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Eurovision bosses of handing a “win” to “enemies of Europe” with the decision to ban EU flags at the 2024 final.News broke earlier this year that the song contest would be banning any flags being held up other than those of the countries competing in the competition. This included the show of Palestinian flags – amid the conflict in Gaza – and EU flags.Now, speaking with Politico’s Brussels Playbook after Saturday’s finale (May 11), Schinas has described the move as “mind-blowing”, and criticised it as being ill-timed given next month’s European election and amid thousands of Georgian protesters gathering in Tbilisi in support of the democratic values the EU represents.“I cannot find the logical explanation for why the EBU is doing this.

Neil Young’s ‘Rockin’ In The Free World’. Find footage of the moment below.The unexpected performance took place on Tuesday night (May 14), following the Secretary Of State being in the city for a number of high-level meetings and pronouncements promising US military aid for Ukraine.Taking place at Barman Dictat – a well-known bar in central Kyiv – Blinken drew the night to an end by picking up a guitar and joining the Ukrainian band 19.99 on stage for a rendition of ‘Rockin’ In The Free World’.“Your soldiers, your citizens – particularly in the north-east, in Kharkiv – are suffering tremendously,” Blinken said before playing (as per The Guardian).

Channel 4, also showed that a similar disparity is present in the music and performing arts sector, with just 16 per cent coming from working class communities, as opposed to almost 65 per cent from middle or upper class backgrounds.A lack of diversity has also been reported in other categories, with data showing that 90 per cent of those working in the arts are white, and nearly 70 per cent of people in managerial positions are men, with only 1 per cent of those being Black.The study reveals that although such class-based patterns are not new, they actually show a decline in working class people making a living in the entertainment industry.A spokesperson for the UK government responded to the report, saying they are committed to “growing a creative sector with opportunities for all, creating new pathways into the industry through training and education.”Labour, meanwhile, announced last month that they would reform the school accountability framework in an effort to ensure that arts subjects are considered of comparable value to sciences and humanities.Keir Starmer, the party’s leader, vowed to place culture “at the core” of his government if he were to win the forthcoming general election.

Kayal and Company” on Friday, Trump compared LGBTQ+ protections to a “cuckoo’s nest.”“A lot of things don’t make sense, having to do with what they’re doing, from the border to all of the men playing in women’s sports. I mean, the world is like a cuckoo’s nest right now with what they do,” Trump declared.One of the hosts alleged President Joe Biden has engaged in “manipulation” of Title IX, the federal civil rights law that prohibits sex-based discrimination in schools that receive federal funding. She claimed parents now have to “pinch some pennies” to be able to afford private Christian schools for their children, to remove them from the enhancements that go into effect this summer.“Many schools are grappling with what they’re going to do,” she said, “because as of August 1, as you know, because of Biden’s manipulation of Title IX, these kids, the school boards, have no choice, they’re meeting right now they, many of them perplexed, and they don’t know what to do, Mr.

Eurovision final following days of protests in support of Gaza.Eden Golan, Israel’s entrant in the songwriting competition, qualified for the final following a public vote. Her win into the final came shortly after thousands of pro-Palestinian protesters gathered in the streets of Malmö, Sweden, where the contest is being held, to show their support for Gaza.The singer was booed during dress rehearsals and was booed again, this time with a mix of cheering as well, during the semi-finals on Thursday (May 9).

Eurovision entry has been booed by the audience during a dress rehearsal, but vowed to continue with the performance.The moment took place at the dress rehearsal for the second wave of semi-finals yesterday (May 8), with the live performance set to take place tonight.In footage captured of the performance, Israel contestant Eden Golan is seen performing her entry song ‘Hurricane’ on the stage in Sweden, while numerous members of the crowd start to boo.The backlash to the performance comes amid controversy about Israel being allowed to compete in the 2024 edition of the song contest in light of the ongoing conflict in Gaza, and the footage also shows an audience member shouting “Free Palestine”. Because of the inclusion, there have been a number of calls to boycott the competition from various countries.Over 1,000 Swedish artists, for instance, called for Israel to be banned this year, including Robyn, Fever Ray, and First Aid Kit.

