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Eurovision Song Contest Changes Rules After Israel Controversy

Pro-Palestinian protestors hold a flag and a banner outside the RTE (Radio Telefis Eireann) Irish public service broadcaster television studios as demonstrators call for an Irish boycott of the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest if there is Israeli participation, in Dublin, Ireland, November 1, 2025. (Reuters)
Pro-Palestinian protestors hold a flag and a banner outside the RTE (Radio Telefis Eireann) Irish public service broadcaster television studios as demonstrators call for an Irish boycott of the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest if there is Israeli participation, in Dublin, Ireland, November 1, 2025. (Reuters)
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Eurovision Song Contest Changes Rules After Israel Controversy

Pro-Palestinian protestors hold a flag and a banner outside the RTE (Radio Telefis Eireann) Irish public service broadcaster television studios as demonstrators call for an Irish boycott of the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest if there is Israeli participation, in Dublin, Ireland, November 1, 2025. (Reuters)
Pro-Palestinian protestors hold a flag and a banner outside the RTE (Radio Telefis Eireann) Irish public service broadcaster television studios as demonstrators call for an Irish boycott of the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest if there is Israeli participation, in Dublin, Ireland, November 1, 2025. (Reuters)

Organizers of the Eurovision Song Contest announced on Friday changes to voting rules to avoid state interference after controversy over Israel's entry this year.

The new rules by the European Broadcasting Union discourage governments and third parties from "disproportionately promoting" songs to sway voters - and say they could otherwise face sanctions.

At this year's edition, Israel's Yuval Raphael, a survivor of the October 7, 2023, attack by Palestinian group Hamas, came second overall. However, some on social media raised concern about the transparency of the voting system, which was echoed by the winner, Austrian entry JJ.

Critics said state promotion unfairly boosted Israel's entry and that individuals' multiple voting for the same contestant went against the spirit of the competition, which has been running since 1956.

Israel has not commented on those accusations, but often alleges a global smear campaign against it since the Gaza war began after the Hamas attack. The Israeli permanent mission in Geneva did not respond to a Reuters request for comment.

Eurovision director Martin Green said the organization was taking steps to ensure the competition remains a celebration of music and unity. "The Contest should remain a neutral space and must not be instrumentalized," he said in a statement.

Under the new rules, an expanded professional jury will be reintroduced at the semi-final stage and will have about 50% of the vote. The other half will remain a public vote.

ISRAEL SAYS IT WILL NOT QUIT COMPETITION

Audience members will now have a maximum of 10 rather than 20 votes to cast. "Fans will be actively encouraged to share their support across multiple entries,” the EBU stated.

Ahead of next May's 70th edition in Austria, EBU members will meet in December to discuss Israeli participation.

Five countries - the Netherlands, Slovenia, Iceland, Ireland and Spain - want Israel excluded over the number of Palestinian civilians killed during Israel's offensive in Gaza.

Israel denies targeting civilians in Gaza and says it is being unfairly demonized abroad.

According to the Euronews outlet, a dozen European members of parliament called for the release of voting data from this year's Eurovision contest citing fears of manipulation, after various national broadcasters had expressed the same worry.

Irish broadcaster RTE confirmed at the time that it had requested a breakdown of Eurovision voting numbers.

Posts and photos from the Israel X account run by Israel's foreign ministry and dated May 15 - the day that Israel competed in this year's Eurovision semi-final - encouraged people to vote for Raphael, adding that "you can vote up to 20 times."

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Entertainment

Movie Review: Caleb Landry Jones Is a Lovesick Vampire with a Fabulous Wig in Besson’s ‘Dracula’

Caleb Landry Jones attends a premiere for the film Dracula in Los Angeles, California, US, February 3, 2026. (Reuters)
Caleb Landry Jones attends a premiere for the film Dracula in Los Angeles, California, US, February 3, 2026. (Reuters)
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Movie Review: Caleb Landry Jones Is a Lovesick Vampire with a Fabulous Wig in Besson’s ‘Dracula’

Caleb Landry Jones attends a premiere for the film Dracula in Los Angeles, California, US, February 3, 2026. (Reuters)
Caleb Landry Jones attends a premiere for the film Dracula in Los Angeles, California, US, February 3, 2026. (Reuters)

“I haven’t eaten in centuries,” says the stooped, wrinkled man knocking at a convent door, seeking food and shelter.

LOL! It’s a funny line, given that this is a disguised Count Dracula — who indeed has not eaten in centuries, unless you count human blood. And it’s especially funny given that “Dracula” is not now, nor has ever been, a comedy.

But the humor’s a nice touch, as are the splashes of color, the lovely 19th-century gowns, the rendering of Parisian salons and vivid street celebrations that are part of Luc Besson’s reimagining of the oft-told tale (more like the told-all-the-time tale), starring Caleb Landry Jones. And yes, the story of Dracula is not usually set in Paris. There’s a lot that’s familiar in this version, but enough variety, panache and bravado to raise it up a notch and give it, well, a raison d’être.

