Blair and Bush to announce new famine initiative

US President George Bush and British Prime Minister Tony Blair will announce a joint initiative today costing the $674m (€1bn) to help an estimated 14 million people threatened by famine in Africa, the White House said.

The announcement appeared intended to take the sting out of Bush’s opposition to Blair’s more expensive plan for doubling aid to Africa. The amount of Britain’s contribution to the joint initiative was not disclosed, but it was said to be less than Washington’s.