Mother Teresa may have died nearly 13 years ago, but her legacy lives on, even if the Empire State Building wouldn't shine its lights in blue and white for her last night. But hundreds of protesters still think the iconic building's owner, Anthony Malkin, was wrong to dismiss the request. The Catholic League's William Donohue, who raised a ruckus about this "slight" in June, said, "Why not Mother Teresa? If [she] doesn't make the cut, nobody [does]," and referring to the ESB's claim that religious figures aren't honored that way, "They've done it in the past for religious figures. They did it for the Salesian Sisters last year, they've done it for Pope John Paul II, they've done it for Cardinal O'Connor. That's a lie." more ›

Speaking before the City Council gave a green light to the 15 Penn Plaza skyscraper plan, City Councilman Peter Vallone Jr. told the NY Post, "I'm willing to vote based solely on the merits, but I just happen to be very happy that the merits are not on the side of the Empire State Building." Why is Vallone so anti-ESB? Well, he's still annoyed the Empire State Building wouldn't light up in honor of Mother Teresa tonight! more ›

Is Anthony Malkin wondering why his building has been plagued by bed bugs and skyline competition? According to the Daily News, the drama can be chalked up to the "Curse of the Mama." That's right, by refusing to light the top of the Empire State Building on Thursday in honor of Mother Teresa's 100th birthday, the building and its owner were punished with bed bugs and real estate developments. But Malkin isn't backing down; he now says the building will be lit up red, white and blue in honor of the anniversary of women's suffrage. Take that, nun ghosts! more ›

A few months ago the Catholic League got angry at the Empire State Building planners for not agreeing to light up blue and white to honor Mother Teresa's 100th birthday. City Councilman Peter Vallone proposed a bill to force the building to light up, Brooklyn Borough Hall and the Intrepid both agreed to light, and Christine Quinn called ESB owner Anthony Malkin a hypocrite. But now, some Catholics are saying Mother Teresa wouldn't want her birthday in lights anyway. more ›

The USS Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum will go where the Empire State Building fears to tread on August 26th, lighting up blue and white in honor of Mother Teresa's 100th birthday. The museum's executive director, Susan Marenoff, told the Post, "We'd be thrilled to represent what Mother Teresa has done in terms of public service. We are the essence of public service. We give back every day." However, she had no harsh words for Empire State Building owner Andrew Malkin, who says the building doesn't honor religious figures with its lights. "Every venue has the right to decide what is appropriate for them. I think it is appropriate and very relevant for us." more ›

Last week, City Council speaker Christine Quinn encouraged New Yorkers to place battery-operated candles in their windows on August 26th in honor of Mother Teresa's 100th birthday. Empire State Building owner Andrew Malkin, who rejected the Catholic's League request to light the ESB in honor of the late nun, called the plan "a great way for people to show their own feelings." Now, Quinn is calling Malkin a flip-flopper. more ›

The Empire State Building has refused the Catholic League's request for them to light up white and blue for Mother Teresa's 100th birthday on August 26th, and City Council member Peter Vallone Jr. has proposed a bill formally requesting the building honor the late nun. But in the meantime, Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz—never one to pass up a p.r. opportunity—has come to the saint's rescue. more ›

[UPDATE BELOW] The Empire State Building will honor nearly anything with its lights. Tonight they're going yellow for the Alliance for Young Artists & Writers. Tomorrow they're going blue, green and yellow for Caribbean Week. Last October, they lit up for the Grateful Dead. But the building has refused the Catholic League's request for them to light up white and blue for Mother Teresa's 100th birthday on August 26th. Now, City Council member Peter Vallone Jr. has formally proposed a bill requesting the building honor the late nun. more ›

The Catholic League is planning a protest at the Empire State Building, because the city's tallest skyscraper won't pay tribute to the late Mother Teresa! The group asked that the building lights be blue and white (the colors of her congregation) on the 100th anniversary of her birthday, August 26, but the building refused. more ›

The Dalai Lama has arrived in New York, speaking in his native Tibetan language for two hours yesterday to followers, fans and the faithful at the Javits Convention Center. Newsday reports:

He delivered his entire speech without notes, pausing to take a sip of tea only at the end as tears of joy flowed through the crowd. [He stated:] "The Tibetan cause is a cause of justice, and that's something that cannot fade away. That is the nature of truth _ that it cannot die with time and with the change of generations."

Yesterday's decision by a federal judge to sentence controversial lawyer Lynne Stewart to 28 months in prison for charges in helping terrorist Sheik Omar Abdel Rahman carry out his message was met by relief from Stewart supporters and overwhelming outcry from the government (which had hoped for a 30 year sentence) and many of the local papers. The Post, Daily News and the Sun all have editorials criticizing Judge Koetl's short sentence. From the Daily News:

Perhaps kindly Judge Koeltl was touched by the sight of Stewart, all her revolutionary bravado fled, blubbering that the end of her legal career "is like a sword in my side." Perhaps he was moved by the defense argument that Stewart, who is 67 and ailing, would die behind bars if a sentence of any reasonable length were imposed. more ›

- The Hilton was evacuated yesterday due to a more ›