Niger is threatened with total crop failure in some areas and the situation is worse than the 2005 crisis, the UN humanitarian chief has

told the BBC.

But John Holmes said the new government is co-operating in aid efforts.

Ex-President Mamadou Tandja, toppled in a coup in February, was criticised for doing too little then and saying the crisis had been exaggerated.

Nearly 8m people are affected by the drought this year and the UN says up to $130m…