Regional politics at the forefront of voters’ minds
As Armenia heads toward parliamentary elections on 7 June, the country's relationship with Azerbaijan is emerging as one of the defining issues of the...
Slovenia’s national broadcaster RTV Slovenia has confirmed it will not air the Eurovision Song Contest 2026, joining a widening boycott over Israel’s participation.
RTV director Ksenija Horvat said the broadcaster would instead schedule programming focused on Palestine.
“We will not be broadcasting the Eurovision song contest,” she said, confirming a full blackout.
Horvat added that the channel would instead air “Voices of Palestine,” a collection of documentaries and feature films.
In total, five countries have now withdrawn from participation in the Eurovision Song Contest 2026: Ireland, Spain, Slovenia, the Netherlands and Iceland. Of these, Ireland, Spain and Slovenia have also confirmed they will not broadcast the contest, amounting to a full boycott, while the Netherlands and Iceland are still expected to air the event domestically despite not competing.
The boycott stems from criticism of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) for allowing Israel to compete amid the ongoing war in Gaza. The EBU has not publicly responded to the latest decisions by participating broadcasters.
Despite the withdrawals, the contest - marking Eurovision’s 70th anniversary - is set to proceed in Vienna from 12 to 16 May, with 35 countries expected to compete.
The Eurovision Song Contest, long promoted under the slogan “United by Music”, has increasingly struggled to avoid political controversy. Organisers have introduced new rules this year aimed at limiting external influence on voting and promotion.
Severe Tropical Storm Jangmi brought heavy rain, power cuts and transport disruption across Japan on Wednesday (3 June) as it tracked towards the greater Tokyo region.
Police officers were pelted with missiles during violent clashes at a protest near the Southampton, UK, home of convicted murderer Vickrum Digwa, as anger continued to grow over the handling of the fatal stabbing of 18-year-old Henry Nowak.
Thousands of people have taken to the streets in Albania in recent days to protest against a luxury tourism project linked to Jared Kushner, the son-in-law of U.S. President Donald Trump, and his wife Ivanka Trump.
An Iranian drone and missile attack struck Kuwait International Airport early Wednesday, injuring several people, damaging Terminal 1 and forcing flight diversions, Kuwaiti authorities said.
Armenia’s parliamentary election comes at a defining moment for the South Caucasus, a region reshaped by the Garabagh conflict and broader shifts in Russia-West relations. The outcome is increasingly seen as a signal of Armenia’s future foreign policy direction and the regional balance of power.
Charles Leclerc has signed a new contract to extend his stay with Ferrari, reinforcing his long-term commitment to Formula 1’s most iconic team ahead of his home race in Monaco.
Singer Sabrina Carpenter has been granted a temporary restraining order against a man accused of stalking her and attempting to force entry into her California home, according to court documents.
Global pop-star Taylor Swift has announced the release of a new original song for Disney and Pixar’s animated film "Toy Story 5", following days of online speculation among fans.
U.S. rapper Kanye West, now known as Ye, performed to a crowd of 118,000 people in Istanbul on Saturday night, marking his first concert in Europe in more than a decade, despite being barred from performing in several countries over past antisemitic remarks.
A centuries-old floral tradition is being prepared in the English village of Castleton, where the Garland King will lead a ceremonial procession through the Peak District wearing a large flower-covered structure weighing up to 40 kilograms.
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