hindered. This incident led industry experts to worry that incentivising AI to find the correct answers, without ensuring its processes can be untangled by humans, could lead AI to develop languages that cannot be understood. In 2017, Facebook abandoned an experiment after two AI programmes began conversing in a language which only they understood. Russia has lost more than 1 million troops in Ukraine since the beginning of its full-scale invasion on 24 February 2022, the General Staff of Ukraine's Armed Forces reported on Thursday. The figure — which reportedly comes out to 1,000,340 — includes killed, wounded or incapacitated Russian troops. According to the report, Russia has also lost 10,933 tanks, 22,786 armored fighting vehicles, 51,579 vehicles and fuel tanks, 29,063 artillery systems, 1,413 multiple launch rocket systems, 1,184 air defense systems, 416 airplanes, 337 helicopters, 40,435 drones, 3,337 cruise missiles, 28 ships and boats, and one submarine. 'The overall losses of the Russian occupying forces in manpower since the beginning of the full-scale invasion have reached 1 million,' Ukraine's General Staff stated. 'More than 628,000 occurred in just the past year and a half.' Releasing the report on Thursday, Ukraine's General Staff said that the one-million mark is not just a statistic but a symbol of resistance and resilience. 'One million. That's how much the enemy's offensive potential has diminished,' the General Staff wrote. '1 million who could have destroyed us, but whom we destroyed instead.' The statement went on to highlight the symbolic meaning behind this figure, referencing the sites of Moscow's defeats and losses in Ukraine, "in the Red Forest near Chernobyl, in the waters of the Dnipro near Antonivsky Bridge, in Donbas and Kharkiv region. And the the bottom of the Black Sea, where the cruiser Moskva sank." 'This million neutralised occupiers is our response. Our memory of Bucha, Irpin, Kupyansk, Kherson... About the bombed-out maternity hospital in Mariupol and the Okhmatdyt hospital in Kyiv destroyed by a Russian missile. About the tears of children, civilians shot dead, and destroyed homes.' Kyiv also expressed gratitude to every Ukrainian soldier who contributed to the fight, reaffirming that "every eliminated occupier is another step toward a just peace." 'Today, we've taken more than a million such steps.' the General Staff concluded. Ukraine started publicly tracking and publishing Russian losses on 1 March 2022, when the count stood at 5,710 killed and 200 captured. Ever since, the losses have been increasing every year. In 2022, Russia lost 106,720 troops, averaging 340 per day, according to the General Staff of Ukraine's Armed Forces. In 2023, the losses more than doubled to an average of 693 per day and 253,290 troops. In 2024, daily losses crossed the 1,000 threshold and totalled at 430,790 troops. This year, Russia has been losing on average 1,286 troops per day. Ukraine's General Staff numbers are in line with the estimates of Ukraine's western allies. At the beginning of April, Deutsche Welle reported that according to a senior NATO official Russia's losses surpassed 900,000 troops, including 250,000 deaths, since the beginning of the full-scale invasion. Ukraine and Russia do not publicly disclose their losses. In February, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said over 46,000 Ukrainian soldiers have been killed on the battlefield since early 2022. He also said nearly 380,000 Ukrainian soldiers have been injured and "tens of thousands" remained either "missing in action" or being held in Russian captivity.
