July 2012 Archives

by Independent.ie

BONO stunned housemates on the African version of Big Brother - when he appeared on video screen to address them.

The legendary rocker was beamed to the house live from Dublin, which contains housemates from 14 different African nations.

"This is your Irish rock star fan, Bono. You are my big brothers and little sisters", he said.

The U2 front man spoke to the housemates about the garden which they have to cultivate over the course of the series, as part of the new campaign being run by his ONE charity.

Pretty much since the early part of promotion for the "No Line On The Horizon" album, U2 has hinted that there's a wealth of material that could result in multiple projects, but so far there's been no mention of an actual release date.

However, the band's U.K. label Mercury Records let it slip that the group is on their release schedule for 2013. The U.K.'s Music Week reported the news in a pair of tweets. The first stated, "New Metallica, U2, Arcade Fire and Noah And The Whale album coming next year, Mercury Records has confirmed."

The second tweet added a quote for Mercury's U.K. label chief Jason Iley, who stated, "2013 could be one of the best years Mercury's ever had." Iley has a long-running relationship with U2, and lured them over to Mercury after the split with Island Records several years ago.

By Richie Taylor, Irish Examiner

Bono and Ali Hewson's youngest daughter Eve was shocked when her parents gave her an unusual 21st birthday present at her coming of age party in a glitzy Las Vegas club.

Eve was also celebrating wrapping up the filming of her next movie, the gangster film Blood Ties, with Clive Owens and Mila Kunis.

The U2 frontman and his wife unveiled their own unique recorded version of the Lady Gaga song 'Telephone' at the club, where it was played to all star guests as well as music business moguls Jimmy Iovine and Wilmer Valderrama.

Bono himself introduced the track, originally performed by Lady Gaga and Beyoncé in a Bonny & Clyde-themed video, before sending two bottles of Dom Pérignon champagne over to his daughter's table in the club at the famous Mirage Hotel.

Fox News/AP

A former household aide to U2 bassist Adam Clayton received a seven-year prison sentence Friday after an Irish jury unanimously found her guilty of embezzling more than $3.6 million from the musician.

Carol Hawkins, 48, offered no response to the sentence as prison guards led her out of Dublin Criminal Court.

Hawkins had been free on bail after being found guilty last week of 181 counts of writing checks from Clayton's bank account for her own use from 2004 to 2008. Records showed she used the money to buy designer clothing, 22 thoroughbred horses, a car, university education for her two children and first-class flights.

Judge Patrick McCartan said in his ruling that Hawkins deserved a severe sentence because she had demonstrated no remorse, falsely tried to pin blame for her grandiose spending on the often-absent Clayton, and could attempt similar offenses again if not jailed.

"Nothing, frankly, could explain away the scale of this dishonesty other than the greed in pursuit of a lavish lifestyle that was no responsibility of Mr. Clayton's," the judge said.