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Athens News Agency: News in English, 06-05-21Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Athens News Agency at <http://www.ana.gr/>CONTENTS
[01] Finland wins 51st Eurovision song contest in AthensFinland won the 51st Eurovision song contest held at the Athens Olympic complex's indoor stadium on Saturday night with the band Lordi singing "Hard Rock Hallelujah" and garnering 292 votes from 38 countries. The event was hosted by Greek pop star Sakis Rouvas and Greek-American model and presenter Maria Menounos. Russia won second place with the song "Never let you go" (248 votes), while Bosnia-Herzegovina came in third with the Hari Mata Hari band singing the song "Layla". Greece finished in ninth position with veteran Cyprus-born singer Anna Vissi performing the single "Everything".It was the first time that Finland won first place in the half-century-old Eurovision song contest, which Ireland has won seven times; Britain, Luxembourg and France have each won the contest five times. The final phase of the contest, the semifinal had taken place on Thursday, was held with the participation of 24 countries and was watched by more than 100 million television viewers. Greece hosted this year's contest after winning in last year's event with the song "My number one", sang by Elena Paparizou. Caption: The Finnish band Lordi on stage Saturday, May 20, 2006, at the Eurovision song contest at the Athens Olympic indoor stadiu. ANA-MPA photo / O. Panagiotou. [02] Papoulias at events marking union of Ionian islesPresident Karolos Papoulias on Sunday attended events in Corfu marking the 142nd anniversary of the union of the Ionian islands with Greece. Local residents gave a warm welcome to the head of state, who laid a wreath at a the monument commemorating the union and then observed a school and military parade.The government was represented Deputy Finance and Economy Minister Antonis Bezas. [03] ND's political council to meet on Mon.Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis will chair a meeting of the ruling New Democracy party's Political Council on Monday morning on the issue of local government elections in October.Karamanlis will leave for Paris on the same day to chair the annual ministerial session of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). The prime minister will host a dinner for participating ministers on Tuesday evening, while on Wednesday he will meet with the French prime minister and conclude the session with statements to the media. Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |