Trade : US President Trump under pressure to cut a deal with China (PRIV)
(D. Ravi Kanth, Geneva)
As the United States and China hold anoth er round of high-level trade talks in Washington on Wednesday (30 January), pressure appears to be mounting on US President Donald Trump to cut a deal with Beijing in the face of worsening domestic political and economic challenges , including the negative fallout from the partial federal government shutdown .

Trade : Impasse over AB appointments continues into the new year (PRIV)
(Kanaga Raja, Geneva)
With the US continuing to block the selecti on process to fill four vacancies on the seven-member Appellate Body, the impa sse at the World Trade Organisation continues with no sign it could end soon.

Latin America : Crusade against sex education undermines progress made (PRIV)
(IPS, Buenos Aires)
The crusade aga inst comprehensive sex education by conservative and religious sectors undermine s progress in Latin America and could further drive up rates of teen pregnanc y, communicable diseases and abuse against girls and adolescents.

UN : Silent, invisible crisis destabilising communities could be subject of hope (PRIV)
(IPS, Georgetown)
New data show that globally two billion hectares of land - roughly twice the size of China - have been degr aded.

Opinion : Ending poverty is possible, but it means facing up to inequality (PRIV)
(IPS, New York)
World leaders have committed to ending poverty everywhere for all people by 2030.