Euronews
10-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Euronews
EU proposes fresh sanctions on Russia's oil, banks and Nord Stream
Since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, social media has seen a spike in misinformation and videos purporting to show footage of Moscow's war — when the images in reality originate from video games. For instance, videos allegedly showing Ukraine's Operation Spiderweb — which was carried out by Ukraine's Security Service on 1 June — have been shared widely online. EuroVerify reviewed a series of these clips, which have racked up hundreds of thousands of views across social media platforms, including TikTok, Facebook and YouTube. Although at first glance they could appear to show scenes of war — such as missiles, drones, and infrastructure being bombarded — the clips do not have any clear signs which certify their authenticity. By conducting a reverse image search, EuroVerify found that a number of clips claiming to show Ukraine's Operation Spiderweb have in fact been misleadingly captioned and taken out of context — in reality, they match gaming videos posted by a YouTube channel called UWC. The channel's biography states that "all videos on the channel are a simulation of combat operations in the game Arma 3. We are against this terrible war and we want a peaceful sky over the heads of Ukrainians." Despite this mention, the channel — like many other similar gaming channels — posts videos which bare misleading titles such as "Ukrainian most massive drone raid destroys two largest Russian factories 1,000 km from borders" and "Daring Ukrainian FPV drone swarm raid destroys 40 Russian nuclear bombers: Tu-95, Tu-160, Tu-22M". The gaming developer studio Bohemia Interactive, which created Arma 3, separately reviewed videos sent by EuroVerify, which have been posted across social media platforms, and confirmed that they were made using a "modded" version of Arma 3. Video game "modding" is a popular activity for gamers, where they customise a game's features or visuals on their own or with the help of third-party plugins and other materials. Bohemia Interactive, like many other video game developers, has come out against its products being used as 'war propaganda'. While video game footage has consistently been taken out of context in relation to Russia's war in Ukraine, this is also the case for other wars and conflicts — as video game recordings have also been presented as footage of the Israel-Hamas war, as well as the recent tensions between India and Pakistan on social media. Determining whether footage is real can be a very complex task, which has even led certain media outlets to air video game clips on TV. In November 2022, Romanian channel Antena 3 broadcast an old Arma 3 video, which it alleged showed fighting in Ukraine, additionally asking a former defence minister and a former intelligence chief to comment on the images as if they were authentic. The European Union has formally proposed a fresh round of sanctions against Russia to pressure the Kremlin into accepting a 30-day unconditional ceasefire in Ukraine, a step that Western allies consider an indispensable prelude to serious peace negotiations. If approved by member states, it would mark the 18th package of sanctions since February 2022, the largest regime ever imposed by the bloc. The latest proposal, unveiled on Tuesday by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and High Representative Kaja Kallas, expands the blacklist of Russian banks and "shadow fleet" tankers. So far, Brussel has targeted over 350 vessels from the poorly kept fleet, which has been accused of engaging in sabotage and vandalism. The plan also features a ban on the Nord Stream pipelines that connect Russia and Germany underwater. The pipelines are currently non-operational and Berlin has ruled out the prospect of re-starting gas transit after the war comes to an end. The most notable element of the proposed package is a downward revision of the price cap on Russia's seaborne oil, which was established at G7 level in December 2022. The cap was set at $60 per barrel of crude and has remained unchanged since then, despite ample fluctuations in Russia's trade and evidence of circumvention. The Nordics and the Baltics have long called for a revision to reflect market dynamics. In theory, the EU could pass new legislation to bring down the level of the cap on its own in an attempt to further squeeze Moscow's profits. However, doing so without the participation of the United States could create a cacophony and weaken the initiative, which is supposed to have worldwide effect. Until now, Donald Trump has refused to apply new sanctions against Russia, even if his rhetoric towards Vladimir Putin had hardened over the slow pace in negotiations and the continued barrage of attacks against Ukrainian cities. Trump's position has driven a wedge across the Western front, with the EU, the UK and Canada moving ahead with fresh restrictions while Washington takes a step back. The tensions in the alliance will come to the fore on Sunday during a G7 summit in Canada, where the revision of the price cap will be high on the agenda. Meanwhile, EU officials and diplomats insist on piling extra pressure on the Kremlin regardless of the course of action that the White House chooses to take. Trump's