American President George W. Bush stands with Irish rock star Bono after Bono spoke at the National Prayer Breakfast in Washington yesterday. - REUTERS
WASHINGTON (AP):
QUOTING FROM Islamic, Jewish and Christian texts, rock star Bono challenged united States President George W Bush and Congress at their annual prayer breakfast yesterday to spend an additional one per cent on the federal budget to help the world's poor.
The U2 front man said it is unjust to keep poor people from selling their goods, while singing the virtues of the free market, to hold children to ransom for the debts of their grandparents and to withhold medicines that would save lives.
"God will not accept that," he said. "Mine won't. Will yours?"
Bono said the United States spends less than one per cent of its budget on the world's poor and suggested an increase of another one per cent.
