News stories by IPS Correspondents, page 55

BANGKOK, Nov 26 (IPS) - Almost a hundred years ago, Thai officials thought their South-east Asian kingdom had too many trees, and the main reason why they established the Royal Forestry Department (RFD) at all was to regulate the stumpage price.

BANGKOK, Nov 26 (IPS) - Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam and Thailand appear to be finally seeing the end of two years of sticky negotiations over how to equitably share the waters of the River Mekong.

HONG KONG, Nov 26 (IPS) - An agreement between China and Vietnam to set territorial disputes aside and concentrate on economic ties has sent diplomats and analysts in Asia scrambling to figure out exactly what the handshaking is all about.

NEW DELHI, Nov 26 (IPS) - The death of more than 100 men, women and children belonging to one of India's indigenous communities in a stampede this week is just another instance of state apathy toward the country's millions of tribal people, say activists.

DUBLIN, Nov 26 (IPS) - After what has been described as the most sensational week in Irish politics for some 20 years there is now speculation that the next prime minister will be the first Labour Party prime minister in the history of the state, Dick Spring.

PRETORIA, Nov 26 (IPS) - COUNTRIES WHICH BROKE A U.N. ARMS EMBARGO IMPOSED AGAINST SOUTH AFRICA DURING THE APARTHEID ERA MAY BE EXPOSED ON MONDAY FOLLOWING A RULING THAT SECRET DOCUMENTS ON THE INDUSTRY CAN BE MADE PUBLIC.

LONDON, Nov 25 (IPS) - The uninterrupted views across Bangladesh's flat and glinting rice fields, thought to comprise about one third of the country's land mass, could soon be a thing of the past.

OSLO, Nov 25 (IPS) - Perched on the prow of his fishing boat filleting herrings for customers, Fred Bratlie says he fears an invasion of foreign trawlers if Norway joins the European Union in next week's referendum.

LONDON, Nov 25 (IPS) - Base metals saw a strong downward correction early in the week before the Thanksgiving holiday on Thursday and Friday -- which meant that United States investors were not active.

KINGSTON, Nov 25 (IPS) - Following the announcement of a 23 percent tax to be levied on bank profits, banking sector share prices have plunged on the stock exchange.