direction, though, could influence deliberations in Brussels, as unanimity among the 27 member states is required to approve the 18th package. Hungary and Slovakia have in recent months ramped up their criticism against sanctions, arguing they cause more damage to the bloc's economy than to Russia's. Earlier this year, Hungary threatened to veto the renewal of all sectorial sanctions, an against-the-clock experience that prompted officials to start working on legal shortcuts, particularly with a view to protecting the estimated €210 billion in Russia's frozen assets. Last week, Slovakia's parliament narrowly passed a resolution urging the government to oppose further trade restrictions against Russia. "If there is a sanction that would harm us, I will never vote for it," Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico said after the vote in parliament. "I am interested in being a constructive player in the European Union, but not at the expense of Slovakia." Still, for all their antagonistic talk, neither Hungary nor Slovakia has gone as far as completely preventing the adoption of a new package of sanctions. Nine people were killed in a school shooting in the Austrian city of Graz on Tuesday, according to interior ministry officials and the domestic press. Mayor Elke Kahr, who initially said that eight people — seven students and one adult —were among the dead, described the event as a 'terrible tragedy,' the Austria Press Agency reported. Kahr said that many people were taken to hospitals with injuries. Kahr later said that the death toll rose to 10, but it was unclear whether this figure includes the alleged perpetrator, who also died in the aftermath of the attack. The police confirmed that the figure included the attacker. The Austrian interior ministry previously confirmed there were several casualties, but has not revealed any further details. State broadcaster ORF reported that students and teachers were among those injured. At least 30 people were admitted to hospital for treatment in relation to the shooting, with some seriously injured, the local press said. The suspected perpetrator, reportedly a former student armed with a pistol and a shotgun, killed himself when approached by armed police officers. A police operation was under way at the BORG high school on Dreierschuetzengasse street on Tuesday morning. Graz Police spokesperson Sabri Yorgun said special Cobra units were among those sent to the high school after a call was received at 10 am, and that authorities were working to gain an overview of what had happened. Other emergency services and a helicopter were dispatched to the scene. At 11:30 am, police wrote on social network X that the school had been evacuated and everyone had been taken to a safe meeting point. They wrote that the situation was 'secured' and it was no longer believed to be any danger. Austrian Chancellor Christian Stocker said the shooting 'is a national tragedy that deeply shocks our whole country.' 'There are no words for the pain and grief that all of us — the whole of Austria — feel now,' he wrote in a statement posted on X. President Alexander Van der Bellen said that 'this horror cannot be captured in words.' 'These were young people who had their whole lives ahead of them. A teacher who accompanied them on their way,' he said. 'Schools are symbols for youth, hope and the future,' European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen wrote on X. 'It is hard to bear when schools become places of death and violence.' Graz is a city of some 300,000 and is the capital of the southern Austrian province of Styria.
Euronews
10-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Euronews
Fake war clips from video games mislead millions on social media
Since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, social media has seen a spike in misinformation and videos purporting to show footage of Moscow's war — when the images in reality originate from video games. For instance, videos allegedly showing Ukraine's Operation Spiderweb — which was carried out by Ukraine's Security Service on 1 June — have been shared widely online. EuroVerify reviewed a series of these clips, which have racked up hundreds of thousands of views across social media platforms, including TikTok, Facebook and YouTube. Although at first glance they could appear to show scenes of war — such as missiles, drones, and infrastructure being bombarded — the clips do not have any clear signs which certify their authenticity. By conducting a reverse image search, EuroVerify found that a number of clips claiming to show Ukraine's Operation Spiderweb have in fact been misleadingly captioned and taken out of context — in reality, they match gaming videos posted by a YouTube channel called UWC. The channel's biography states that "all videos on the channel are a simulation of combat operations in the game Arma 3. We are against this terrible war and we want a peaceful sky over the heads of Ukrainians." Despite this mention, the channel — like many other similar gaming channels — posts videos which bare misleading titles such as "Ukrainian most massive drone raid destroys two largest Russian factories 1,000 km from borders" and "Daring Ukrainian FPV drone swarm raid destroys 40 Russian nuclear bombers: Tu-95, Tu-160, Tu-22M". The gaming developer studio Bohemia