Hamilton, oldest sister Angelica sings, “I’m a girl in which, my only job is to marry rich.” None of them would live long enough to experience the painstaking efforts assumed by their female successors for a woman’s right to vote.Fortunately, their descendants and current audiences are hearing a completely different song just a few blocks away in New York’s theater district, thanks largely to Shaina Taub.An Obie Award-winning singer/songwriter, Taub has written the book, a winning score, and lyrics for the completely original, historically based Suffs, which tracks the decades-long struggle for fair and equal treatment of women to be treated as equally as men. The show educates, inspires, and persuades — all while being incredibly entertaining.Taub also stars in the show as Alice Paul, an activist considered one of the major architects of the twentieth-century suffragist movement.

Olly Alexander reportedly broke down in tears during an interview when addressing the current controversies relating to Israel’s participation in this year’s Eurovision Song Contest.Alexander will represent the UK with his song ‘Dizzy’ at the grand final of the contest in Malmö, Sweden next Saturday (May 11). However, he has been subject to strong calls to boycott the competition over Israel being allowed to compete due to its ongoing war with Gaza, in the name of showing solidarity with Palestine.In a new interview with The Times, Alexander admitted he had been struggling after the interviewer noticed that he seemed out of sorts during his performance at a Eurovision pre-party in London.“Yes, I struggled that day,” he said. “I was holed up in a room trying not to have a breakdown.

Eurovision organisers have confirmed that they reserve the right to remove Palestinian flags and pro-Palestinian symbols during the contest in Malmö, Sweden next week.The contest’s communications head has said that ticket buyers will only be allowed to display the flags of competing countries – including Israel – and the Pride flag. In a message to the Associated Press, they also said that “clothes, items or posters that can be used as instruments to be shown on television screens” featuring pro-Palestinian symbols may also be banned.Pro-Palestinian demonstrations are expected to take place in protest of Israel’s controversial participation in the contest following the current tensions with Hamas that have been ongoing since October.

Dua Lipa has shared that she feels “very close to” the people who are suffering from war, injustices and inequality.Lipa was born in 1995 in London as the eldest of three children in a Kosovar-Albanian family. Three years prior to her birth, her father Dukagjin and her mother Anesa fled Kosovo and sought refuge in the UK due to the political instability in Kosovo at the time.Dukagjin – who sang and played guitar in a band called Oda – and Anesa – who studied law – settled in Camden Town where they raised the pop singer to speak Albanian at home and English at school.

The Guardian, a lecturer at Columbia Law School called Bassam Khawaja said that he was “horrified to see Columbia invite police onto our campus for the second time this month to arrest our students”.Since the arrests, both faculty and non-resident students have been prevented from entering campus, and the scenes at the university have sparked a new sense of anger among UK students – with a shared sense of solidarity leading to more protests being planned.Speaking with The Guardian, David Maguire – the vice-chancellor of the University of East Anglia (UEA) – explained how protests at UK universities have been generally peaceful, but could easily escalate into scenes similar to those in the US.Among those planning demonstrations are students, staff and alumni from the universities of Sheffield and Sheffield Hallam, who form a group called the Sheffield Campus Coalition for Palestine, and have already begun an encampment in solidarity with the people in Gaza.An encampment is also being held at the University of Warwick, which has been going on since last week, as well as one in Newcastle, which is said to include over 40 students.For the latter, organisers stated that students were left outraged after the university reportedly signed a partnership with Leonardo SpA – a defence and security company which they claim is responsible for the laser-targeting system used in the Israel Defense Forces’ F-35 fighter jets.Elsewhere, there was a May Day student walkout in Leeds in solidarity with Palestine, students in Bristol established an encampment in Royal Fort Gardens, and the University of York revealed that it “no longer holds investments in companies that primarily make or sell weapons and defence-related products or

Donald Trump is said to be looking for rappers to help him get more Black voters ahead of this year’s presidential election.Over the weekend, a news report by The Boston Herald suggested that Trump wants to put on a campaign fundraising event at Madison Square Garden in New York City. The 45th president wants rappers and athletes in attendance to encourage more Black and Latin voters to vote for him and the Republican party this November.

