News stories by IPS Correspondents, page 48

BANGKOK, Dic 14 (IPS) - Asia-Pacific countries worried about rising youth crime may well take a look at how New Zealand has made headway with a scheme based on Maori traditions.

LUSAKA, Dic 14 (IPS) - THE STATE-RUN UNITED BUS COMPANY OF ZAMBIA (UBZ) SEEMED HEADED FOR COLLAPSE WEDNESDAY AS CREDITORS SEIZED ITS ASSETS FOR FAILING TO SETTLE A 4.5 BILLION KWACHA (ABOUT 6.4 MILLION DOLLARS) DEBT.

BONN, Dic 14 (IPS) - The media could contribute a lot to the creation of mutual understanding between Europeans and foreigners if they did not put their focus on floods and disasters in the Third World, said a European Union expert here, Wednesday.

BRUSSELS, Dic 14 (IPS) - Indonesia and Malaysia warned Tuesday of the possible failure of a proposed Europe-Asia summit if leaders of the European Union and their ASEAN counterparts fail to establish a pre-summit rapport.

LUSAKA, Dic 14 (IPS) - RELATIONS BETWEEN THE FREDERICK CHILUBA GOVERNMENT AND GERMANY WERE STRAINED WEDNESDAY AFTER SHARP DIFFERENCES OF OPINION ABOUT ZAMBIA'S INDEPENDENT MEDIA SURFACED.

ACCRA, Dic 14 (IPS) - GHANA'S FOREIGN AFFAIRS MINISTER OBED ASAMOAH WEDNESDAY WARNED THAT WEST AFRICA FACED POTENTIAL DESTABILISATION IF THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY ABANDONS WAR-TORN LIBERIA.

BRUSSELS, Dic 14 (IPS) - The 16 NATO countries which contribute troops to UNPROFOR in Bosnia will meet in the Hague on Monday to discuss ways to make the peacekeeping operation more efficient, announced NATO Secretary-General Willy Claes Wednesday.

CARACAS, Dic 13 (IPS) - The Venezuelan State Petroleum company (PDVSA) is predicting a currency devaluation of more than 17 percent and inflation of some 50 percent for 199520 points above government estimatesit was reported on Tuesday.

BONN, Dic 13 (IPS) - Latin America may soon witness the return of a debt crisis, according to a just published report by a German non-governmental organisation (NGO) which notes that outstanding loans have shot up by nearly 40 billion dollars in recent years.

BONN, Dic 13 (IPS) - Latin America may soon witness the return of a debt crisis, according to a just published report by a German non-governmental organisation (NGO) which notes that outstanding loans have shot up by nearly 40 billion dollars in recent years.