Interactive, which created Arma 3, separately reviewed videos sent by EuroVerify, which have been posted across social media platforms, and confirmed that they were made using a "modded" version of Arma 3. Video game "modding" is a popular activity for gamers, where they customise a game's features or visuals on their own or with the help of third-party plugins and other materials. Bohemia Interactive, like many other video game developers, has come out against its products being used as 'war propaganda'. While video game footage has consistently been taken out of context in relation to Russia's war in Ukraine, this is also the case for other wars and conflicts — as video game recordings have also been presented as footage of the Israel-Hamas war, as well as the recent tensions between India and Pakistan on social media. Determining whether footage is real can be a very complex task, which has even led certain media outlets to air video game clips on TV. In November 2022, Romanian channel Antena 3 broadcast an old Arma 3 video, which it alleged showed fighting in Ukraine, additionally asking a former defence minister and a former intelligence chief to comment on the images as if they were authentic. Nine people were killed in a school shooting in the Austrian city of Graz on Tuesday, according to interior ministry officials and the domestic press. Mayor Elke Kahr, who initially said that eight people — seven students and one adult —were among the dead, described the event as a 'terrible tragedy,' the Austria Press Agency reported. Kahr said that many people were taken to hospitals with injuries. Kahr later said that the death toll rose to 10, but it was unclear whether this figure includes the alleged perpetrator, who also died in the aftermath of the attack. The police confirmed that the figure included the attacker. The Austrian interior ministry previously confirmed there were several casualties, but has not revealed any further details. State broadcaster ORF reported that students and teachers were among those injured. Some 28 people were admitted to hospital for treatment in relation to the shooting, the local press said. The suspected perpetrator, reportedly a former student armed with a pistol and a shotgun, killed himself when approached by armed police officers. A police operation was under way at the BORG high school on Dreierschuetzengasse street on Tuesday morning. Graz Police spokesperson Sabri Yorgun said special Cobra units were among those sent to the high school after a call was received at 10 am, and that authorities were working to gain an overview of what had happened. Other emergency services and a helicopter were dispatched to the scene. At 11:30 am, police wrote on social network X that the school had been evacuated and everyone had been taken to a safe meeting point. They wrote that the situation was 'secured' and it was no longer believed to be any danger. Austrian Chancellor Christian Stocker said the shooting 'is a national tragedy that deeply shocks our whole country.' 'There are no words for the pain and grief that all of us — the whole of Austria — feel now,' he wrote in a statement posted on X. President Alexander Van der Bellen said that 'this horror cannot be captured in words.' 'These were young people who had their whole lives ahead of them. A teacher who accompanied them on their way,' he said. Interior Minister Gerhard Karner was on his way to Graz. 'Schools are symbols for youth, hope and the future,' European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen wrote on X. 'It is hard to bear when schools become places of death and violence.' Graz is a city of some 300,000 and is the capital of the southern Austrian province of Styria.
Euronews
06-06-2025
- Politics
- Euronews
Did Macron say that Africa still needs France in order to "thrive"?
French President Emmanuel Macron allegedly claimed that African countries would be unable to "thrive without French involvement", according to a series of posts circulating on social media. "Africa remains the least developed continent, and history shows we have a role to play in supporting its growth. A complete withdrawal could halt progress', states a post supposedly quoting Macron, which has been viewed almost 700k times. A number of the posts which relay the claim feature the same press shot of Macron. By conducting a reverse image search and checking that results matched with the picture shared on social media, EuroVerify was able to match the photo with press shots taken at a European summit held in Brussels on 6 March 2025. An analysis of Macron's speech, as well as a further sweep of news reports and official statements made by the French President, yielded no evidence for the quotes attributed to him. Meanwhile, French diplomatic sources further refuted the quotes attributed to the French leader, branding them as "false.' A number of the social media accounts which attributed the statement to Macron have also shared pro-Russian propaganda and backed the Alliance of the Sahel States (AES). The AES is an alliance made up of Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso, countries which are all governed by military regimes that came to power following coups. It was formed after the West African bloc ECOWAS threatened to restore civilian rule in Niger through military intervention, after a