CBS News
What is Eurovision? Everything to know about the European song contest
Scores of musicians, hundreds of journalists, and thousands of music fans have gathered in Malmo, Sweden, where the Eurovision Song Contest is building towards Saturday’s exuberant, glitter-drenched final.
But even Eurovision can’t escape the world’s divisions. Thousands of pro-Palestinian protesters are also expected in the city for demonstrations urging a cease-fire in the Israel-Hamas war and criticizing Israel’s participation in the contest.
Here’s a guide to what Eurovision means, how it works, and what to watch for.
What is Eurovision?
The short answer: Eurovision is a music competition, in which performers from countries across Europe, and a few beyond it, compete under their national flags to be crowned continental champion. Think of it as the Olympics of pop music.
The longer answer is that Eurovision is an extravaganza that melds pop, partying and politics — a cross between a music festival, an awards show, and a meeting of the United Nations Security Council. It’s an event full of silly fun, a celebration of music’s unifying power, but also a place where politics and regional rivalries play out.
IDA MARIE ODGAARD/Ritzau Scanpix/AFP via Getty Images
Thirty-seven countries are entered in the contest, which this year is taking place over several days in the Swedish port city of Malmo. The country is hosting after Swedish singer Loreen won last year’s competition in Liverpool, England.
Through two semifinals, the acts have been narrowed to the 25 scheduled to compete in Saturday’s final in front of thousands of spectators in the Malmo Arena and a global television audience estimated at 180 million.
Nations can enter a solo act or a band. They can perform in any genre and language, but the rules state they must sing live and songs must be no more than three minutes long. Staging has grown ever more elaborate, incorporating flashy pyrotechnics and elaborate choreography. This year is particularly strong on topless male dancers.
Once all the acts have performed, the winner is chosen by a famously complex mix of phone and online voters from around the world and rankings by music-industry juries in each of the Eurovision countries. As the results are announced, countries slide up and down the rankings and tensions build. Ending up with “nul points,” or zero, ranks as a national humiliation.
The musical style of Eurovision has diversified dramatically since the contest was founded in 1956. The early years of crooners and ballads gave way to perky pop – epitomized by perhaps the greatest Eurovision song of all time, ABBA’s “Waterloo,” which won the contest 50 years ago.
Nowadays, Euro-techno and power ballads remain popular, but viewers have also shown a taste for rock, folk-rap and eccentric, unclassifiable songs.
Who is expected to win Eurovision?
According to bookmakers, a leading contender is Swiss singer Nemo, who is performing a melodic, operatic song titled “The Code.” Nemo would be the first performer who identifies as nonbinary to win the contest, which has a huge LGBTQ+ following. The contest had its first transgender winner, Dana International, a quarter century ago.
Nemo’s song is performed while balancing on a giant, spinning turntable, but there are no magnets or stage trickery involved, according to the BBC. The singer told the British publication that they are just “balancing all the time” while hitting incredibly high notes.
Jens Büttner/picture alliance via Getty Images
Another nonbinary performer generating huge buzz is Ireland’s Bambie Thug, whose song “Doomsday Blue” was described by the BBC as a “witchy, spooky blend of electro-goth and grinding metal guitars.” They’re the only contestant known to have brought a “scream coach” to Malmo.
“Imagine Kate Bush’s evil twin singing an anti-lullaby and you’ll get the idea,” the BBC said.
Jens Büttner/picture alliance via Getty Images
Other acts tipped to do well include operatic Slovenian singer Raiven, Ukrainian rap-pop duo Alyona Alyona and Jerry Heil and Spain’s Nebulossa, whose song “Zorra” caused a stir because its title can be translated as an anti-female slur.
The act with the most momentum is Croatian singer Baby Lasagna. His song “Rim Tim Tagi Dim” is quintessential Eurovision: exuberant, silly, a little emotional and incredibly catchy. The act is already a huge fan favorite, especially since the singer stepped in as an emergency replacement when another singer pulled out during the contest’s selection process, according to the BBC.
Jens Büttner/picture alliance via Getty Images
What is controversial about Eurovision?
Eurovision’s motto is “united by music,” and its organizer, the European Broadcasting Union, strives to keep politics out of the contest. But it often intrudes.
Belarus was expelled from Eurovision in 2021 over its government’s clampdown on dissent, and Russia was kicked out in 2022 after its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
This year, there have been calls for Israel to be excluded because of its conduct in its war against Hamas.
Israel is competing but was told to change the title of its song, originally called “October Rain” in an apparent reference to Hamas’ Oct. 7 cross-border attack. It’s now called “Hurricane” and is performed by 20-year-old singer Eden Golan.
