It is day 443 of the war in Ukraine. Follow the latest war news in this live blog.
The Times: EBU rejects Zelensky’s message at Eurovision final
The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) has rejected a video message from Ukrainian President Zelensky at the final of the Eurovision Song Contest in Liverpool on Saturday. According to the British newspaper The Times, the organizer wants to prevent it from becoming a political event.
Zelensky allegedly asked for a video to solicit support during the war in Ukraine, but the EBU does not want it. “One of the pillars of the competition is his apolitical character. This principle prohibits the possibility of making political or similar statements during the competition. “Mr Zelensky’s request to address the audience at the Eurovision Song Contest, although made with laudable intentions, unfortunately cannot be granted as it would be against the rules of the event.”
Last year, shortly after the invasion of Ukraine, the EBU decided that Russia could not participate. At the time, the organizer said that Russia’s participation could “bring the competition into disrepute”. Several countries lobbied the EBU and said they would not come if Russia was also allowed to come.
Ukraine is actually expected to host the Eurovision Song Contest due to last year’s profits. Due to the war, the UK took over the organization.
US and China hold high-level talks in Austria
US security adviser Jake Sullivan and Wang Yi, China’s top diplomat, held talks in Austria on Wednesday and Thursday. This included the relationship between their countries, security issues, Taiwan and the war in Ukraine.
The two representatives agreed to keep lines of communication open, the White House said. With regard to the meeting in the Austrian capital Vienna, it should also be noted that substantial and constructive discussions took place. The White House isn’t sharing the details of exactly what was being discussed.
Chinese state media report that there has been talk of removing obstacles in the relationship between the two countries and stabilizing the relationship so that it does not deteriorate. A US government official reports that the talks lasted a total of eight hours. The meeting in Austria came after tensions rose between the countries.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken canceled a trip to Beijing in February after a Chinese balloon was shot down over the US. According to the Americans, the balloon was used for espionage. Blinken’s trip was aimed precisely at strengthening ties with China. The Beijing government had previously been furious with the United States over a visit by Nancy Pelosi to Taiwan. At that time, the top politician was Speaker of the US House of Representatives.
dhis live blog is based on reports from our correspondents and editors BNR, The Guardian, ANP, Al Jazeera, Reuters, Associated Press, CNN, BBC, CNBC and Agence France-Presse. BNR also uses online reports from news agencies Tass and RIA Novosti (Russia) and Belta (Belarus). Since the reporting of these agencies is not verifiable and cannot be qualified as independent, in these cases the source of the report is explicitly stated.
Source: BNR
Sharon Rock is an author and journalist who writes for 24 News Globe. She has a passion for learning about different cultures and understanding the complexities of the world. With a talent for explaining complex global issues in an accessible and engaging way, Sharon has become a respected voice in the field of world news journalism.