coup ousted the country's president Mohamed Bazoum in July 2023. Russia was the first country to recognise the alliance, as it works to expand its presence in Africa, while France has been progressively withdrawing its troops from the region, faced with increasing opposition against its military presence. Although this particular statement attributed to Macron may not be true, some of the French President's previous claims regarding France's involvement in Africa have sparked backlash from African leaders. For instance, in January leaders in Chad and Senegal accused Macron of showing contempt, after he declared that West African leaders had forgotten to "thank" France for helping to combat Islamist militants in the Sahel region. Since 2022, France has been progressively withdrawing its troops from West Africa due to opposition against French military presence in the region. The very public fallout between Donald Trump and tech billionaire Elon Musk, once among the US president's closest advisors, has rippled across the Atlantic, drawing fascination as well as anxiety from Europe's right-wing and far-right political circles. The collapse of the Trump-Musk alliance, marked by bitter exchanges over government contracts and personal insults, has left many on Europe's right politically adrift. Online, the moment has already spawned memes comparing European parties to children caught in a bitter divorce. Yet beyond the humour, the European right woke up in shock. For many of its leaders, Trump had served as proof that a nationalist 'wave' was not only possible but already underway. Musk, meanwhile, became an unlikely champion of their causes, lending legitimacy, visibility, and even a platform to far-right movements like Germany's AfD and Italy's Lega, with particularly close ties to Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. So far, there has been no official comment from Europe's right-wing leaders on the Trump-Musk rift. That silence is striking as these politicians are usually quick to react to global events, especially those involving figures they admire. Their hesitation suggests a deeper unease: being forced to choose sides could present a strategic dilemma that reshapes the future of Europe's right-wing landscape. Germany's far-right Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) faces a delicate balancing act. While the party has long admired Trump's nationalist politics – often calling for a 'Germany First' approach – it has also benefited significantly from Musk's support. Musk has repeatedly praised the AfD, once stating, 'Only the AfD can save Germany.' Ahead of Germany's federal elections, he even participated in livestreamed discussions with AfD co-leader Alice Weidel and used his platform X (formerly Twitter) to amplify the party's messaging. Meanwhile, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who was present at the White House during part of the unfolding dispute between the pair, hasn't commented, though his CDU party competes directly with the AfD and is likely watching developments closely. Italy's Lega and its leader Matteo Salvini face a similar dilemma but from a slightly different angle. Salvini has long styled himself as Italy's most pro-Trump figure, even more so than his rival Giorgia Meloni. Yet Musk has also courted Lega. In April, he addressed the party's national congress in Florence via video link as a star guest, echoing his involvement with the AfD. For Meloni, the situation is even more complex as she has cultivated relationships with both men. As the first Western European leader to meet Trump following the announcement of US tariffs on EU goods, she positioned herself as a diplomatic bridge between Washington and Brussels. At the same time, she has maintained a pragmatic, deal-oriented relationship with Musk, particularly regarding potential SpaceX contracts for Italian defence communications. Despite their ties to Musk and shared ideological overlaps, both Meloni and Salvini are likely to side with Trump in the event of a political schism since Trump remains a key political ally and, unlike Musk, is an elected leader. In other parts of Europe, the choice appears clearer. Parties such as Hungary's Fidesz under Viktor Orbán and France's National Rally, now led by Jordan Bardella, have consistently aligned themselves with Trump's nationalist agenda. Orbán, one of Trump's closest allies in Europe, frequently echoes his anti-immigration rhetoric and strongman leadership style. Bardella has praised Trump's patriotism and nationalist policies, while showing little public admiration for Musk. Elsewhere, parties like Poland's Law and Justice (PiS), Austria's Freedom Party (FPÖ), and Spain's Vox have seen Musk act more as a sympathetic amplifier of their messages rather than as a political partner. While Musk has given visibility to far-right narratives on his social media platform, he lacks the political authority or ideological consistency that many of these parties find in Trump. As the Trump-Musk feud continues to unfold, Europe's right-wing movements may be forced into a reckoning. Do they align with a political icon who has shaped modern populism or with a tech mogul whose influence lies in platforms, not policies? For now, many are watching and waiting. But if tensions escalate further, silence may no longer be an option.