Shargh and Entekhab.State media reported that his sentence could be reduced by a pardoning committee if he appeals again.Salehi had spent time in prison last year and was briefly released, but according to witness testimonies, he was violently rearrested and sent him to prison in Isfahan. This happened after he revealed that he was tortured and placed in solitary confinement for 252 days following his arrest in October 2022, UN experts said in a statement published by the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR).Salehi isn’t the only artist to have been targeted for showing opposition to the government.

Game of Thrones actor Liam Cunningham has hit out at people in Hollywood who are comfortable “ignoring” the ongoing war in Gaza.The Irish actor, who played Davos Seaworth on the HBO show, and is also in the new Netflix sci-fi drama 3 Body Problem, was speaking ahead of a pro-Palestinian rally in Dublin on Wednesday (April 24).Speaking about the conversations he has had with other people in the filmmaking industry, he said: “What concerns me is that the people who do care and are not doing anything are, in my opinion, worse than the people who don’t care.”“That it sits well with them, they can ignore it.”He also issued a warning to those who are not speaking out: “The internet doesn’t forget,” he said. “When this comes around, when the ICJ [International Court of Justice] and ICC [International Criminal Court] hopefully do their work honourably, it is going to come out.”“And the people who didn’t talk – it is not going to be forgotten.

@Commonswomequ in their 'Misogyny in Music' report?Penny Mordaunt's answer – yes. pic.twitter.com/fhOEHwE5su— Kevin Brennan MP (@KevinBrennanMP) April 25, 2024Published in January, the report warned that women in the music industry face “endemic” misogyny and discrimination and said “urgent action” was required to tackle the issue.The document described the industry as a “boys’ club” where sexual harassment and abuse are common, and the non-reporting of such incidents is high.

TikTok.Yesterday (April 23), US Congress voted to pass the bill that will ban TikTok in the United States unless Chinese parent company ByteDance sells the platform’s US stakes. The vote came three days after it cleared the House of Representatives.Today (April 24), Biden signed the bill hours after Congress dealt the video-sharing platform’s Chinese ownership a historic rebuke following years of failed attempts to tackle the app’s alleged national security risks (per The Washington Post).Biden had previously indicated that he would approve of the legislation once it had hit his desk.

Kid Rock at two of the artist’s recent live shows – watch the footage below.The singer-songwriter played two nights at the Lamar Dixon Expo Center in Gonzales, Louisiana on April 5 and 6 as part of his current ‘Rock The Country’ tour with Jason Aldean.Ahead of the headline sets, former Fox News presenter Carlson delivered a speech during an unexpected support slot at the venue (via Loudwire).“You may be asking, what am I doing here?” said Carlson, who was standing behind a podium that displayed the message ‘United States Of ‘Merica – Kid Rock’. “And y’know? I don’t really know.”He went on to tell the crowd that he ended up participating in the show after inviting Rock to his house for dinner a few months prior. “And he said, ‘You should come and open for me on my summer tour’,” Carlson recalled of the pair’s conversation.“And I said, ‘I’m honoured, of course.

Arizona Supreme Court’s decision to reinstate a near-total abortion ban from 1864, the “American Idol” alum — who shares daughter River, 9, and son Remington, 8, with ex-husband Brandon Blackstock — surprised herself by getting emotional over previous complications. “I have been pregnant twice, hospitalized both times,” Clarkson, 41, told Clinton, 76.“I mean, literally, I asked God — this is a real thing — to just take me and my son, in the hospital the second time because I was like — it’s the worst thing,” Clarkson revealed as her eyes welled up with tears.“I didn’t know I’d get emotional, sorry,” the “Thankful” songstress admitted, looking off camera and seemingly giving her crew the “cut it out” hand gesture — which they appear to have agreed to as this portion of the conversation has been edited out of the clip posted to “The Kelly Clarkson Show” YouTube channel.

CNN), Minister of Culture Musa Dadayev said: “(I) have announced the final decision, agreed with the head of the Chechen Republic Ramzan Akhmatovich Kadyrov, that from now on all musical, vocal and choreographic works must correspond to a tempo of 80 to 116 beats per minute.”Dadayev added that the decision will ensure that Chechen musical and dance creations align with the “Chechen mentality and musical rhythm,” which aims to bring “the people and to the future of our children the cultural heritage of the Chechen people.”The tempo of 80 to 116 beats per minute is relatively slow, unlike the majority of today’s modern day pop music. This decision will rule out various western genres of music from being played in public.Western raven and techno music, which tends to have a higher BPM, will also be banned from being played publicly under the new rule.According to Sky News, the music ban was announced after a meeting between the republic’s ministry and local and regional artists.

Donald Trump for a series of merchandise sales that he has described as “cash grabs”.In a segment on his show Last Week Tonight With John Oliver on HBO, Oliver took aim at the former President for his sale of a range of items, including Bibles and mugshot t-shirts, in order to help with his list of legal bills.Oliver mentioned in particular a mini speaker which bears Trump’s likeness, and which he quipped “I assume is way too loud and never dies”, as well as a gold earbuds case.“You know how you can never tell which Airpods are yours and which are your friends’, because all the cases look the same?” he asked. “Well, if you get these, you lose all your friends instantly – problem solved.”Oliver outlined the legal battles that Trump is fighting, saying: “Between the E.

full report into the state of the sector for 2023, showing the “disaster” facing live music with venues closing at a rate of around two per week. Presented at Westminster, the MVT echoed their calls for a levy on tickets on gigs at arena size and above and for major labels and such to pay back into the grassroots scene, arguing that “the big companies are now going to have to answer for this”.The Featured Artists Coalition – a trade union body representing the needs of musicians and artists in the UK – then wrote to NME to argue that while the survival of venues is “essential”, any kind of ‘Premier League’ model to be adopted by the industry needs to take into account keeping creators in pocket and being able to exist, as well as ways to open up the world of music to different genres, backgrounds and audiences.“What good is it keeping venues open if artists can’t afford to perform in them?” asked FAC CEO David Martin.Now the debate has been taken to the UK government, after last Tuesday (March 26) saw the Culture Media & Sport Committee hold evidence sessions with figures from across the industry to see what can be done.“The first impact we need to realise is that is 125 communities that have lost access to live music on their doorstep,” Music Venue Trust CEO Mark Davyd told the hearing.

told Entertainment Weekly Monday. “But what I really see close up is that it’s almost impossible to actually get anything done. It’s just impossible.

Chumbawamba have told New Zealand Deputy Prime Minister to stop using their track ‘Tubthumping’ at rallies.Last weekend (March 17), New Zealand’s deputy prime minister Winston Peters –who leads the right-wing New Zealand First party which is part of the country’s coalition government – walked on stage to the British group’s 1997 hit song before giving his controversial “state of the nation” address.Per BBC, Peters reportedly discussed plans to remove gender and sexuality lessons from the school curriculum and said that NZ First and their supporters have a “real chance to take back our country”. He also used ‘Tubthumping’s song’s lyrics at the end of the address, telling the audience “we got knocked down, but we got up again.”“Chumbawamba wrote the song Tubthumping as a song of hope and positivity, so it seems entirely odd that the ‘I get knocked down…’ refrain is being used by New Zealand’s Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters as he barks his divisive, small-minded, bigoted policies during his recent speeches,” said the band’s former lead guitarist Boff Whalley in a statement sent to BBC News.He continued: “Chumbawamba would like to make it clear that we did not give permission for Peters to use the song and would ask him to stop using it to try to shore up his misguided political views.“Chumbawamba does not share any of Peters’ ideas on race relations and would like to remind him that the song was written for and about ordinary people and their resilience.

Editor’s Note: This in-depth interview with David Mixner, who passed away on Monday, March 11, 2024, at the age of 77, originally appeared in the issue of July 29, 2004. Photography by Todd Franson.“You want a soundbite?”David Mixner grins.“I’ll give you a soundbite. I’m a man who’s devoted forty years of his life — sometimes at great validation and sometimes at great pain — to the struggle for freedom and human rights.“You know, when I was a child growing up,” he continues, “we didn’t have television, but we got Life magazine.

