:: Eurovision 24 :: Oslo 2010

The Eurovision Song Contest rules are being changed from next year with a specific banning for living animals on stage. This is the European Broadcasting Union answer to all those acts intending to take part in the national finals together with their "pets". The Eurovision Song Contest is more than a mere musical competition: year by year, the Eurovision stage implements more and more elements in order to offer a complete and innovative show. To date, no-one has attempted to bring live animals on stage as part of their performance.

Yes, its true, according to reports in the Sunday Independent Newspaper in Ireland this morning, a local Sinn Fein TD, is now campaigning to have Palestine allowed into the Eurovision Song Contest. As if Ireland wasn’t finding it difficult enough in the Eurovision Song Contest, music loving Aengus O’ Snodaigh wants to make it harder. O’ Snodaigh has even asked the minister for foreign affairs parliamentary questions on what steps he is taking to help the Palestinians to join the contest. Is Palestine even an Active Member of the Eurovision Broadcasting Union? The Irish Minister for Foreign Affairs said “I have no objection on foreign policy grounds to Palestinian participation in any international event” He continued saying “But as Minister for Foreign Affairs, I have no role in relation to the Eurovision Song Contest”. [News Source: Sunday Independent Ireland]

Although earlier this month the Azerbaijan Public Television (iTV) proceeded with the national selection to decide the country's first representative in the 2008 Eurovision Song Contest it was not until Monday, the EBU made their final decision as to whether they would be allowed to take part at all, according to Azerbaijani media. Today, Ismayil Omarov, head director of iTV received the official letter which makes possible the participation of the country in the 2008 Eurovision Song Conest to be held in Belgrade.