Israel’s Eurovision broadcaster has received a formal warning, just days before the contest kicks off in Vienna, Austria.

Participating broadcaster KAN was found to have violated the competition’s voting rules on Friday evening, as several promotional videos appeared on social media sites such as X.

In the clips, Israeli representative Noam Bettan encouraged viewers to use all 10 of their votes on Israel when he performs in the first semi-final on May 12.

The 28-year-old singer, whose song is titled Michelle, recorded the promo message in the languages of Azerbaijani, Dutch, English, French, German, Greek, Italian, Maltese, Portuguese, Spanish, Swedish, and Ukrainian.

Now, Eurovision Song Contest Executive Director Martin Green has confirmed that KAN has been reprimanded.

In a statement shared with Metro, he said: ‘We were made aware that videos instructing viewers to vote 10 times for Israel had been published and distributed by the artist representing KAN.

‘Within 20 minutes, we had contacted the Israeli delegation and asked them to immediately stop all distribution of the videos and remove them from all platforms where they had been published. They did so.’

He added: ‘We will continue to closely monitor any promotional activity and take appropriate steps as necessary.’

In response, KAN reported that the campaign isn’t financed by any particular group, claiming that Eurovision fans are the ones choosing to support their entrant.

They insisted that they would always abide by the rules of the EBU (European Broadcasting Union).

Last November, the EBU implemented changes to the voting rules to ‘strengthen trust and transparency’.

In a major overhaul of the voting framework, the new measures followed extensive consultations after the 2025 contest in Basel, Switzerland.

In-depth reviews were carried out in collaboration with participating broadcasters and other event organisers, who offered feedback to help prevent rule breaks and strengthen the voting system.

Green said at the time: ‘We’ve listened and we’ve acted.

‘The neutrality and integrity of the Eurovision Song Contest is of paramount importance to the EBU, its members, and all our audiences. It is essential that the fairness of the Contest is always protected.  

‘We are taking clear and decisive steps to ensure the contest remains a celebration of music and unity. The Contest should remain a neutral space and must not be instrumentalised.’

Green added that, alongside the changes announced, there was a new commitment to ‘strengthening the enforcement of existing rules’ to ‘prevent any misuse of the Contest’, for example, through ‘song lyrics or staging’.

‘We will work closely with members to ensure they fully understand and are also accountable for upholding the rules and values that define the Song Contest.’

In total, there were four changes made. The first was ‘clearer rules of promotion’, forbidding participating broadcasters, such as KAN, and artists, such as Bettan, from ‘actively engaging in, facilitating, or contributing to promotional campaigns by third parties that could influence the voting outcome’.

The EBU stated that ‘any attempts to unduly influence the results will lead to sanctions’.

Secondly, Eurovision bosses reduced the maximum number of votes. For 2026, fans will only be able to vote through phone calls, SMS, or online 10 times, reduced from 20.

‘Fans will be actively encouraged to share their support across multiple entries,’ the changes stated.

Thirdly, the return of professional juries of music experts for the semi-finals was confirmed for the first time since 2022. This creates ‘a roughly 50/50 split between jury and audience votes’ in the final.

The EBU explained that this change ‘is intended to encourage the optimum musical balance and diversity in songs that qualify for the grand final, ensuring that high-quality entries with broad artistic merit are recognised alongside those with popular appeal’.

In turn, the number of jurors has been increased from five to seven, and the pool has been expanded to include journalists, critics, teachers, choreographers, and stage directors.

Each jury must now also include at least two jurors aged 18 to 25.

‘All jurors will have to sign up to a formal declaration to confirm they will vote independently and impartially, will not coordinate with other jurors before the contest, and will be mindful of their social media use,’ organisers stated, which means not voicing voting preferences online before the end of the contest.

Finally, technical safeguards have been ‘enhanced’, meaning the EBU will ‘work closely’ with its voting partner to prevent fraudulent or coordinated voting activity and to closely monitor suspicious patterns.

Green further stated that the new measures are ‘designed to keep the focus where it belongs – on music, creativity, and connection’.

Israel’s involvement in Eurovision has been a point of contention for several years now, which has led many devout fans to boycott the event entirely. It has also resulted in fellow countries, including Spain, one of the Big Five, withdrawing in protest.

Chair of RTVE José Pablo López said in a statement: ‘As joint organisers of the Eurovision Song Contest, we share a collective responsibility. While Israel has regularly participated in the competition, the current events and the genocide currently taking place make it impossible for us to look the other way.

