One in Four People Globally Still Lack Safe Drinking Water – Report
A new report shows that even though there has been progress in expanding access to water and sanitation over the last decade, one in four people globally still lack safely managed drinking water. The report, titled “Progress on Household Drinking Water and Sanitation 2000-2024: Special Focus on Inequalities,” was released by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) during World Water Week 2025. It reveals that about 2.1 billion people still do not have essential water, sanitation, and hygiene services, which exposes them to disease and social exclusion. The findings indicate that people living in low-income countries, fragile settings, and rural communities, along with children, ethnic minorities, and indigenous groups, face the greatest inequalities. The data also highlights the gendered burden of water access. In many areas of sub-Saharan Africa and Central and Southern Asia, women and girls are mainly responsible for collecting water, with many spending more than 30 minutes each day fetching it.
Ugandan General Slams Govt’s Involvement in U.S. Deportation Case
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Ugandan military veteran General David Sejusa has criticized the government over its involvement in the potential deportation of Maryland man Kilmar Abrego Garcia, who is at the center of US President Donald Trump’s immigration policies. A U.S. federal judge, Paula Xinis, recently paused Garcia’s removal from the U.S., citing concerns over due process and his fear of persecution or torture in Uganda. Garcia, who was unlawfully deported to El Salvador earlier this year, is now being held in Virginia while challenging his potential transfer to Uganda, despite the Trump administration’s plans. Critics say Uganda’s mention in the case highlights its complicated role in global migration politics. Its generous refugee policies are becoming entangled in U.S. immigration enforcement debates. Activists and Garcia’s lawyers claim he is being targeted for opposing wrongful deportation. General Sejusa condemned Uganda’s involvement and questioned the country’s dignity and sovereignty in the matter.
African Health Ministers Adopt Strategy to Expand Rehabilitation Services
African health ministers have adopted a regional strategy to fully integrate rehabilitation services into public health systems by 2035. More than 210 million Africans require rehabilitation, which is a set of health services for people with conditions such as developmental disorders, road traffic and unintentional injuries, or mental health issues. However, around two out of three people who need rehabilitation do not have access to the required care, and where available, the services are inadequate, qualified professionals are scarce, and coverage is insufficient, particularly at the primary health care and community levels. As part of the strategy, rehabilitation is to be prioritized as one of the essential health services.
Zimbabwe’s Reserve Bank to Rebrand Devalued Currency
The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) has announced plans to introduce newly designed ZWG notes, effectively phasing out the old ‘defiled’ versions. Since the ZWG was launched on April 5, 2024, it has faced significant challenges, including a 43% devaluation in September 2024, which undermined its gold-backed status. In some areas, people have started using the rand for transactions, especially for smaller denominations. RBZ Governor Dr. John Mushayavanhu said that the updated notes will have better quality and durability, explaining that this is a normal modernization rather than a new currency. However, critics and market observers have expressed scepticism, warning that limited details from the RBZ risk fuelling speculation and undermining confidence in the local unit.
Skull of Malagasy King Returns to Madagascar After Almost 130 Years in France
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The skull of a Malagasy king, King Toera, and those of two other members of his court, who were killed and decapitated by French troops in 1897 during colonial rule, have been formally returned to Madagascar. The handover took place at a ceremony at France’s culture ministry in Paris, marking the first restitution under a new law designed to fast-track the return of human remains. It is the first use of a new law meant to expedite the return of human remains from collections in France. The skulls, stored for nearly 130 years at the Museum of Natural History, had been taken to France in the context of colonial violence. There was no DNA proof that the skull is King Toera’s, and tests carried out several years ago were inconclusive. However, a Sakalava spirit medium confirmed the skull as that of the monarch. Madagascar’s Culture Minister, Volamiranty Donna Mara, welcomed the return, saying the return of skulls was a “significant gesture.”
