Infected Lies

African Aid Is Doubled By G-8 - Washington Post, Jul 09 2005

GLENEAGLES, Scotland, July 8 -- President Bush and the leaders of seven other major industrialized nations pledged Friday to double the amount of aid for Africa in five years and substantially raise it for other poor countries, capping a summit conducted in what British Prime Minister Tony Blair called the "shadow of terrorism."

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Activists Plan 'Final Push' to Pressure G-8 - Los Angeles Times, Jul 06 2005

Activists who have converged on this Scottish capital for the Group of 8 Summit said Tuesday that they were hopeful that a worldwide clamor for action would compel President Bush and the leaders of seven other industrialized nations to take firm steps to aid Africa and protect the climate for future generations. On the eve of the three-day meeting in nearby Gleneagles, a diverse coalition was promising a "final push" to put pressure on the leaders, following a series of 10 concerts around the globe Saturday that attracted nearly 1 million people and aimed to raise awareness about fighting poverty in Africa.

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Global Campaign Uses Celebrities to Raise Awareness - Christian Broadcasting Network, Jul 05 2005

A delegation of staffers and volunteers from the "One" campaign flew into Scotland to convince the world's richest nations to eradicate extreme poverty. Financial heavyweights such as Virgin Atlantic's Richard Branson, Bill Gates, and George Soros raised the heat on G8 leaders by funding "One" activist. “We can end this problem. We can do it,” said Melissa Fitzpatrick, an actress on West Wing. “But, we as citizens of the United States have a responsibility, and that's to let our officials, our elected officials know we want this.”

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U.S. Live 8 Attendees Show Support for Africa - U.S. Department of State, Jul 04 2005

Philadelphia -- A free concert featuring some of the world’s most popular musical acts drew an enormous crowd to the Philadelphia Museum of Art on July 2, but for many in the crowd the attraction went beyond the music.
Several attendees told the Washington File that the chance to gain the attention of world leaders in support of Africa brought them to the LIVE 8 concert in Philadelphia. One of nine concerts held worldwide to promote aid for Africa, the Philadelphia venue was one of the largest, with organizers estimating the crowd reached 1 million people. The diversity of the crowd in Philadelphia reflected the broad reach of LIVE 8's message. People from the inner city joined those from the suburbs. A middle-aged American woman who described herself as a Christian activist stood near a young man wearing traditional Muslim garb who said he was from Algeria. "I feel it's great that people are getting together for a cause like this," said Philadelphia native Brian, who had come to the concert with two of his college buddies.

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Celebs of all stripes join ONE campaign - Chicago Sun-Times, Jul 03 2005

It's not often that tree-huggers and Bible-thumpers join forces for a common cause. But that's exactly what they've done in the ONE Campaign, a high-profile, celebrity-driven push to stamp out poverty and AIDS around the world and, most immediately, in Africa. George Clooney is rapping with Pat Robertson, Brad Pitt is on the same track as Dale Earnhardt's widow, punk and Christian rockers are jointly jamming, lefty activists from Moveon.org have teamed with the Christian Coalition. Widespread human suffering has a way of closing chasms quickly.

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Live 8 rocks the globe - Sun Times, Jul 02 2005

LONDON-- Bono effortlessly worked the crowd. Bjork strutted the stage. Celine Dion was beamed via satellite. And Bill Gates was treated like a rock star. Live 8's long, winding road around the globe Saturday was an eclectic, unprecedented extravaganza. From Johannesburg to Philadelphia, Berlin to Tokyo, Rome to Moscow, about 700,000 fans gathered for a global music marathon designed to pressure the world's most powerful leaders into fighting African poverty when they convene at the Group of Eight summit next week.

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The face of America should meet the face of poverty - Seattle Times, Jun 30 2005

President Bush represents the United States to the world, and he and our 300 million neighbors will have a lot at stake next Wednesday when he arrives in Scotland for the meeting of the G-8: What will America be known for in the world? The president will join his colleagues from Germany, Japan, Italy, Canada, France and Russia, and, hosted by British Prime Minister Tony Blair, will explore ways to fight poverty in the world's poorest nations, many of which are in sub-Saharan Africa.

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Bush to Boost Efforts to Assist Africans - Washington Post, Jun 11 2005

President Bush is intensifying efforts to help Africans suffering from war, famine and AIDS by agreeing to erase billions of dollars in international debt, dispatching two key White House officials to the region, and planning to announce more direct aid for Africa as early as next month, administration officials said. "This very bold step builds momentum toward an historic breakthrough on aid and trade at the G8 summit next month," said Jamie Drummond, spokesman for the One Campaign, a group founded to fight global poverty and AIDS.

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"It is the rare man who lives not for himself."