Writer-director Besson’s calling card is romance. Unlike Robert Eggers’ 2024 “Nosferatu,” which was beautiful but bleak to look at and featured an ugly, fearsome vampire, Besson imbues his main character with a swashbuckling sexiness that suits his star's craggy appeal.

We begin back in the year 1480, in a remote castle, where a handsome prince — Vlad’s his name, for now — is with beautiful bride Elisabeta (Zoë Bleu). They are interrupted suddenly by Vlad’s men: War is at hand, and it’s time to fight.

Vlad’s main concern is his wife. He asks the Orthodox priest to protect the life of Elisabeta. Alas, escaping through the forest in the snow, Elisabeta is killed in an ambush. A grief-stricken Vlad returns to kill the priest and is thus cursed with immortal life. A life he will spend trying to find his wife, reincarnated.

Four hundred years later, Vlad, now Count Dracula, resides — shriveled but stylish, with an incredible flowing, white wig that looks like something Elvis might have worn if he were a 400-year-old vampire — in the Carpathian Mountains. But the action shifts to Paris, mainly just because Besson loves Paris, where citizens are joyously celebrating the centenary of the French Revolution.

Paris is also where we meet a prominent vampire-hunter from Bavaria — and unnamed priest — played by Christoph Waltz, who you might imagine is perfect for this role. Like Javert hunting Valjean in “Les Miserables,” this priest is determined to find his prey, wherever that takes him.

And Dracula's on his own mission. In his gloomy castle, where he lives with a gaggle of CGI gargoyles, he prepares to kill a young solicitor (Ewens Abid) who came to see him about his property, hanging him upside down until the blood pools in his head.

But then he sees a picture of the frightened young man’s intended, Mina, and becomes obsessed with finding her, certain she's his reincarnated bride. He spares the man’s life and heads to Paris.

The scenes in the French capital are full of welcome color and life — everything from receptions in salons or at Versailles to a street carnival to a mermaid swimming in an aquarium — all chances to display sumptuous costumes by Corinne Bruand.

When, aided by one of his vampire followers, Maria (Matilda De Angelis), Dracula finds Mina — also played by Bleu (the real-life daughter of Rosanna Arquette) — he immediately knows she’s his eternal love. Now, all he needs to do is win her heart, and get back to Transylvania to escape the vampire hunters. Luckily for him, he’s looking good — those nuns at the convent gave him all the fresh blood he needed to look young and handsome again.

There are plenty of Bessonian flourishes along the way — those gargoyles sure are weird, and they don't remain gargoyles — but in the end, it’s too bad there weren’t even more, to further distinguish this “Dracula” telling from many before it. In any case it all leads to a fairly satisfying confrontation between Dracula and the priest, saved until the very end, a la Pacino and De Niro in “Heat.”

Here, it’s fun to watch Jones and Waltz sink their teeth — well for Jones, his fangs — into a story that’s old as time, but can always use another fairly watchable remake.

Entertainment

‘Doctor Who’ Auction to Fire Up Global Interest

Propstore employees pose with a screen-matched TARDIS (C), a Bronze Asylum Dalek (R) and a Sardickton Clock (L), which were used in the filming of the "Doctor Who" TV series, during a photocall for the upcoming "Doctor Who" auction by Propstore auction house in Rickmansworth, Hertfordshire, Britain, 30 January 2026. (EPA)
Propstore employees pose with a screen-matched TARDIS (C), a Bronze Asylum Dalek (R) and a Sardickton Clock (L), which were used in the filming of the "Doctor Who" TV series, during a photocall for the upcoming "Doctor Who" auction by Propstore auction house in Rickmansworth, Hertfordshire, Britain, 30 January 2026. (EPA)
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‘Doctor Who’ Auction to Fire Up Global Interest

Propstore employees pose with a screen-matched TARDIS (C), a Bronze Asylum Dalek (R) and a Sardickton Clock (L), which were used in the filming of the "Doctor Who" TV series, during a photocall for the upcoming "Doctor Who" auction by Propstore auction house in Rickmansworth, Hertfordshire, Britain, 30 January 2026. (EPA)
Propstore employees pose with a screen-matched TARDIS (C), a Bronze Asylum Dalek (R) and a Sardickton Clock (L), which were used in the filming of the "Doctor Who" TV series, during a photocall for the upcoming "Doctor Who" auction by Propstore auction house in Rickmansworth, Hertfordshire, Britain, 30 January 2026. (EPA)

From a TARDIS to a Dalek, "Doctor Who" fans can bid from Tuesday to own a piece of television history as the BBC auctions off props from the cult sci-fi series.

