Bob Geldof organizes new recording to fight Ebola

Bono, One Direction join singer/activist for new recording of Band Aid single 'Do They Know It's Christmas?'

Singer Bob Geldof waves to fans as he arrives at a music studio to record his segment of the new Band Aid 30 charity single in London, Saturday, Nov. 15 2014. (Photo credit: Jonathan Short/Invision/AP)

LONDON — Pop singers and musicians including One Direction, Bono and Ellie Goulding have joined forces to record a charity song to raise funds to ease Africa’s Ebola crisis.

The recording is a new version of the Band Aid charity single “Do They Know It’s Christmas?” which was first recorded 30 years ago to raise funds for famine relief in Ethiopia.

Organizer Bob Geldof said One Direction sang the opening line of the new record, and other stars taking part in the London recording on Saturday included Rita Ora and Ed Sheeran.

The full lineup also features Coldplay’s Chris Martin, Sinead O’Connor and Emeli Sande.

Geldof said the British government has agreed to waive tax on the single — which means all the money raised by the song will go to charity.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press.

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