For two centuries, an unusual bird had been kept in wrong company. The hoatzin of South America, the only bird species to have a ruminant digestive system like a cow, was placed in the order

Planet earth's unhappy rendezvous with deadly viruses contin- ues unabated: this time it is the mosquito-borne dengue. The outbreak has occured in Central America and Mexico's southern states.

The great Pantanal--the world's largest wetlands, located in South America--is running a grave risk, warns the World Wildlife Fund (wwf). It would fall victim to a gradual process of desertification

IN 1993, the seasonal ozone destruction over the polar region of the southern hemisphere started earlier than ever before -- early in August. Record low values of total ozone were registered at

Latin American and Caribbean banana growers are seeking to reconcile the rivalry between them, which is threatening to escalate because of new import quotas set by the European Community

A GATT ruling that the proposed EC import regime for bananas is unfair to Latin America, has the poorer Caribbean producers up in arms.

A plan to restrict import of bananas from Latin American countries is being opposed tooth and nail by the Germans.