Eurovision warms up with over-60s disco

Pallade Veneta - Eurovision warms up with over-60s disco

Eurovision warms up with over-60s disco / Photo: Fabrice COFFRINI - AFP

Nearly 1,400 senior citizens attended the bash, an attempt to reach out to the older demographic and get them involved in the Eurovision Song Contest festivities.

The Swiss border city of Basel is hosting this year's edition of the glitzy extravaganza, one of the world's biggest annual live television shows.

It is throwing a range of events around the sidelines to make the most of the occasion.

"It's a highlight of the Eurovision for me," said Liz Gilbert, 64, who came dressed in a 1970s outfit.

"Normally it's just on television, so it's great," she told AFP.

"We're having a blast, we're dancing, we're laughing, we're seeing people... the music is great, it's from our years," she added.

Women outnumbered the men across the two dance floors, with plenty of over-70s swinging their hips to the music in the mid-afternoon.

One floor played Swiss music in the national languages of German, French and Italian, with the other dance floor playing rock and pop classics from the 1960s to the 1980s.

"We are here celebrating the disco like they used to back in the day and we are gathering people from all around Switzerland to have a good time," said Celine Koenig, spokeswoman for the Pro Senectute organisation for the elderly, which helped organise the event.

Singing "The Code", Swiss vocalist Nemo's 2024 Eurovision victory in Malmo, Sweden earned Switzerland the right to host this year's 69th edition.

The kitsch celebration is being staged at the St. Jakobshalle indoor arena. The semi-finals are on May 13 and 15, with the final on May 17.

O.Merendino--PV

Worcestershire road closures announced for Remembrance Sunday events

MOTORISTS are being warned to expect road closures across Worcestershire this weekend as towns and villages come together to mark Remembrance Sunday. A number of parades and services will take place this Sunday (November 8), giving residents the opportunity to remember members of the Armed Forces who have served and lost their lives in wars and other conflicts.

Kuwait marks key events and anniversaries from national history

KUWAIT: Following are events that took place in Kuwait on November 4: 1984 — Poet Abdullah Al-Sanan, whose poems reflected social, economic and political changes, died at the age of 67. 1990 — Syrian forces arrived in the Saudi port of Yanbu to join the international coalition troops stationed in Saudi Arabia to liberate Kuwait from the Iraqi occupation.

Qatar media bodies discuss support for humanitarian initiatives

Qatar Media Corporation, in collaboration with the Regulatory Authority for Charitable Activities (RACA), organized a seminar titled 'Developmental Media and Philanthropic Work: A Partnership for Sustainable Impact' to mark World Development Information Day. The event featured the participation of a distinguished group of media professionals, experts, and representatives from various charitable and humanitarian organizations and associations in Qatar.

Vessel operator seeks witnesses after Vancouver grounding

VANCOUVER — The operator of a vessel that ran aground on a sandbar off Vancouver last month says “malicious” tampering was the cause and he’s urging witnesses to come forward. Kevin Skewes, the owner of Spirit Cruises, says someone hit the Pride of Vancouver’s kill switch on the night of Oct.