Band Aid tackles Ebola with new video

Rocker Bob Geldof reminded Brits of the ever-present threat of killer disease Ebola as he debuted the video for the latest Band Aid single on Sunday night (November 16).
The Live Aid hero and his sidekick Midge Ure gathered stars like One Direction, Rita Ora and U2’s Bono and reworked their 30-year-old Do They Know It’s Christmas? charity hit on Saturday (November 15) – and a day later Geldof premiered the song’s video on UK talent show X Factor.
The video began with a stirring scene of an Ebola-stricken woman being stretchered out of her home.
Geldof appeared on the show and urged people to buy the record and help raise funds for the fight against Ebola, which has claimed the lives of more than 4,800 people in West Africa.
The Boomtown Rats frontman said, “The reason they (stars) came yesterday… is because this thing could arrive on a plane here any time.
“Ebola has created mothers not able to touch their baby and husbands and wives not able to touch each other in the last moments. This is the most inhuman disease out there, but we can stop it and we will stop it… We are going to stop this thing.”
The first Band Aid single, released in 1984, was recorded to raise funds to tackle the 1984 Ethiopian famine.
The new track is the favourite to land this year’s (2014) coveted Christmas number one spot on the UK charts.
The new charity single was debuted during UK’s “The X Factor” on Sunday. Stars like One Direction, Ed Sheeran, Sam Smith, Chris Martin, Rita Ora, Ellie Goulding and Bono all sang the lines of the song originally penned by Bob Geldof 30 years ago to combat the horrible famine that afflicted Ethiopia at that time.
Geldof, who also organized the event, confirmed that some lyrics had been changed to reflect the new angle. The new version of the classic will be released for download on Monday. All proceeds from the song will go to charity.
Speaking to “X Factor” host Dermot O’Leary, Geldof said, “We can stop it, and we will stop it, and we will support those immensely brave 1,000 NHS workers, those young doctors and nurses who are going down there, those young soldiers… and the governments who are leading the world on this.”
He added, “We wanted to show you the context in which this was done yesterday. It’s harrowing. It’s not meant for an entertainment show, but we need you to see this. We’re going to stop this thing. Buy this song.”