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Thousands of pro-Palestine demonstrators protested in Malmo, Sweden on Thursday against Israel’s competing in this year’s Eurovision Song Contest.

Protesters waving green, white, black and red Palestinian flags packed the historic Stortorget square near Malmo’s 16th-century town hall before a planned march through the city for a rally in a park several miles from the Eurovision venue.

Police estimated that between 10,000 and 12,000 people took part. Among those in the crowd was Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg.

The march took place at the same time as Israel’s entrant – 20-year-old Eden Golan – was taking part in the final dress rehearsal for the second Eurovision semi-finals, in the Malmo arena.

During the march – which included families with young children, and people with dogs and bicycles – smoke canisters in the colours of the Palestinian flag were set off, with some protesters carrying signs displaying images of Gaza civilians who have been injured amid the Hamas-Israel conflict.

There was also a banner done in the style of Eurovision with the word “genocide” on it – an accusation vigorously denied by Israel amid the war with Hamas.

Security in Malmo is high, and extra police have been drafted in from neighbouring Denmark and Norway.

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During an earlier rehearsal on Tuesday, Golan was met with boos and cries of “Free Palestine,” and an audience member appeared to have a Palestinian flag removed from them in the auditorium.

The EBU has said only flags that represent countries taking part, and the rainbow flag, can be brought to the event.

They have said they will remove any other “flags, symbols, clothing, items and banners being used for the likely purpose of instrumentalising the TV shows”.

Israel's Eden Golan with Hurricane for Israel. Pic: Sarah Louise Bennett/EBU
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Israel’s Eden Golan with Hurricane for Israel. Pic: Sarah Louise Bennett/EBU

The 20-year-old singer performed her song Hurricane while flanked by five backing dancers and centred around a large wheel-like prop in the centre of the stage.

Earlier lyric changes

The song has been tweaked three times, after an initial version titled October Rain was ruled too political by the EBU who believed some lyrics referred to the 7 October Hamas attacks on Israel.

Some still believe that some lyrics in the current song – including “Dancin’ in the storm… I’m still broken from this hurricane,” still refer to attacks which killed over 1,000 people and resulted in hundreds of hostages being taken.

In the run-up to the competition – which is the world’s largest live music event – there have been calls for Israel to be banned over their ongoing ground offensive in Gaza.

However, the EBU – which says it is an apolitical organisation – has ruled that Israel can take part as they say it has not broken any broadcasting rules.

The EBU has also condemned harassment and abuse of artists competing in the show and said they form no part of the decision-making process. As it stands no performer has withdrawn from the contest.

Israel's Eden Golan with Hurricane for Israel. Pic: Sarah Louise Bennett/EBU
Image:
Pic: Sarah Louise Bennett/EBU

More than 34,000 people have been killed, and over 77,000 have been injured in Gaza since the conflict began, according to Gaza’s Hamas-led health ministry.

The second-semi finals

The run-through came ahead of the second semi-final this evening, which will choose the final 10 acts to go into the Grand Final.

Other acts taking part in the semi-final tonight include Norway’s Gate, San Marino’s band Megara, Switzerland’s Nemo and Danish entrant Saba, – all of whom called for a ceasefire in Gaza and the “safe return” of Israeli hostages in a joint statement in March.

The UK’s act, Olly Alexander, and Ireland’s Bambie Thug were also part of the joint statement. Both performed in the first semi-final on Tuesday and will be performing in the final.

The artists rejected calls from Palestinian groups to boycott the music contest, saying they “firmly believe in the unifying power of music”.

Golan, who has been performing since she was nine years old, left Israel when she was six to live in Russia with her family, but returned when she was 18.

She told ITV News she could not have asked “for a better year to be representing my country” earlier this week.

The Grand Final will see 26 countries battle it out on Saturday night.

Sky News will be in Malmo with updates, a live blog, and all the biggest news from the contest as it happens.

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Sly Stone, pioneer of early funk music, dies after ‘prolonged’ battle with illness

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Sly Stone, pioneer of early funk music, dies after 'prolonged' battle with illness

Sly Stone, one of the pioneers of funk music, has died aged 82, his family have said.

