World Bank gives Niger emergency food aid

The World Bank said on Friday it would give Niger $120 million in emergency aid to help the country combat food shortages affecting millions of people. The development bank said Niger would use the emergency funds to buy cereals and grains, and to distribute food to those touched by a famine resulting from drought and a plague of locusts that wiped out crops.
"There are pockets now where people have no more food and they need to be helped until the next harvest, about mid September," said Vincent Turbat, the World Bank's country manager for Niger.