Independent goes Red as Bono edits

See Bono the editor

Rock star Bono was in the editor's chair at the Independent on Tuesday and he used the occasion to promote his "Red" campaign fighting Aids in Africa.

The front page boldly declares "No news today" but below says "Just 6,500 Africans died today as a result of a preventable, treatable disease".

The campaign involves brands such as American Express, Gap and Motorola, which have pledged to donate part of their profits to the health crisis plaguing Africa.

The paper says half its revenue from the day will go towards the campaign.

'Voice of Africa'

Bono has interviewed Tony Blair and Gordon Brown on their "shared vision for Africa" in the Independent.

Both politicians agree the "voice of Africa" needs to be heard at international meetings on trade deals.

In the one-off edition Bono also attempts to inject his own style of humour, perhaps self-indulgently, by chatting to comedian Eddie Izzard.

U2 guitarist The Edge also gives an interview on how musicians of New Orleans are rebuilding their culture.

Meanwhile on the sport pages Bono shows an interest in the turf and tips several horses from the Emerald Isle, including Aidan O'Brien-trained Septimus for next month's Derby at Epsom.

Drought warning

Water shortages across the UK have dominated Tuesday's headlines.

Most papers warn that millions of people could face queues for water at stand pipes and supply rationing.

The Daily Telegraph says the drought has the potential to be the worst in 30 years.

The Daily Express adds a burst main flooded part of west London on the same day the Environmental Agency issued advice on water restrictions.

Sat-nav misdirects ambulance

The story of how an ambulance took almost two hours to get an injured girl to hospital, after satellite navigation misdirected it, features in two papers.

Chloe Banks, 10, waited almost an hour after she was hit by a car in the village of Greenside, near Gateshead.

Once the emergency crew arrived the sat-nav sent the ambulance back along country lanes instead of the main road, taking another 40 minutes, the Daily Mail reported.

The Times said their reporter completed the same journey in just 22 minutes.