Famine accelerates

Maputo, Mozambique

The food shortage in southern Africa is rapidly worsening, U.N. officials said this week. “The intensity of this crisis is increasing faster than we ever could have expected,” said James Morris, a U.N. special envoy. Just a few months ago, the U.N. estimated that 12 million were at risk of starving before next spring’s harvests; now it says the figure is likely to reach 14 million. Officials say they need $507 million in emergency food aid to Zimbabwe, Zambia, Malawi, Swaziland, Mozambique, and Lesotho.