Ukraine Deaths, Egypt Detentions, UN Acts on AI and Tariffs

Damaged buildings in a town in the Donetsk region of Ukraine. (file)

More civilians have been killed and injured in Ukraine following recent hostilities and attacks across the country, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said on Tuesday.

Since Friday, 11 civilians have been killed and more than 90 wounded, according to authorities. Schools and energy infrastructure were also damaged.

The Donetsk region in eastern Ukraine was the most affected, with the town of Kostiantynivka particularly hard hit. Six other regions – Sumy, Kharkiv, Kherson, Mykolaiv, Dnipro and Zaporizhzhia – were also impacted, with homes, schools, ambulances and power facilities sustaining damage.

In response, aid organisations have distributed repair materials, hot meals and drinks, as well as psychological support.

Humanitarians continue to support people fleeing hostilities in Donetsk and Dnipro. OCHA reported that more than 2,000 people, many of them children, were evacuated from Donetsk between Friday and Monday.

“With growing pressure on the transit site in Pavlohrad, authorities and aid organisations opened new facilities in Voloske, Dnipro region, and in Lozova, Kharkiv region,” OCHA said.

Evacuees receive medical and psychosocial support, hot meals, water, hygiene supplies, and can register for cash assistance before moving to safer areas. Humanitarians are also supporting arrivals elsewhere in Ukraine.

The UN human rights office (OHCHR) has called on Egypt to end a practice known as “rotation,” which allows Government critics to be held arbitrarily and for prolonged periods even after serving their sentences or completing pre-trial detention.

Human rights defenders, activists, lawyers, journalists, peaceful protesters and political opponents are among those targeted.

The latest case involves poet Galal El-Behairy, who was arbitrarily detained after completing a prison term on 31 July 2021 for writing songs and poetry critical of the Government. He has since faced new charges in two separate cases under counter-terrorism and penal code provisions. The most recent charges, filed on 19 August 2025, extended his detention for at least 15 more days.

OHCHR spokesman Thameen Al-Kheetan said the practice has become a tool to repress critical voices, stressing that most of those targeted should never have been detained in the first place.

OHCHR urged Egyptian authorities to end the practice and release all those subjected to it.

The UN Secretary-General welcomed the General Assembly’s decision to establish two new mechanisms to promote international cooperation on the governance of artificial intelligence (AI).

The UN Independent International Scientific Panel on AI and the Global Dialogue on AI Governance are expected to harness the benefits of AI while addressing its risks.

Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said the Global Dialogue will provide an inclusive platform for States and stakeholders, while the Scientific Panel will bridge cutting-edge AI research and policymaking.

An open call for nominations to the panel will be launched soon. Annual reports will be presented at the Global Dialogue sessions scheduled for Geneva in 2026 and New York in 2027.

The Universal Postal Union (UPU) is working to keep packages moving to the United States after dozens of countries suspended service.

“Maintaining the trust of the billions of people served by the postal network is our top priority,” said UPU Director General Masahiko Metoki.

Starting 29 August, the US will suspend duty-free exemptions for low-value packages. Items worth less than $800 will no longer be exempt from customs duties, although letters will not be affected.

The UPU warned the change could mean major operational challenges worldwide due to the short notice. At least 25 countries have already suspended outbound postal services to the US, citing transit uncertainties.

The UN agency said it is assisting countries in adapting to new customs duty processes and is in talks with the US Government to develop practical solutions.