May 2008 Archives

ANI,

Soccer star David Beckham is ready to scale new heights by trekking up the highest peak in Africa, to help raise funds for childrens charity Unicef.

The 33-year-old has been asked by U2 front man Bono to join him on an expedition up Mount Kilimanjaro, and despite his busy schedule Becks is absolutely set on making the climb.

According to a source, the climb would be something outside of Becks normal comfort zone, but the footballer is determined to make the climb up the 19,340 ft. snow-capped peak.

He was a bit uncertain at first but he found out, like many celebrities before him, that Bono can be very persuasive, The Sun quoted the source as saying.

No date has been set as yet because David is very busy with his LA Galaxy commitments.

There is also the insurance situation to iron out but he is absolutely set on doing it, the source added.

By Peter Mikelbank, People Magazine,

Even by Monaco standards, it wasn't your ordinary dinner party for 12 on Friday night - though there was cake and champagne.

To celebrate his 48th birthday, U2 frontman Bono held a small dinner party at Sass' Café in Monaco. On the guest list: Brad Pitt, Monaco's Prince Albert II and The Edge.

"It was really quite a surprise," the café's maitre de tells PEOPLE. "It wasn't organized in advance. We only got called on it that afternoon."

Despite Pitt's presence, Angelina Jolie, who had visited Bono in Eze with her children last Sunday, remained at home.

The sit-down dinner, arranged by Bono's wife Ali Hewson, began with red wine at 10 p.m., according to staff, even before The Edge arrived for the evening. The meal was followed by a champagne toast and strawberry cake lit with candles; a staffer described the party as "tres speciale."

No word on what gifts Bono received - but what do you give a man who has his own rock band and has already been nominated for the Nobel Prize?

Copyright © 2008 Time Inc. All rights reserved.

Irish Independent,

After years of planning, wrangling and rowing, it finally looks like the landmark U2 tower is finally set to get off the ground. Plans for the Liffey highrise remain on course even though a formal agreement with the developers has still not been struck.

The Dublin Docklands Development Authority (DDDA) said negotiations between it and the preferred bidders -- a consortium including U2 members -- "are due to be completed shortly."

The DDDA expects "construction of the tower to begin by the end of this year or early next year," a spokesman said.

Geranger Ltd. was chosen by the DDDA as the preferred bidder for the €200m project on Britain Quay in October, beating off competition from Sean Dunne's Mountbrook Homes.

Geranger, a consortium consisting of Ballymore Properties, developer Paddy McKillen and the members of U2, plans to build a skyscraper soaring 60m higher than the Spire.