Euronews
04-06-2025
- Business
- Euronews
What we know about the shootings near Gaza aid distribution sites
Competing narratives have emerged following a series of deadly incidents which reportedly took place in the vicinity of the US-Israeli backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation's (GHF) food aid distribution sites in south-west Gaza. According to accounts from local Hamas-run authorities, as well as eyewitnesses and medical professionals, troops from the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) shot at and killed a number of Palestinians who were seeking to access the GHF sites in recent days. While shootings were reported near all three GHF hubs in southern Gaza, the heaviest occurred on Sunday and Tuesday at the Flag Roundabout. The UN has called for an independent investigation into the incidents, reminding Israel that it is required to facilitate humanitarian aid under international law. EuroVerify takes a look at the facts in order to build up a timeline of what we know. On Sunday, 31 Palestinians were reportedly killed by IDF shots as they attempted to access GHF distribution sites, said local Hamas-run authorities. To reach the GHF's sites in Rafah, Palestinians must walk for kilometres along a designated route, which the GHF says the Israeli military keeps secure. In statements to the public, GHF has warned people to stay on the road, saying leaving it "represents a great danger." Before dawn on Sunday, thousands of Palestinians massed at the Flag Roundabout, which is part of a designated access route, approximately one kilometre northwest of GHF's distribution hub in the Tel al-Sultan district of Rafah. By 3am, thousands had gathered and according to Palestinian witnesses, it is around this time that Israeli troops started firing at the crowd with guns, tanks and drones. NGO Médecins sans Frontières has stated that patients — who said they had been shot by Israeli forces at GHF distribution sites — began to stream into Khan Younis' Nasser hospital on Sunday morning. The individuals said they had been shot at by Israeli forces close to GHF distribution sites. Another international organisation, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), declared that on Sunday, 179 adults and children bearing shrapnel and gunshot wounds arrived at the organisation's field hospital in Rafah. According to the ICRC, its medical teams declared 21 individuals dead upon arrival. Israel has denied allegations its forces opened fire on locals queuing for aid in Rafah. In a post shared on X, the IDF branded such reports "false," stating that an initial inquiry found that its forces "did not fire at civilians while they were near or within the humanitarian aid distribution site." The GHF told EuroVerify that no incidents occurred at or in the surrounding vicinity of their distribution site on Sunday, adding that there were "no injuries, no fatalities." On Tuesday, Gaza's health ministry said Israeli forces had shot and killed at least 27 people near the GHF distribution centre. Civilians were fired at by tanks, drones and helicopters near the Flag Roundabout close to the distribution hub. Israel denies that such an incident happened and claims that it only fired warning shots at people it suspected were deviating from designated access routes to the GHF centre. "The troops carried out warning fire and after the suspects failed to retreat, additional shots were directed near individual suspects who advanced toward the troops," the IDF said in a post on X. It added that it was aware of reported casualties and that it was investigating the incident. "IDF troops are not preventing the arrival of Gazan civilians to the humanitarian aid distribution sites," the IDF said. "The warning shots were fired approximately half a kilometre away from the humanitarian aid distribution site toward several suspects who advanced toward the troops in such a way that posed a threat to them." The GHF itself said that the distribution of food was carried out without any issues within its perimeter and that it was aware of the Israeli investigation into the reported injured civilians. On Wednesday, the GHF said it had paused aid distribution and discussing measures to improve civilian safety with the Israeli military, including changes to traffic management and troop training. The body began distributing aid on 26 May, after a three-month Israeli blockade on aid entering Gaza pushed the population of more than 2 million to the brink of famine. The GHF system limits food distribution to hubs guarded by armed contractors. Of the three hubs that are open, one is in central Gaza and two are in the far south on the outskirts of the mostly uninhabited southern city of Rafah. Israel's ban on international media access to Gaza — which means that journalists must partake in an organised army press tour to enter the territory — has fuelled online speculation and renders independent on the ground verification a major challenge. The European Union will extend the temporary protection granted to Ukrainian refugees until March 2027 as it paves the way for a "gradual return and sustainable reintegration" in the country once Russia's invasion comes to an end, a prospect that remains distant and precarious as Moscow stalls the negotiations promoted by the United States. It marks the first time that Brussels presents a detailed roadmap for Ukrainians to either go home after the war or stay in the bloc on a long-term basis. An estimated 4.3 million