UK officers criticised after dying teen handcuffed at stabbing scene
British police are facing a national backlash over their handling of the fatal stabbing of 18-year-old student Henry Nowak, who was handcuffed while d...
Azerbaijan’s Eurovision team are confident singer Jiva will secure a place in the contest’s final after performing in the second semi-final in Vienna on Thursday evening (14 May).
Turab Teymurov, Head of Media for Azerbaijan’s Eurovision delegation, told AnewZ’s Nadia Gyane that the 43-year-old winner of the third series of The Voice of Azerbaijan was perfecting her vocals ahead of her semi-final performance.
“The song that she's singing is so emotive, so passionate, so I'm sure she will wow the judges today and go straight through when we see her in the semifinal on Thursday,” he said.
“There have been a couple of rehearsals. Once again, the first one went pretty well. The second one included some improvements in terms of vocals, and we're just getting there.”
Jiva, also known by her given name Jamila Hashimova, will represent Azerbaijan with her emotional power ballad ‘Just Go’, performed in English and Azerbaijani, as she attempts to secure a place in this year’s final on Saturday in the Austrian capital, Vienna.
Azerbaijan has failed to qualify for the Eurovision Song Contest final for the past three years. However, the country previously won the contest in 2011, finished runner-up in 2013 and came third in 2009.
In Eurovision’s first semi-final on Tuesday, Estonia, Georgia, Montenegro, Portugal and San Marino were eliminated from the contest. Belgium, Croatia, Finland, Greece, Israel, Lithuania, Moldova, Poland, Serbia and Sweden progressed to the final.
Israel’s entry, Noam Bettan, was booed by a number of people in the crowd during his performance, with shouts of ‘Stop the genocide’ heard from some audience members in reference to Israel’s continued armed conflict in Gaza.
Ireland, Iceland, the Netherlands, Spain and Slovenia have all boycotted this year’s edition of the annual song contest over Israel’s inclusion in the event.
Despite the political tensions surrounding Eurovision this year, Teymurov said the focus in the host city of Vienna remained on the artists.
“The topic exists in the background, and it would not be honest to say that nobody's aware of it, but at the same time, the day-to-day atmosphere is very positive. It's focused on the music, the preparation, and delivering the best possible performance,” Teymurov said.
Okinawa lost transport links and suffered widespread power outages on Monday (1 June) as Severe Tropical Storm Jangmi brought destructive winds and heavy rain to Japan's south-western islands.
Competing narratives continue to shape perceptions of the war in Ukraine, with Russian leadership suggesting a possible end phase while Ukrainian officials warn of renewed large-scale attacks and ongoing escalation risks.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has held talks with Lebanese President and Israeli Prime Minister on efforts to ease tensions between Israel and Lebanon. According to a U.S. official, Washington has proposed a plan aimed at achieving a gradual de-escalation of hostilities.
When Armenians vote on 7 June, they will be voting in an election shaped by months of political change and a rapidly deepening relationship with the European Union. The result may not only determine who governs Armenia but also the future direction of the country's geopolitical alignment.
Unsealed records from the U.S. Department of Justice have renewed scrutiny of lawyer Robert Amsterdam after documents revealed communications between his law firm and Jeffrey Epstein's office. The disclosures have drawn attention because of Amsterdam's prominent role in Armenia.
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.
The trial of a 21-year-old accused of planning an Islamist attack at a Taylor Swift concert in Vienna entered its final day on Thursday (28 May), with a verdict expected later in the evening.
Thousands of visitors flocked to Hong Kong’s Cheung Chau island on Sunday for the annual Bun Festival, as crowds gathered to watch the famous “floating children” parade and prepare for the traditional midnight bun-scrambling competition.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment