Boycott over Israel takes some glitz off Eurovision final

AI Summary

The Eurovision Song Contest's final has been overshadowed by protests against Israel's participation, with several countries boycotting the event due to the ongoing war in Gaza. This year’s contest marks a significant anniversary but highlights the growing intersection of politics and popular culture.

A fiery Finnish violinist-singer duo and an acclaimed Australian star are the favourites to win Saturday's grand final of the Eurovision Song Contest, as protesters demonstrated in host city Vienna against Israel's participation. This year marks the 70th edition of the world's biggest televised music event, which despite the razzmatazz rarely escapes the politics in the background. Five countries, including Spain -- one of Eurovision's biggest financial contributors -- are staying away in protest over Israel's war in Gaza.