Jens Büttner/picture alliance via Getty Images
Thousands of pro-Palestinian demonstrators marched through Malmo hours before Golan performed at Thursday’s semifinal, and another demonstration is planned for Saturday. Swedish police have mounted a major security operation, with officers from across the country bolstered by reinforcements from Denmark and Norway.
One performer initially set to perform in Saturday’s finals has been expelled from the event. The Netherlands’ Joost Klein was among the acts set to perform on Saturday, but the Associated Press said earlier in the day that he was disqualified amid an investigation by organizers over an unspecified “incident.”
The BBC reported that Joost was sent home after “an allegation of intimidation was made to Swedish police by a female member of the production crew.” Dutch officials have called Klein’s disqualification “disproportionate” and said they were “shocked by the decision.”
JESSICA GOW/TT NEWS AGENCY/AFP via Getty Images
Klein cannot be replaced by another act since the disqualification came so late in the process, so Saturday’s finals will proceed with just 25 acts instead of the usual 26, according to the BBC.
Watch CBS News
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.
More than 40 monkeys escaped from a research facility in South Carolina on Wednesday, prompting warnings for nearby residents to secure their doors and windows. The fugitive monkeys had not been captured as of Friday morning.
Here is what we know so far:
Where exactly did the monkeys escape in South Carolina?
The primates broke loose from Alpha Genesis in Yemassee, Beaufort County in South Carolina.
The company confirmed 43 rhesus macaque primates escaped from an enclosure at one of the company’s facilities.
The Yemassee Police Department said on Thursday that traps with bait were set up and thermal imaging cameras were being used in an effort to capture the monkeys.
“Residents are strongly advised to keep doors and windows secured to prevent these animals from entering homes,” police said. “If you spot any of the escaped animals, please contact 911 immediately and refrain from approaching them.”
How did the monkeys escape the research facility?
Greg Westergaard, CEO of Alpha Genesis, told CBS News on Thursday that a caretaker inadvertently failed to secure a door at the enclosure, allowing the monkeys to roam free.
“It’s really like follow-the-leader. You see one go and the others go,” he said. “It was a group of 50 and 7 stayed behind and 43 bolted out the door.”
He told CBS News on Friday that while they have not captured any of the monkeys, they are staying close to the facility.
“They’re just being goofy monkeys jumping back and forth playing with each other,” he said. “It’s kind of like a playground situation here.”
Westergaard said the company has put out baited traps but the monkeys are not going inside them yet.
“They’re jumping down and taking the food and then jumping back up on the fence and the tree line,” he added. “They’re watching us the same way we’re watching them.”
He acknowledged that it would be a long process to get them back and that they didn’t want to chase the monkeys because that would spook them and make them run away.
“We’ve got them very close,” Westergaard said. “This is all like what we want to see.”
What kind of monkeys are they?
The monkeys that escaped are rhesus macaque primates, which have brown fur with red faces and ears. They have close-cropped hair on their heads, which accentuates their very expressive faces.
The rhesus macaques are Asian, Old World monkeys that are primarily found in Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Southeast Asia and China.
Md Rafayat Haque Khan/ Eyepix Group/Future Publishing via Getty Images
Rhesus macaques were imported to the U.S. in the 1970s for biomedical research in laboratories, according to the New England Primate Conservancy.
Rhesus macaques are “bold, extremely curious, and adventurous monkeys” and the species is “highly adaptable to coexisting alongside humans,” the conservancy says.
The rhesus macaque’s typical diet includes roots, fruit, seeds, and bark as well as insects and small animals.
What were they using the monkeys to test?
According to its website, Alpha Gensis breeds monkeys and provides “nonhuman primate products and bio-research services” across the globe. The company’s clinical trials reportedly include research on progressive brain disorders.
Local authorities said Thursday that the escaped primates were “very young females weighing approximately 6-7 lbs” and had never been used for testing due to their age.
Alpha Genesis says its staff of veterinary technicians and animal specialists work with cynomolgous, rhesus and capuchin monkeys.
The Post and Courier newspaper reported last year that Alpha Genesis won a federal contract to oversee a colony of 3,500 rhesus monkeys on South Carolina’s Morgan Island, known as “Monkey Island.”
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed in a statement that the monkeys were previously living on Morgan Island as “free-range monkeys” and were brought to the Alpha Genesis facility “for conditioning to be around people.”
The facility is registered with the CDC as a nonhuman primates importer, which means it “must meet standards for the importation, quarantine, and use of NHPs,” the agency said.