‘It is not accurate to claim that Eurovision is merely an apolitical music festival. We are all aware that the contest carries significant political implications. The Israeli government is equally aware of this fact and leverages the event on the international stage.’

For the past three years, despite outside pressure following the Gaza conflict, the EBU has allowed them to remain in the contest.

This sparked particular fury given how, despite proudly declaring to be ‘apolitical’, the contest banned Russia from taking part in 2022 after the invasion of Ukraine. This was decided after other participating nations threatened boycotts.

There has been much speculation about why the EBU has refused to ban Israel, including the fact that one of Eurovision’s most prominent sponsors is the Israeli beauty brand Moroccanoil.

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Police were called to a shop on High Newham Court in Stockton at around 3pm on Friday (May 8), following reports of a ‘disturbance’.

The men are reported to have made threats to staff and then fled the scene.

Police arrived on the scene and arrested three men, two aged 32 and a 40-year-old and a woman, aged 62, was arrested and taken to police custody.

One of the 32-year-olds was arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender and drink driving.

Cleveland Police have launched an investigation into the incident.

Detective Chief Inspector John Bonner said: “At approximately 3pm on Friday, May 8, police were called to a shop on High Newham Court in Stockton following reports of men armed with a machete and a bat.

“The men are reported to have made threats to staff.

“Officers, including armed response, attended to the scene.

“Enquiries led officers to stop a vehicle where four people were detained.

“Three men, two aged 32 and a 40-year-old and a woman aged 62 were arrested and taken to police custody.

“One of the 32-year-olds was arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender and drink driving.

“If anyone saw the incident take place and has information or footage, please call 101 or visit our website quoting reference number 087218.”

Kath Cross sold all of her possessions and now drives across the world with Stuart Hall

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A couple sold all their possessions to buy a campervan and travel the world – for just £30 a day. Kath Cross, 49, and Stuart Hall, 48, have travelled over 25,000 miles on epic adventures through the Sahara desert, Europe and Scotland in their make-shift home.

The pair have been living in their 7.5m Mercedes Sprinter ever since Kath sold all her possessions and stopped paying rent four years ago. To date they have toured over 15 countries – and will have exceeded 20 by the time they get back from their current trip to Montenegro.

The couple work on the road full-time under the name Vanavigation – where they create, write and share travel content. Though their spending plan varies slightly depending on which country they are residing in, the pair say on average they spend around £900 to £1,200 a month – cheaper than Kath’s old house rental in Cardiff.

This means they budget around £30 to £40 a day for their lifestyle – with half spent on fuel. Kath, from Cardiff, said: “It was a choice we made between one life and another – and we don’t regret a second of it.

“When I sold my possessions, it made me realise that you are supposed to own things – not them own you. When you have a mortgage, a car payment, you are owned by society, fixed because you have to stay where you are and pay your bills.

“The more of my stuff I sold the more free I felt – the more I am realising those possessions owned me and pinned me in one place. Life owns you and you are supposed to own it.”

Kath and Stuart bonded over their shared love of nature and the outdoors after meeting in a South Wales walking group back in 2021. They hiked over 105 peaks in the UK during their first year of dating and Kath decided that Stuart was the person she wanted to travel the world with.

She soon after decided to pack up her four-bed rental house and sell all of her possessions back in 2022 when her daughters left home. Stuart and Kath have since travelled over 25,000 miles – including their first trip all the way to the Sahara desert, which Kath described as her “lifelong dream”.

Kath said: “I had an idea that when my kids left home I wanted to drive to the Sahara – it was a dream I’d had for years. Stu already owned the van, and we had been together a few months when we visited Scotland for a month in the campervan. We didn’t kill each other and got on very well.

“So that winter I decided that I was going to downsize my life, my kids had left home, the four-bed rental was too much for me and I just didn’t want it anymore. It was taking every penny that I earned just to keep the rental going – but we knew we could live cheaper on the road.

“A lot of people are scared of the big adventure, but Stu was up for the idea and so we drove to the edge of the Sahara desert and haven’t looked back.”

The mother-of-two is able to ensure a steady monthly income for the pair after she set up her own business online back in 2012. As a single parent, Kath wanted to ensure she could earn a living while being at home with her children – and her copywriting and freelance work saw her amass 1.6million followers on Facebook in 2014.

Stuart, who works for an agency as a truck driver, works when they visit the UK after trips to help top up their money before their next adventure. Her and Stuart are both work together to produce content for Vanavigation – releasing weekly Youtube episodes, travel guides and insightful blogs across social media on how to travel the world.

