News stories by IPS Correspondents, page 69

KARACHI, Nov 17 (IPS) - ETHNIC, POLITICAL AND SECTARIAN VIOLENCE HAS RAVAGED PAKISTAN'S RICHEST CITY, KARACHI, CATAPULTING IT TO CENTRE-STAGE AS ONE OF THE MAJOR TROUBLE SPOTS ON PRIME MINISTER BENAZIR BHUTTO'S POLITICAL AGENDA.

NARIOBI, Nov 17 (IPS) - COMPULSORY MILITARY TRAINING FOR SECONDARY SCHOOL PUPILS WAS ANNOUNCED THURSDAY BY SUDAN'S ISLAMIC REGIME, FIGHTING A BITTER CIVIL WAR WITH SOUTHERN REBELS.

BRUSSELS, Nov 17 (IPS) - The European Commission is ready to mediate in the conflict between Slovenia and Italy -- which is blocking Ljubljana's negotiations on an association agreement with the European Union.

WASHINGTON, Nov 17 (IPS) - Human rights organisations are concerned with the absence of a key issue from the agenda of the upcoming Summit of the Americas, despite the ironic twist which caused the meeting to be held on International Human Rights Day.

CARACAS, Nov 16 (IPS) - The Venezuelan government approved a 1995 budget of some 15.5 billion dollars after a hectic rush to find funding for a proposed 861 million dollar increase.

ZAGREB, Nov 16 (IPS) - New moves to entice Serbia's Slobodan Milosevic to further abandon his Serb militias in Bosnia and Croatia in return for a total lifting of international sanctions are being devised by the major power 'Contact Group'.

BONN, Nov 16 (IPS) - Germany's new government led by Chancellor Helmut Kohl plans to intensify development cooperation with the needy countries of central and eastern Europe, according to an official policy document newly published here.

QUITO, Nov 16 (IPS) - Members of the business communities of Ecuador and Colombia held a three-day meeting, which conlcuded Wednesday, to evaluate the progress of bilateral trade and encourage new exchanges.

LIMA, Nov 16 (IPS) - Peru's anti-subversion laws should be amended to meet international human rights standards, according to Justice Minister Fernando Vega, who said he would soon present a bill to that effect to the Peruvian Constituent Congress.

LUSAKA, Nov 16 (IPS) - IF OBSERVERS OF THE ANGOLAN CRISIS TAKE RECENT PEACE OVERTURES BY THE GOVERNMENT AND UNION FOR THE TOTAL INDEPENDENCE OF ANGOLA (UNITA) WITH A PINCH OF SALT, THEY CAN HARDLY BE ACCUSED OF CYNICISM.