Geldof, Bono rip African aid level

Bono, Bob Geldof and other celebrities pressed the world’s wealthiest countries Wednesday to come through with more pledged financial aid for Africa. The Irish rock stars turned activists presented a new report that found the Group of 8 has collectively donated only a fraction of the $22 billion in extra funds they pledged in 2005 to be paid by 2010.

“What this big, long, exact, cold and brutal analysis shows us is that halfway to this historic date of 2010 -- halfway -- these wealthy countries . . . have delivered 14%. How tragic is that?” Geldof said in Paris. “What a failure for all of us.”

The report by Data, an advocacy group aimed at wiping out extreme poverty and AIDS in Africa, says targeted aid is working, but the G-8 (Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia, Britian and the U.S.) is behind in its commitments.