The Irish rocker told a tech conference in Dublin last week he has a new appreciation for open markets thanks to his charitable work co-founding the One campaign, a movement to end disease and hunger in Africa.

[Bono] said it had been “a humbling thing for me” to realize the importance of capitalism and entrepreneurialism in philanthropy, particularly as someone who “got into this as a righteous anger activist with all the cliches.”

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Copyright 2012 U2 France / http://www.u2france.com/actu

Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg Meets Bono To Discuss International Development. Photo: Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images Europe.

By NIAMH HORAN

INFLUENTIAL rock star Bono believes that the people of Ireland — not Taoiseach Enda Kenny — should have featured on the cover of Time magazine.

“They are the ones who have taken all the pain,” he told the Sunday Independent last week.

The international weekly news magazine featured Mr Kenny on the cover of the European edition above the headline ‘The Celtic Comeback’.

“I heard the Taoiseach said — and I think it’s right — that the real people who should have been on the front cover were the Irish people. If it’s true he said that, then that says a lot about the man. Because it’s the people who have taken all the pain.”

The author of the article, Time Europe editor Catherine Mayer, is also a friend of Bono’s.

They met over 15 years ago through her husband, guitarist Andy Gill of post-punk band Gang of Four.

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Copyright 2012 U2 France / http://www.u2france.com/actu

Report by Sophie Foster

U2 were among the star names attending the first UK performance of the Cirque du Soleil Michael Jackson tribute show at London’s O2 Arena.

Michael Jackson: The Immortal World Tour, the only major tribute show approved by the late singer’s estate, will have a short run at the venue which was to have been the London home of Jackson’s doomed This is It tour.

Travis Payne, the choreographer for the production, said the star had been a huge Cirque du Soleil fan.

“I think in the aftermath of Michael’s passing, anything that I can do personally to celebrate him, the artist that he was and the genius he was and all the great work that he gave us over the decades, is just an honour,” he said.

Copyright 2012 U2 France / http://www.u2france.com/actu

ROCK ICONS U2 have co-funded a new Cork music programme that could create the stars of the future.

Music Generation Cork City, a new programme to bring music to youngsters who may never otherwise have had an opportunity to play instruments or learn musical skills, begins in nine city schools this month.

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Copyright 2012 U2 France / http://www.u2france.com/actu