Bono Suggests Using Comedy To Fight Extremism

The musician says stars like Amy Schumer, Chris Rock and Sacha Baron Cohen could be used by the Senate to fight Daesh.

U2 frontman Bono has suggested that comedy should be used to fight extremist groups.

In testimony before a Senate subcommittee at Capitol Hill, the musician called on members to take swift action to deal with the global refugee crisis and terrorism.

"It's like, you speak violence, you speak their language. But you laugh at them when they are goose-stepping down the street and it takes away their power," he said.

"So I am suggesting that the Senate send in Amy Schumer and Chris Rock and Sacha Baron Cohen, thank you."

US senator Jeanne Shaheen said: "Actually that's not the first time I've heard experts on how we counter violent extremism talk about that."

Bono talked about the flood of people fleeing their homes and called it a human torrent threatening the very idea of European unity.

He urged lawmakers to think of foreign aid as national security instead of charity.

"When aid is structured properly, with a focus on fighting poverty and improving governance, it could just be the best bulwark we have against the extremism of our age," Bono said.

Bono said members of Congress need to confront an "existential threat" to Europe that hasn't been seen since the 1940s.

Countries such as Poland and Hungary are moving to the right politically, a shift he described as a "hyper nationalism", as the UK is set for a referendum on EU membership in June. 

"This is unthinkable stuff," he said. "And you should be very nervous in America about it."

Africa, in particular, is grappling with what Bono called a phenomenon of three extremes - ideology, poverty and climate.

"Those three extremes make one unholy trinity of an enemy and our foreign policy needs to face in that direction," he said. "It's even bigger than you think."

Bono co-founded the One Campaign, an advocacy group that works to end poverty and preventable disease.

Pearl Jam Cancel Shows Over Transgender Law

The rock band join others in boycotting North Carolina after it passed a bill they call a "despicable piece of legislation".

Pearl Jam have become the latest entertainment act to cancel shows in North Carolina over a new state law they say discriminates against transgender people.

Ringo Starr, Bruce Springsteen and Cirque du Soleil have all taken a stance against the measure, known as House Bill 2.

"The HB2 law that was recently passed is a despicable piece of legislation that encourages discrimination against an entire group of American citizens," Pearl Jam said in a handwritten statement posted on its Facebook page.

"The practical implications are expansive and its negative impact upon basic human rights is profound.

"We want America to be a place where no one can be turned away from a business because of who they love or fired from their job for who they are," it said.

The band had a concert scheduled in the state capital Raleigh for Wednesday but have said they hope to return at a later date.

North Carolina last month became the first state to require transgender people to use restrooms and locker rooms in schools and other public facilities that correspond with their birth gender instead of the gender with which they identify.

More than 160 business executives have signed a Human Rights Campaign letter pushing for it to be repealed.

Cyndi Lauper said she would go ahead with a concert but devote all proceeds to campaigners fighting the law.

Pearl Jam also said it would make a donation to the cause.

Musician Prince Dies At Home Aged 57

Here's a tribute to Prince RIP.

One of the great guitar solos.

At the George Harrison tribute concert. Amazing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7INsVaR-S-w

Prince Band To Play Again After Star's Death

Revolution played with the music legend on albums and tours, including Purple Rain and 1999, before splitting up in the mid-80s.

The band that played with late musician Prince during his Purple Rain era say they plan to reunite and perform again "soon".

Revolution made the announcement in a video posted on Facebook and Twitter.

Guitarist Wendy Melvoin said they "have decided after spending three or four days together now grieving over the loss of Prince that we would like to come out and do some shows."

Fans' Verdict On Axl Rose's Debut With AC/DC

Fans from across Europe travelled to Lisbon to see the gig and were mostly bowled over by the Guns N' Roses singer's performance.

Vinyl Junkie wrote: QUOTE <"Axl Rose is nothing like Brian Johnson," said a disappointed Marcos Vizoso, 44, who had brought his 10-year-old daughter to the show. "I wanted her to see the original band."> Would be a bit of a miracle if his 10 year old daughter could see the "original" band, wouldn't you say.....

I saw the original AC/DC at least once but may have seen them 3 times .The end of 70's are a bit of a blur for me Mel .

Haha...good one Frank.

Stone Roses To Release New Music After 22 Years

The legendary Manchester rockers announce a new single is imminent after teasing fans with mysterious posters around the UK.

The Stone Roses have announced they will release their first new music in more than 20 years tonight at 8pm.

The band, who are due to play gigs in their home city Manchester, as well as music festival T in the Park and New York's Madison Square Garden later this year, have not released new material since their album Second Coming in 1994.

After months of hype and rumours, the band confirmed the news on social media, simply tweeting: "The Stone Roses will release a new single tonight at 8pm."

A spokeswoman for the band would not give any further details on the single, including how or in what format the single will be released.

The band had teased fans ahead of the announcement, with unexplained posters featuring their lemon logo popping up at locations in Manchester, London, Leeds, Newcastle and Glasgow.

Sinead O'Connor Found Safe After Going Missing

A caller had expressed concern for the 49-year-old after she failed to return from a Sunday morning bicycle ride in Illinois.

Irish singer Sinead O'Connor has been found safe after she was reported missing by a caller amid concerns for her welfare, Illinois police say.

A dispatcher at the police department in the Chicago suburb of Wilmette told Sky News: "Sinead O'Connor has been found and she is safe and okay."

No further details were provided.

The police department had earlier said it was seeking to "check the well-being" of the singer after an unidentified caller expressed concern for her.

Police said she had left the Wilmette area for a bicycle ride yesterday at 6am and had not returned.

The 49-year-old singer had recently posted Facebook messages about an apparent custody dispute involving her sons.

In November last year, O'Connor suggested on social media that she had taken an overdose at a hotel somewhere in Ireland, accusing family members of "appalling cruelty", but she was later found safe.

A month later, she posted on Facebook that she was undergoing a mental health evaluation at a hospital.

It is not known why the mother-of-four is in Wilmette, an affluent community along the shores of Lake Michigan.

She recently said she planned to demonstrate in North Carolina, which has passed a bathroom law that critics say targets transgender people.

O'Connor was sued this month in a $5m libel lawsuit after she suggested comedian Arsenio Hall had provided drugs to the late pop singer Prince.

Prince, who died on 21 April, wrote O'Connor's 1990 hit ballad Nothing Compares 2 U.

Paradigm Talent Agency, which represents O'Connor, did not immediately comment on Monday's reports.