++ Visa rules simplified for the ESC - Getting a visa to get into Azerbaijan is going to be easy for anyone visiting the country for Eurovision. If you have a ticket for the contest, an accreditation or an official invitation you can get one at the airport when arriving in the country!
++ Blurred Eurovision – Der Spiegel looks at the Azerbaijani government's hopes to burnish its image by hosting the Eurovision Song Contest in May. As civil rights activists struggle to draw more attention to the country's human rights violations, organizers of this supposedly "apolitical" event are "standing uncomfortably in the middle," the German magazine writes. Meanwhile Boris Dittrich from Human Rights Watch sees the contest as an opening for the country to improve the gay rights and human rightsin general in the country.
++ Unser Star Für Baku - Roman, Yana, Ornella and Shelly qualifyied in Germany last night. They will be in the semi final on Sunday!
++ Not amused - Maya Bouskilla and Zvika Pik apparently aren't too happy about the Israeli choice for Eurovision. They had submitted a song too, and doubt the fairness of the decision to select Izabo for Baku.
++ Money's too tight too mention- 50 million AZN (48.4 million Euro) has been allocated for the Eurovision Song Contest in Baku this year. This is quite a sum, considering that the contest in Moscow for instance were 27 million and the one in Helsinki 'just' 17.
++ 52 for EMA - 52 entries were submitted in Slovenia, RTVSLO reported. The Slovenian national final, EMA will take place on 26 February. The selection will be revealed on 16 February.
++ To Jedward or not to Jedward - In Ireland, the national finalist were presented yesterday. This is our favorit:
