May 16, 2006 11:39

Bono edits newspaper for Africa

The U2 singer spreads his anti-AIDS message in The Independent

U2 singer Bono has edited today's (May 16) edition of The Independent in a bid to promote his anti-AIDS campaign in Africa.

The front page headline reads 'No News Today' but displays a message below stating: "Just 6,500 Africans died today as a result of a preventable, treatable disease".

Inside the singer interviews Tony Blair and Gordon Brown on their "shared vision for Africa" over seven pages dedicated to the continent.

Bono has also written his own plea for change in the broadsheet's editorial notes in which he says: "Right now, people you will never meet, who will never be able to thank you, are depending on you for the life-saving drugs which buying this paper will buy. For those people, my motivation or our (RED) motivation is irrelevant."

Half of the donations from the paper's sales will be donated to the singer's 'Red' campaign fighting AIDS in Africa.

Elsewhere the singer interviews Eddie Izzard and U2 guitarist The Edge on how musicians of New Orleans are rebuilding their culture aftert last year's natural disaster.