Ukrainians left their country and relocated across the EU in what is considered the largest refugee crisis since World War II. "Since 2022, we have provided protection for those fleeing Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine, and we continue to do so," said Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the European Commission. "And together with Ukraine, we pave the way for people to be able to return and rebuild their homes once it is safe." Under the Commission's plan, unveiled on Wednesday afternoon, the bloc will continue the path charted in the early days of the war, when member states rapidly agreed to activate the Temporary Protection Directive to provide hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians fleeing Russia's war with immediate legal shelter. The directive has the benefit of bypassing the traditionally cumbersome asylum to fast-track access to residence permits, the labour market, social welfare, medical treatment and the education system. The law asks governments to reduce formalities "to a minimum" due to the urgency of attending a "mass influx" of refugees. With no end in sight to Russia's war, the directive has been repeatedly extended to ensure legal certainty for Ukrainians. The Commission proposes a new prolongation until 4 March 2027, which member states are certain to approve in the coming weeks. At the same time, Brussels charts what it calls a "coordinated transition out of temporary protection" to lay the groundwork for the eventual day when the invasion ends and refugees face a real choice between staying in the bloc or going back to Ukraine. The cessation of hostilities, however, does not automatically imply the return of all those who escaped the violence. The recent case of Syria after the fall of Bashar al-Assad demonstrates the complexity of managing a post-war reality. Many parts of Ukraine, including entire cities and communities, have been devastated by incessant Russian bombardment. The World Bank estimates the country's recovery and reconstruction will cost €506 billion over the next decade, a colossal bill that Kyiv and its allies hope to partially offset by leveraging Russia's frozen sovereign assets. But besides foreign donations and investment, Ukraine will need people to help rebuild its battered economy and infrastructure. According to Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Oleksiy Chernysho, who joined the Commission's presentation, an additional four million workers might be required to double the country's GDP over a 10-year period. "It is a fact that we need more people (to come) back to Ukraine, of course, under the condition is stable and the war is over," Chernysho said. "Only a strong economy can pave the way to the future success of Ukraine and successful integration in the European Union. That's why it's so important to us." Mindful of the balancing act, the Commission recommends that member states prepare for two main scenarios. On the one hand, the possibility that some Ukrainians will wish to remain in the EU countries where they have integrated themselves. This should be done through legal avenues, such as long-term residence permits, student visas and the regular migration status, to replace the ongoing temporary protection. The switch will depend on national legislation and might be done before the directive expires. On the other hand, the possibility that some refugees will opt to go back to Ukraine. This should be done through "voluntary return programmes" – as opposed to any form of forced deportations – and "exploratory visits" to help Ukrainians travel home, meet their families and assess the circumstances on the ground. Additionally, the new plan promotes the establishment of so-called "Unity Hubs" to inform refugees about the two options – integration and return – and foster connections among Ukrainians living abroad. The roadmap also foresees the appointment of a special envoy to oversee the transition at the political level. The Commission insists that any movement should take place "once the necessary conditions are met" – that is, once a just and lasting peace is achieved. The temporary protection could be suspended if a deal is struck before March 2027. "When the time comes to end temporary protection, we'll also have to be mindful of Ukraine's absorption capacity. We cannot do everything from one day to another," said Magnus Brunner, the Commissioner for Internal Affairs and Migration. "We're therefore asking member states to put in place voluntary return programmes to allow a staggered and organised return to Ukraine." Although the reception of Ukrainian refugees enjoys enduring support among member states, the question of funding has at times caused friction. Since the start of the war, the EU budget has doled out €15 billion in emergency assistance. But for some nations in Ukraine's periphery, the help has fallen short of their needs. Last year, Germany, Poland and the Czech Republic called on Brussels to provide fresh cash to alleviate their "strained" capacities and the "uneven" burden-sharing. The three countries host about 50% of all displaced Ukrainians in the bloc. Following a meeting with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz in May, Ursula von der Leyen announced €3 billion to support Ukrainian refugees and the EU's migration reform. A further €1 billion will be allocated to the same end. Future costs will have to be addressed by the next seven-year budget, which has not yet been presented.