As front man for his band Sly And The Family Stone, the musician fused soul, rock, psychedelia and gospel to take the sound that defined an era in the 1970s into new territory, second only to James Brown as the early founders of funk.

Several of the band’s seminal tracks became known to a wider audience when they were subsequently sampled by hip hop artists.

“Everyday People” was sampled by Arrested Development, while “Sing A Simple Song” was sampled by Public Enemy, De La Soul and Dr Dre and Snoop Dogg.

Stone’s family has said in a statement he died after a battle with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and other health issues.

A statement issued by his publicist on behalf of Stone’s family said: “It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of our beloved dad, Sly Stone of Sly And The Family Stone.

“After a prolonged battle with COPD and other underlying health issues, Sly passed away peacefully, surrounded by his three children, his closest friend, and his extended family.

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“While we mourn his absence, we take solace in knowing that his extraordinary musical legacy will continue to resonate and inspire for generations to come.

“Sly was a monumental figure, a groundbreaking innovator, and a true pioneer who redefined the landscape of pop, funk, and rock music. His iconic songs have left an indelible mark on the world, and his influence remains undeniable.

“In a testament to his enduring creative spirit, Sly recently completed the screenplay for his life story, a project we are eager to share with the world in due course, which follows a memoir published in 2024.

“We extend our deepest gratitude for the outpouring of love and prayers during this difficult time. We wish peace and harmony to all who were touched by Sly’s life and his iconic music.

“Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your unwavering support.”

Stone, born Sylvester Stewart in Texas, and his group were regulars on the US music charts in the late 1960s and 1970s, with hits such as “Dance to the Music,” “I Want to Take You Higher,” “Family Affair,” “If You Want Me to Stay,” and “Hot Fun in the Summertime”.

He played a leading role in introducing funk, an Afrocentric style of music driven by grooves and syncopated rhythms, to a broader audience.

James Brown had forged the elements of funk before Stone founded his band in 1966, but Stone’s brand of funk drew new listeners.

It was celebratory, eclectic, psychedelic and rooted in the counterculture of the late 1960s.

However, Stone later fell on hard times and became addicted to cocaine, never staging a successful comeback.

His music became less joyous in the 1970s, reflecting the polarisation of the country after opposition to the Vietnam War and racial tensions triggered unrest on college campuses and in African-American neighbourhoods in big US cities.

In 1971, Sly and the Family Stone released “There’s a Riot Goin’ On,” which became the band’s only Number 1 album.

Critics said the album’s bleak tone and slurred vocals denoted the increasing hold of cocaine on Stone.

But some called the record a masterpiece, a eulogy to the 1960s.

In the early 1970s, Stone became erratic and missed shows. Some members left the band.

But the singer was still a big enough star in 1974 to attract a crowd of 21,000 for his wedding to actress and model Kathy Silva at Madison Square Garden in New York.

Ms Silva filed for divorce less than a year later.

Sly and the Family Stone’s album releases in the late 1970s and early 1980s flopped, as Stone racked up drug possession arrests.

The band was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1993 and Stone was celebrated in an all-star tribute at the Grammy Awards in 2006.

He sauntered on stage with a blond mohawk haircut but bewildered the audience by leaving mid-song.

In 2011, after launching what would become a years-long legal battle to claim royalties he said were stolen, Stone was arrested for cocaine possession.

That year, media reported Stone was living in a recreational vehicle parked on a street in South Los Angeles.

Stone had a son, Sylvester, with Ms Silva.

He had two daughters, Novena Carmel, and Sylvette “Phunne” Stone, whose mother was bandmate Cynthia Robinson.

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Judge dismisses Justin Baldoni’s defamation claim against former co-star Blake Lively

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Judge dismisses Justin Baldoni's defamation claim against former co-star Blake Lively

A judge in the US has dismissed actor Justin Baldoni’s $400m (£295m) defamation lawsuit against his It Ends With Us co-star Blake Lively.

Baldoni filed the countersuit against the 37-year-old in response to her launching legal action in December, accusing him of sexual harassment against her while filming the 2024 movie.