The CDC added that “the risk to the public is low as long as people do not approach or come in contact” with the monkeys.
How often do research monkeys escape?
This is not the first time primates have escaped from Alpha Genesis.
Eight years ago, 19 primates escaped from the company’s facility but were recaptured about six hours later.
CBS affiliate WCSC in Charleston at the time reported that local officials said the escapes were not infrequent but generally the monkeys return to the compound because they know that is where there is food.
“Every couple of years we’ll have one or two that get out. We have never had this many get out,” Westergaard told CBS News on Friday.
Last year in Pennsylvania, dozens of lab monkeys escaped after a truck carrying 100 of the animals crashed. All the primates were later accounted for.
Getty Images/iStockphoto
Receiving a call from a debt collector can be a stressful experience. After all, if your debt is in collections, you may be worried about the potential impact the delinquent debt can have on your finances, the possibility of legal action by the debt collector and how to handle the communication effectively. That’s a legitimate concern considering that the way you handle initial contact from a debt collector can significantly impact your financial future.
Your initial response to a debt collector’s contact can set the tone for the entire debt resolution process. Making the wrong moves — such as immediately acknowledging the debt or making promises to pay, for example — could complicate your situation or even restart the statute of limitations on old debts. On the other hand, understanding your rights when your credit card debt is in collections and taking appropriate action can help you maintain control of the situation and work toward a resolution that fits your circumstances.
Millions of Americans face similar situations with debt collectors every year and there are established protocols in place to help you navigate this challenge. So how exactly should you handle being contacted by a debt collector about old credit card debt?
Find out what your debt relief options are here.
What should I do when a credit card debt collector contacts me?
Here are a few moves you should make when you’re contacted by a debt collector about your credit card debt:
Stay calm and gather information
The first thing to do when a debt collector contacts you is to remain calm. Take a deep breath and prepare to gather as much information as possible during the call. In general, debt collectors are required by law to provide specific details about the debt, including the original creditor’s name, the amount owed and other relevant information, all of which you’ll need to determine a path forward.
During the call, you should also write down the debt collector’s name, the company they represent and their contact information. You also have the right to request a written validation notice, which will confirm the debt amount, the original creditor and your rights in the debt collection process. The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) mandates that debt collectors provide this notice to you within five days of the initial contact.
Learn more about how to tackle old credit card debt today.
Confirm the debt and verify its accuracy
After receiving the validation notice, take time to verify the debt’s accuracy. Mistakes can happen, and debts may be sold multiple times, leading to possible discrepancies, so review the information carefully to confirm that the debt is yours and that the amount is correct. If there’s an error, you have the right to dispute the debt in writing within 30 days of receiving the validation notice. The debt collector must cease collection efforts until the dispute is resolved or the debt is verified as accurate.
Understand your rights (and what to expect)
Debt collectors must adhere to strict guidelines under the FDCPA. They cannot harass, threaten or deceive you. Familiarize yourself with your rights to feel empowered in your interactions with the collector. For example, debt collectors cannot:
- Call before 8 a.m. or after 9 p.m.
- Contact you at work if you’ve told them not to
- Use threatening or abusive language
- Make false statements or misrepresent the debt
- Contact others about your debt except to locate you
Come up with a plan of action
Start determining a plan of action by assessing your financial situation, including your income, expenses and any other debts. This will help you determine how much you can realistically afford to pay each month. From there, you can weigh your options, like paying the debt in full, negotiating a reduced amount or exploring other debt relief options.
What debt relief options should I consider?
If you decide to try and use debt relief to get rid of the debt, here are the options you may want to consider:
- Debt consolidation: With debt consolidation, you combine multiple debts into a single loan, generally with a lower interest rate. This could result in a lower monthly payment and make it easier to keep track of your debt.
- Debt settlement: Another option is to negotiate with the debt collector to settle the debt for less than the full amount, which is known as debt forgiveness or debt settlement. Some people choose to work with debt relief companies that negotiate on their behalf, while others choose to negotiate directly.
- Credit counseling: Many credit counseling agencies offer debt management plans, agreements where the agency negotiates with your creditors to reduce interest rates and fees. This can be a useful option if you need structured assistance but don’t qualify for debt consolidation or settlement.
The bottom line
Facing a credit card debt collector can be intimidating, but with the right approach, you can turn it into an opportunity to regain control over your finances. Start by gathering information, verifying the debt and understanding your rights. From there, create a plan and explore debt relief options such as consolidation, negotiation or credit counseling to find a solution that aligns with your financial goals. Being proactive and informed can make the difference in managing your debt and building a stronger financial future.