Kath said: “Life really is a lot cheaper in the van – you don’t need two wages. We were away for 101 days and our average spend was £1000 a month – this is less than my rent used to be in Cardiff and we lived like kings and queens.”

Despite more than half their budget being on fuel, the pair say they don’t live like they are on holiday – and mostly cook in the van and only pay for a few activities a month. Kath said: “As fuel prices have gone up we have just slowed down!

“We just drive a bit slower and make a few less stops – which means we extend the trip really. When you’re in North Macedonia and paying 130 a litre for diesel, there is no point rushing back to pay whatever horrifying price it is in the UK at the moment.”

The pair are able to live in their fully-equipped campervan which boasts a full working set up including: a shower, toilet, king-size bed, sink, and a fully working kitchen with an oven, gas burner. Stuart, who converted the inside of the van shortly after purchasing it, said: “We can even do a roast dinner.”

So far, the pair have driven 3,000 miles to Denmark and back, 7,000 miles around Spain and Portugal, 2,000 miles to Scotland and 8,000 miles to the Sahara. They are currently in Montenegro, and are just shy of 5,000 miles on their trip which has seen them drive through France, Italy, Albania, Greece, North Macedonia and Kosovo.

Their next stops are Serbia, Bosnia, Croatia, Slovenia and France. Kath and Stu said their Sahara trip has been one of their many highlights – which also include their visit to the Atlas mountains, Kosovo and Denmark.

Stuart, from Southampton, said: “We drove to the edge of the sand dunes and were drinking coffee out of own mugs from home. Then we opened up the curtains and there were 40 camels outside – it was totally surreal. I had only ever been on package holidays before.”

Kath said they also loved their visit to the Atlas mountains because of the scenery and people they met during their trip and volunteering. She said: “There are communities there that have nothing, and they just want to help you.

“We helped a guy stuck in the snow and he wanted to take us to his village, which had 66 houses and a mosque. His family made us food and drinks and the kids in the village came to meet us and it was only a few months after the earthquake. It was so special connecting with the local communities.”

The pair are strong advocates for following your dreams and travelling the world in a mindful and sustainable way. Stuart said: “We choose to step lighter on this earth.

“My big diesel van has much less of a carbon footprint than a three-bed house where people leave the lights on. We don’t buy new stuff, we wear clothes until we can’t wear them anymore and we live light on plastics. We love this life and we learn so much about people.”

Kath said: “You can’t dream yourself into this life, you have to make intentional decisions to get here. You have to let go of other things to get here. We left the rat race – and we’re really glad about it.”

You can follow their adventures here: “https://www.facebook.com/vanavigationuk/

1.6 million elderly people get Attendance Allowance as it stands, but there are plenty more who could claim it.

The finance expert explained how to ensure ‘backdated’ payments that start accruing from the original date of claim and not when the DWP officially processes the paper-toting application.

Mr Lewis said: “Call for the form because then they (DWP) send you a form and you apply but you get paid from the date you called up for the form.

Do you pay energy by monthly Direct Debit? If so this is the perfect time to check if you’re due £100s credit back.

Far more info on this, and lots more in the new Martin Lewis podcast just out on https://t.co/8awS8AlebX BBC Sounds, Apple, Spotify & all the usual pod players. pic.twitter.com/31J3YEKEeb

— Martin Lewis (@MartinSLewis) May 8, 2026

“If you download the form off GOV.UK and your claim is successful, you get paid on the day you sent it back to them and there could be at least eight weeks difference in that, so call for the form.”

He recommended that anyone seeking further advice on making a claim or requiring assistance with the application form should get in touch with Age UK at 0800 678 1602, which operates daily from 8am to 7pm.

He went on: “Fill in the form with as much detail as possible. Age UK is brilliant on this, they’ve got a brilliant helpline that will probably be swamped but it’s open during the days, but they’re really professional at helping you fill out the form so those who are entitled get the money and don’t fall foul for some strange reason.”

Recommended reading:

Lloyds beats forecasts with 46% leap in profits after interest rates boost

DWP issues Universal Credit warning for 184,000 Brits

DWP Pension Credit warning as thousands miss out on £3,900

Money Saving Expert explained: “Attendance Allowance is one of the most underclaimed benefits, with as many as 1.1 million missing out on up to £5.2 BILLION a year, according to estimates from MoneySavingExpert and Policy in Practice.