The 41-year-old and production company Wayfarer Studios countersued in January for $400m, accusing Lively and her husband, “Deadpool” actor Ryan Reynolds, their publicist, the New York Times, and others of orchestrating a smear campaign to extort him.

He accused Lively of trying to “hijack” the movie and then blaming him when her “disastrous” promotional approach prompted an online backlash against her.

“It Ends With Us” garnered mixed reviews, but grossed more than $351m (£259m) worldwide, according to reports.

In a statement, lawyers representing Lively said: “Today’s opinion is a total victory and a complete vindication for Blake Lively, along with those that Justin Baldoni and the Wayfarer Parties dragged into their retaliatory lawsuit, including Ryan Reynolds, Leslie Sloane and The New York Times.

“As we have said from day one, this ‘$400 million’ lawsuit was a sham, and the court saw right through it.

“We look forward to the next round, which is seeking attorneys’ fees, treble damages and punitive damages against Baldoni, Sarowitz, Nathan, and the other Wayfarer Parties who perpetrated this abusive litigation.”

Sky News has approached Baldoni’s representatives for comment.

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US District Court Judge Lewis Liman has ruled that Baldoni can’t sue Lively for defamation over claims she made in her lawsuit, because allegations made in a lawsuit are exempt from libel claims.

The judge also dismissed Baldoni’s defamation lawsuit against The New York Times, which had reported on Lively’s sexual harassment allegations.

Read more:
Lively and Baldoni’s lawyers told to stop discussing cases
Amber Heard reacts to Lively’s complaint about Baldoni

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From December: Why is Blake Lively suing Justin Baldoni?

Mr Liman also ruled that Baldoni’s claims that Lively stole creative control of the film didn’t count as extortion under California law.

Baldoni’s legal team can revise the lawsuit if they want to pursue different claims related to whether Lively breached a contract, the judge said.

“It Ends With Us,” an adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s bestselling 2016 novel that begins as a romance but takes a dark turn into domestic violence, was released in August last, exceeding box office expectations with a $50m (£37m) debut.

But the movie’s release was shrouded by speculation over discord between Lively and Baldoni.

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Author of The Day Of The Jackal Frederick Forsyth has died

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Author of The Day Of The Jackal Frederick Forsyth has died

Frederick Forsyth, the author of The Day Of The Jackal, has died at the age of 86 after a brief illness, his literary agents Curtis Brown said.

His book The Day Of The Jackal was turned into a 1973 film and last year a TV series on Sky Atlantic featuring Eddie Redmayne and Lashana Lynch.

The best-selling author was surrounded by his family when he died on Monday morning, Curtis Brown added.

Read more: Eddie Redmayne says preparing for role in film almost ended in disaster

Frederick Forsyth. Pic: PA
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The author in 1984. Pic: PA

Forsyth, a former RAF pilot and investigative journalist turned novelist, was also known for his thrilling crime books The Fox, The Kill List and The Afghan.

He was born in Ashford, Kent, in 1938 and joined the Royal Air Force in 1956 before leaving after two years to pursue a career in journalism.

He covered international stories and the attempted assassination of French general Charles de Gaulle, which provided the inspiration for The Day Of The Jackal, which was published in 1971.

In 2000 he became the first high-profile British writer to agree to publish a book exclusively on the internet.

He revealed he had extensive involvement with MI6 in his 2015 memoir The Outsider: My Life In Intrigue.

His agent Jonathan Lloyd said: “We mourn the passing of one of the world’s greatest thriller writers.

“Only a few weeks ago I sat with him as we watched a new and moving documentary of his life – In My Own Words, to be released later this year on BBC1 – and was reminded of an extraordinary life, well lived.

“After serving as one of the youngest ever RAF pilots, he turned to journalism, using his gift for languages in German, French and Russian to become a foreign correspondent in Biafra.

“Appalled at what he saw and using his experience during a stint as a secret service agent, he wrote his first and perhaps most famous novel, The Day Of The Jackal, and instantly became a global best-selling author.

“He went on to write more than 25 books (many of which were made into films) that have sold over 75 million copies.

“He will be greatly missed by his family, his friends, all of us at Curtis Brown and of course his millions of fans around the world – though his books will of course live on forever.”

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