Eurovision band Ziferblat of Ukraine sings their national anthem with Ukrainian people during a family meeting in a park in Basel as part of the 69th Eurovision Song Contest week, in Basel, Switzerland, Thursday, May 15, 2025. Credit: AP/Martin Meissner BASEL, Switzerland — Ukraine’s musicians can’t escape war, even at the Eurovision Song Contest.

Israel’s Yuval Raphael ‘booed’ as UK’s Remember Monday deliver ‘perfect’ performance - Austria, France, and Australia also performed at the evening’s event

The post Dueling pro, anti-Israel protests held in Basel, Switzerland ahead of Eurovision semifinal appeared first on The Times of Israel.

Finnish politicians have long used saunas, relaxed but exposing, as an ideal setting for hard talks, a practice known as “sauna diplomacy.” KAJ wear drab suits onstage in tribute to Urho Kekkonen, a long-serving Finnish president who famously deployed the technique in talks with Finland’s overbearing neighbor the Soviet Union.

BASEL, Switzerland — Most contestants at the Eurovision Song Contest are seeking as much publicity as possible. Israel’s Yuval Raphael is keeping a low profile.

It's the event that many music fans look forward to every single year and the Eurovision Song Contest is back this week with a whole host countries aiming for glory in Switzerland, including the 16 who are performing in Thursday's second semi final.

Israel has competed in Eurovision for more than 50 years, and won four times. But last year’s event in the Swedish city of Malmo drew large demonstrations calling for Israel to be kicked out of the contest over its conduct of its war against Hamas in Gaza.

Eurovision winner Nemo on ‘insanity of having glittery party’ amid world events - The Swiss non-binary singer, 25, triumphed in Malmo, Sweden, and will return to the Eurovision stage in Switzerland.