News headlines in January 2018, page 5

DHAKA, Bangladesh, Jan 14 (IPS) - The repatriation of Rohingya refugees driven from their villages through violence and terror appears uncertain, with critics saying the agreement legalising the process of their return is both controversial and impractical.

UNITED NATIONS, Jan 12 (IPS) - I am very pleased to present this report, "Making Migration Work For All", which serves as my principal input to the zero draft of the "Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration."

PALMAS and PORTO NACIONAL, Brazil, Jan 12 (IPS) - Tocantins, the newest of Brazil's 26 states, which was created in 1988 to seek its own paths to development in central Brazil, fell into the common plight of expanding borders, based on soy and hydroelectricity.

UNITED NATIONS, Jan 11 (IPS) - With a track record of six underground nuclear tests between 2006 and 2017, North Korea is desperately yearning to be recognized as the world's ninth nuclear power – trailing behind the US, UK, France, China, Russia, India, Pakistan and Israel.

BUENOS AIRES, Jan 11 (IPS) - The government of Mauricio Macri dreams of Argentina becoming the world leader in lithium production. But it does not seem so clear that this aspiration, underpinned by the interest of multinational corporations, would also drive the development of local communities.

MANILA, Jan 10 (IPS) - It's not just suspected drug users and dealers at risk of targeted killing in the Philippines. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) reported last week that the Philippines is the most dangerous country in Southeast Asia for journalists. Globally, the island nation came sixth on the list of most murderous countries.

PARIS, Jan 10 (IPS) - Close to 10 years after its first edition, a fully updated International Technical Guidance on Sexuality Education published today by UNESCO advocates quality comprehensive sexuality education to promote health and well-being, respect for human rights and gender equality, and empowers children and young people to lead healthy, safe and productive lives.

WASHINGTON DC, Jan 10 (IPS) - In October 2017, Uganda launched a new five-year National Financial Inclusion Strategy. The strategy seeks to reduce financial exclusion from 15 to 5 percent by 2022 by ensuring that all Ugandans have access to and use a broad range of quality and affordable financial services.

OTTAWA, Canada, Jan 09 (IPS) - If there is one political principle that has been constant throughout the history of human civilization it is the fact that land is power. This is something that is particularly true, and often painfully so, for women who farm in Africa.

SANTIAGO, Jan 09 (IPS) - A 75 percent drop in electricity rates, thanks to a quadrupled clean generation capacity, is one of the legacies to be left in Chile by the administration of Michelle Bachelet, who steps down on Mar. 11.