Scowl and Gel have become the latest bands to pull out of SXSW over the event’s ties to the US Army amid the current Israel-Hamas conflict.The festival will take place in Austin, Texas from March 12-14 but has already seen numerous artists who have pledged their support to Palestine pull out because the US Army sponsors the event. Eliza McLamb, Okay Shalom and Squirrelflower have all dropped off the line-up, the latter of whom also pointed to the festival’s ties to the defense contractor RTX Corporation, which has supplied weapons to Israel.Now, two more bands have also announced that they are pulling out.

SXSW sharing: “A music festival should not include war profiteers”.American musician Squirrel Flower, real name Ella O’Connor Williams, is among those who have withdrawn. She was set to perform at a handful of official showcases at the formidable arts festival – which covers ground across the entertainment and technology industry in Austin, Texas on March 12 and 14.Williams will still perform at some unofficial showcases that have no ties to SXSW in Austin.

Sinéad O’Connor’s estate is demanding that former President Donald Trump stops playing the late singer’s music during his political rallies.“Throughout her life, it is well known that Sinéad O’Connor lived by a fierce moral code defined by honesty, kindness, fairness and decency towards her fellow human beings,” the late singer’s estate and Chrysalis Records said in a joint statement to the Associated Press. “It was with outrage therefore that we learned that Donald Trump has been using her iconic performance of ‘Nothing Compares 2 U’ at his political rallies.“It is no exaggeration to say that Sinéad would have been disgusted, hurt and insulted to have her work misrepresented in this way by someone whom she herself referred to as a ‘biblical devil,'” the statement continued.

Sinéad O’Connor‘s estate has called out Donald Trump for using her music during his political rallies.A joint statement was created between the Irish music legend’s estate and record label Chrysalis, demanding Trump to stop using her music immediately. The estate shared that O’Connor would have been “disgusted, hurt, and insulted” over the use of ‘Nothing Compares 2 U’ being used during the former US president’s rallies.“Throughout her life, it is well known that Sinéad O’Connor lived by a fierce moral code defined by honesty, kindness, fairness, and decency towards her fellow human beings,” read the statement (per The Guardian).“It was with outrage therefore that we learned that Donald Trump has been using her iconic performance of ‘Nothing Compares 2 U’ at his political rallies,” it continued.

Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson would be in her dream blunt rotation.The Democrat politician was speaking to the Pod Save America podcast on the subject of the legalisation of marijuana, a policy that the Massachusetts representative supports.Host Jon Favreau – the former Barack Obama speechwriter, rather than the Elf and Iron Man director – then took Warren by surprise by asking her who would be in her dream blunt rotation.“For those who aren’t familiar,” Favreau offered by way of explanation, “a dream blunt rotation is a group of people you’d hypothetically like to smoke week with, because they’d be a really fun time.”@ewarren chooses her dream blunt rotation and talks about legalizing marijuana.#PodSaveAmerica #CrookedMedia #ElizabethWarren #Marijuana pic.twitter.com/DGln5IEv9B— Pod Save America (@PodSaveAmerica) February 19, 2024“Oh OK, hypothetically,” replied Warren. “So, all I’m really telling you, this has nothing to do with weed.

Jon Stewart used his second episode back on The Daily Show to rip into Tucker Carlson’s trip to Russia to interview Vladimir Putin.The former Fox News anchor now has a show on his own network as well as X/Twitter, and last week he did a sit-down interview with the Russian president, the first Putin has given to a Western journalist since the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.Responding to the interview, Stewart savaged Carlson for failing to challenge some of Putin’s assertions, and for disingenuously arguing that Russian citizens have an advantage over Americans because groceries are cheaper, something that Carlson claimed made him feel “radicalised”.“You’re such a dick,” Stewart retorted.“It will radicalise you, unless you understand basic economics,” he continued. “See, $104 for groceries sounds like a great bargain, unless you realise that Russians earn less than $200 dollars a week.”“But that’s the kind of context that a – what did you call yourself earlier – a journalist would’ve provided.