The 17-day online auction features items from the modern era of the decades-spanning show, which first appeared on British TV in 1963 and relaunched in 2005 after a 16-year small-screen hiatus.

The longest-running science fiction series by episode numbers, according to the Guinness Book of World Records, it has drawn fans globally after airing in scores of countries over the years.

Memorabilia auctioneers Propstore, managing the sale, anticipate worldwide interest, boosted by Disney+ streaming episodes outside the UK and Ireland since 2023.

"It's gone absolutely global," Sian Taylor, a Propstore manager, told AFP of the current popularity of "Doctor Who" as the firm previewed some of the items going under the hammer online until February 19.

"There will be people buying from in Europe, North America, East Asia, Australia, everywhere across the world. It truly is a worldwide phenomenon."

Some buyers will need plenty of space, given several of the series's heftier staples are among the lots.

That includes a TARDIS, the nearly three-meter- high (ten-foot) police box that is a disguised fictional hybrid time machine and spacecraft used by the Time Lord.

Also up for grabs is a bulky Dalek -- one of the fictional extraterrestrial mutant enemies of the doctor, mounted on wheels, that have featured in numerous episodes.

"It's possibly one of the best pieces in the auction," noted Taylor.

- 'Doctor Who history' -

Sitting in a repurposed cattle stable in countryside northwest of London as they await their new owners, the more than 200 lots have all come from the BBC.

On a rainy morning, white-gloved Propstore assistants showed off some other highlights, including costumes, sonic screwdrivers and an anti-cyber gun used by character Clara Oswald (Jenna Coleman) in episode 12 of the seventh series.

Miranda McCabe, Propstore's director of marketing, noted that one of the sonic screwdrivers -- which she described as like an "alien Swiss Army knife" and one of the Doctor's key tools -- was a so-called hero version, used for close-up shots.

"That's why this one lights up and looks so nice ... which is super special," she said.

As part of its partnership with the BBC, Propstore staged a similar, smaller "Doctor Who" memorabilia sale last February which raised around £250,000 ($342,500) for the broadcaster's Children in Need annual fundraising drive.

The 2026 auction will again donate a fifth of the proceeds to the charity.

"Everything starts at £100, so in theory everything is accessible to pretty much everybody," Taylor explained.

"We will see where the prices end up but hopefully some people will be able to get a piece of 'Doctor Who' history to take home with them."

However, those hoping to snag the TARDIS or Dalek for that price are likely to be disappointed: similar versions sold last year for £12,600 and £2,520 respectively.

Entertainment

Netflix to Livestream BTS Comeback Concert in K-Pop Mega Event

Pedestrians walk along the stairs displayed with the BTS logo and release date of BTS' 2026 album at Gwanghwamun Square in Seoul on January 14, 2026. (AFP)
Pedestrians walk along the stairs displayed with the BTS logo and release date of BTS' 2026 album at Gwanghwamun Square in Seoul on January 14, 2026. (AFP)
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Netflix to Livestream BTS Comeback Concert in K-Pop Mega Event

Pedestrians walk along the stairs displayed with the BTS logo and release date of BTS' 2026 album at Gwanghwamun Square in Seoul on January 14, 2026. (AFP)
Pedestrians walk along the stairs displayed with the BTS logo and release date of BTS' 2026 album at Gwanghwamun Square in Seoul on January 14, 2026. (AFP)

Streaming giant Netflix said Tuesday it will livestream BTS's comeback concert to around 190 countries in what could be the largest live K-pop event to date as the megastars return from military service.

The global stars and South Korea's biggest music act have been on a hiatus since 2022 while members completed mandatory military service.

All seven members were discharged last year, and the band have confirmed they will release a new album, ARIRANG, on March 20 and stage a free comeback concert in central Seoul's Gwanghwamun Square the following day before heading on tour.

"BTS THE COMEBACK LIVE | ARIRANG will stream live exclusively on Netflix March 21," the streaming giant said.

It said the performance would be broadcast live to viewers in more than 190 countries.

Their new album, ARIRANG, named after a Korean folk song about longing and separation often seen as an unofficial national anthem, will be their first since the anthology "Proof", which became South Korea's bestselling record of 2022.

The new album "contains a deep reflection on the team's origins and identity", Netflix said, adding a new documentary featuring the band's return, titled "BTS: THE RETURN" will be launched on March 27.

Their world tour, kicking off in April, will span 34 cities with 79 shows -- the largest single tour by a K-pop group by total performances and the widest regional reach for a South Korean artist, according to their label HYBE.

BTS are big business in South Korea. Before their military service, they generated more than 5.5 trillion won ($3.8 billion) for the country a year, according to Seoul's Korea Culture and Tourism Institute.

The figure is equivalent to 0.2 percent of South Korea's total GDP.

HYBE shares were up 2.5 percent in the morning trade in Seoul.