Results tagged “nelsonmandela”

Fresh off Bastille Day celebrations back home, France's first couple was in the Big Apple this weekend for a relatively social engagement. After a quick discussion of some global issues at the UN, French President Nicholas Sarkozy took some time to jog around the Central Park Reservoir. The Daily News says that Sarkozy "wore skimpy shorts" showing off the "chiseled stems" he needs in order to "keep up with his supermodel wife, Carla Bruni." The trip had been prompted by Bruni's performance at Radio City Music Hall last night's tribute concert to Nelson Mandela on the South African leader's 91st birthday. The French first lady took the stage in her American debut alongside Eurythmic Dave Stewart. Before her first ballad, Bruni told the crowd, "This one's not good for dancing. But it's good for dreaming." The concert also featured pop stars such as Josh Groban, Jesse McCartney and Li'l Kim, who said of the anti-apartheid icon, "He was very instrumental in my experience in prison."

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."

Next week the Dalai Lama will visit Washington to receive the Congressional Gold Medal (formerly received by Mother Teresa and Nelson Mandela) from President Bush. In the past he has visited the White House as a religious leader, now (at least in the eyes of Chinese President Hu Jintao) he may be recognized more as a political leader. Before heading to DC, however, he will be at Radio City for three days of teachings, which began today -- more details can be found at his New York site. He will end his visit with a public talk on Sunday, more details for that are here.

Happy first weekend of September - and happy Labor Day weekend, too, for our American cities! Let's take a look at what's been happening around the Ist-a-verse.

We don't know about where you are, but it seems like spring can't decide whether or not to happen. Some days are warm, some days are cold, and sometimes you aren't sure which. Baseball may have started up (and soccer/football winding down) but it still seems cold out there. Unless it's not. Anyways, onto the -ists.

Darrell Shines, Producer of Anything

Time releases its Time 100 list of influential people for 2005, and it's pretty much the snore it was last year. Much like other magazines whose "most influential list" reads more like a "Who's popular?" or "Who's pretty?" list from high school, Time focuses on names that people have heard of. Sure, some of the people truly make a difference, like Jeffrey Sachs or Javier Solana, but Jamie Foxx and Clint Eastwood? Boring. And the Dalai Lama and Nelson Mandela, they're on the list this year, but aren't they influential for an era, not just a year? What also is hilariously lame is that Time insists on its subscriber-only policy to access this content. News flash: No one really wants to read it unless they're in the dentist's office. Which reminds Gothamist, it's time for a cleaning.

The executive committee of FIFA announced this weekend that South Africa has been rewarded with the honor of hosting the 2010 World Cup, setting off celebrations all around the country. This is a bit of retribution for the now Democratic African nation. It had been favored to secure the 2006 World Cup, but lost by one vote to Germany after a member of the FIFA executive committee, Charles Dempsey of New Zealand, controversially abstained from voting. However, this time South Africa prevailed, beating Morocco by a 14 votes to 10 margin. As part of a new plan to rotate the event among continents, FIFA decided only African nations could contend for this World Cup.