“If you’re aged 66+ and need help with daily living due to illness or disability, check if you’re due £5,645 a year…”

Attendance Allowance is a non-means-tested weekly payment to help cover the costs of pensioners (aged 66+) who need someone to ‘attend’ them.

He was the driver of the only vehicle involved in the collision

A man in his 20s has died following a motorbike crash in Co Wexford on Friday, Gardai said.

He was the driver of the only vehicle involved in the collision on the L4016 near Glenour, in Adamstown.

In a statement, An Garda Siochana said it happened at about 9.20pm on May 8 and the man was pronounced dead at the scene.

His body was taken to University Hospital Waterford where a post-mortem examination will take place.

The road is closed for forensic examinations and local diversions are in place.

Issuing an appeal for information, an Garda Síochána spokesperson said: “Any road users who were traveling on the L4016 between 9:00pm and 9:30pm on Friday 8th May 2026 are asked to make contact with investigating Gardaí. Anyone with camera footage (including mobile phone or dash-cam) is asked to make that footage available.”

They added: “Anyone with any information is asked to contact New Ross Garda Station on (051) 426030, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111, or any Garda Station.”

For all the latest news, visit the Belfast Live homepage here and sign up to our daily newsletter .

Four other energy-related sites have been approved in the surrounding area

A new solar farm could be built next to a major Cambridgeshire A-road. AGR Renewables has submitted an EIA screening request to East Cambridgeshire District Council to build the solar development.

The farm is proposed on land south of the A10 Cambridge Road in Stretham. If approved, the solar panels will be installed for a temporary period of 40 years.

After this, the panels will be decommissioned and the land will return to agricultural use. The solar farm, which would be set over 43 hectares, is projected to export up to 100 megawatts of electricity.

Other solar farms and energy-producing sites in the surrounding area have been previously approved. This includes one on land south west of Stow Bridge Farm in Newmarket Road in 2012, another in Green End in 2014, followed by another two in 2016 and 2023.

The applicant said it was “clear” that the surrounding area has been subject to a “number of energy related planning applications”. As well as the panels, the plans also seek to add security fencing, CCTV, storage buildings, a battery energy storage system, access tracks and more.

Existing hedgerow and plants that are already on site are set to be retained in the proposals. The site falls mainly on flood zone 1 land, meaning it is unlikely to flood.

However, there are “very small areas” that are flood zones two and three. The applicants do not believe the site would produce any harmful emissions or noise pollution.

It’s not also expected to “generate significant waste during construction or operation”.

Paris Saint-Germain star Achraf Hakimi is expected to be available for the Champions League final against Arsenal.

The Morocco international has been sidelined with a thigh injury he suffered in the first leg of the semi-final showdown with Bayern Munich.

The right-back, who has regularly captained the side with Marquinhos’ minutes managed in the league, missed the second leg in Munich last week as Luis Enrique’s side turned in a masterclass performance away from home to reach a second consecutive final.

Hakimi was expected to miss the rest of the season with doubts even emerging over his partitcpation in this summer’s World Cup campaign.

But according to RMC Sport, the former Real Madrid and Inter Milan star is recovering well and is expected to ready for the final in Budapest on 30 May.

PSG are also likely to be boosted by the availability of goalkeeper Lucas Chevalier. An injury suffered in training last week also raised fears his season could be over but the report states he too hopes to be available for the showdown with the Gunners.

Chevalier was signed from Lille last summer to be the new no1 with Gianluigi Donnarumma leaving the French capital to join Manchester City.

Matvei Safaonov however has been starting ahead of hm since January, overtaking him in the pecking order.

Should Hakimi recover in time and avoid any more injury scares, PSG will have a fully fit squad to choose from when they meet Mikel Arteta’s side at the Puskas Arena.

Arsenal have concerns at right-back themselves over Jurrien Timber.

Timber has not played since mid-March, missing the last 11 games due to a groin problem. There has been no clear timeframe on when the Dutchman could return to action with Arteta confirming on Friday there is ‘no chance’ he will be involved against West Ham United on Sunday, today.

Rather more worryingly, he raised doubts about whether Timber would be seen again before the end of the season.

‘I don’t know, there is still a fair bit to do,’ he said. ‘Everything needs to be so smooth and quick.’

MORE: Arsenal told they can sign ‘perfect’ Kylian Mbappe on one condition this summer

MORE: Theo Walcott urges Arsenal star to reject England call-up for the World Cup

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Those ads you do see are predominantly from local businesses promoting local
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These adverts enable local businesses to get in front of their target audience – the local
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It is important that we continue to promote these adverts as our local businesses need
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