IN BRIEF (Page 12)

Paraguay

100,000 people escape flood

Some 100,000 residents in Paraguay have been evacuated due to the rising waters just days before Christmas celebrations. The mayor of Paraguay's capital Asuncion, Mario Ferreiro, on Wednesday described the flooding as a "humanitarian tragedy". "We are living in times of crisis in Asuncion," said Ferreiro. "It's the worst flooding in the past 20 years. A humanitarian tragedy on a large scale."