Ukrainian band Kalush Orchestra, fresh off their Eurovision victory, released a new music video on Sunday of their winning hit Stefania that features scenes of war-ravaged Ukraine and women in combat gear. This ensured the annual song contest took on ever more political tones given Russia’s war in Ukraine.
“This is how we see Ukrainian mothers today,” Kalush frontman Oleh Psiuk said of the video, which had already racked up millions of views within hours of its release. “We were trying to deliver the message of what Ukraine looks like today.”
Within 20 hours, the video had almost six million views.
The video was released hours after Kalush Orchestra brought Ukraine its third Eurovision win. They pulled ahead of Britain in the grand finale thanks to a surge of popular votes from some of the estimated 200 million viewers from 40 participating countries. The win buoyed Ukrainian spirits and represented a strong affirmation of Ukrainian culture, which Psiuk said was “under attack” by Russia’s invasion.
Band members posed for photos and signed autographs outside their three-star Turin hotel on Sunday, packing their own luggage into taxis en route to an interview with Italian host broadcaster RAI before heading home. They have to return to Ukraine on Monday after being given special permission to leave the country to attend the competition; most Ukrainian men between age 18 and 60 are barred from leaving in case they are needed to fight.
That stark reality made for a bittersweet moment Sunday in Turin, as Kalush vocalist Sasha Tab had to say goodbye to his wife Yuliia and two children. They fled Ukraine a month ago and are living with a host Italian family in nearby Alba. She and the children were at the band’s hotel and she wept as Tab held his daughter in his arms before getting into the cab.
Russia was banned from the Eurovision Song Contest this year after its February 24 invasion of Ukraine, a move organisers said was meant to keep politics out of the contest that promotes diversity and friendship among nations.
But politics nevertheless entered the fray, with Psiuk ending his winning performance with a plea from the stage: “I ask all of you, please help Ukraine, Mariupol. Help Azovstal right now!” he said, referring to the besieged steel plant in the strategic port city.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy hailed the victory, saying he hoped Ukraine would be able to host the contest next year and predicting the “victorious chord in the battle with the enemy is not far off.”
Stefania was written by lead singer Psiuk as a tribute to his mother, but since Russia’s invasion it has become an anthem to the motherland, with lyrics that pledge: “I’ll always find my way home, even if all roads are destroyed.”
The new music video features women soldiers carrying children out of bombed-out buildings, greeting children in shelters, and leaving them behind as they board trains. The video credits said it was shot in towns that have seen some of the worst destruction of the war, including Bucha, Irpin, Borodyanka and Hostomel.
The video was clearly made before the band left Ukraine as it features band members and — presumably — actors performing in the rubble.
“Dedicated to the brave Ukrainian people, to the mothers protecting their children, to all those who gave their lives for our freedom,” it said.
Ukrainians hailed the victory on Sunday as a much-needed boost. The national rail operator announced that the train that passes through Kalush, the birthplace of Psiuk, will be renamed the Stefania Express.
“Every little victory is important for every Ukrainian, for our Ukraine, for each one of us,” Kyiv resident Svitlana Nekruten said.
Albert Sokolov, an evacuee from Mariupol, said he had no doubt Ukraine would be victorious.
“I listened to this song in Mariupol when we were being bombed, so I was sure that they would win,” he said Sunday in Kyiv.
Russians said the vote was ultimately political, but also showed that Kalush Orchestra and Ukraine had support.
“Eurovision is always about politicised choices; some situations call for a certain choice,” Moscow resident Olga Shlyakhova said. “Of course, I think most people support Ukrainians. They can’t think differently, because they understand it’s a tragedy. That’s why they chose (the winners) with their hearts.”
Anastasiya Perfiryeva, another Moscow resident, noted the popular vote that was so decisive in the victory.
“It was ordinary people who voted. They supported (the winners). Well done. I think that in any case the team was strong, and the support from outside is always pleasant.”
Kalush Orchestra includes folklore experts and mixes traditional folk melodies and contemporary hip hop in a strong defence of Ukrainian culture. This has taken on added meaning as Russia has sought to assert that Ukraine’s culture is not unique.
Psiuk, in his trademark pink bucket hat, said the band isn’t trying to be “cool” with its unusual blend of old and new, but that clearly it hit a chord and found broad popular support that propelled Ukraine to victory.
“We are not trying to be like an American hip-hop band,” he said. “We are trying to present our culture, slightly mixed.”
This year's Eurovision Song Contest contestants — in pictures:
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Zayed Sustainability Prize
Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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UAE
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Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
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The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
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- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
FFP EXPLAINED
What is Financial Fair Play?
Introduced in 2011 by Uefa, European football’s governing body, it demands that clubs live within their means. Chiefly, spend within their income and not make substantial losses.
What the rules dictate?
The second phase of its implementation limits losses to €30 million (Dh136m) over three seasons. Extra expenditure is permitted for investment in sustainable areas (youth academies, stadium development, etc). Money provided by owners is not viewed as income. Revenue from “related parties” to those owners is assessed by Uefa's “financial control body” to be sure it is a fair value, or in line with market prices.
What are the penalties?
There are a number of punishments, including fines, a loss of prize money or having to reduce squad size for European competition – as happened to PSG in 2014. There is even the threat of a competition ban, which could in theory lead to PSG’s suspension from the Uefa Champions League.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
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- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
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MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-final, first leg
Bayern Munich v Real Madrid
When: April 25, 10.45pm kick-off (UAE)
Where: Allianz Arena, Munich
Live: BeIN Sports HD
Second leg: May 1, Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
The Way It Was: My Life with Frank Sinatra by Eliot Weisman and Jennifer Valoppi
Hachette Books
List of alleged parties
May 12, 2020: PM and his wife Carrie attend 'work meeting' with at least 17 staff
May 20, 2020: They attend 'bring your own booze party'
Nov 27, 2020: PM gives speech at leaving party for his staff
Dec 10, 2020: Staff party held by then-education secretary Gavin Williamson
Dec 13, 2020: PM and his wife throw a party
Dec 14, 2020: London mayoral candidate Shaun Bailey holds staff event at Conservative Party headquarters
Dec 15, 2020: PM takes part in a staff quiz
Dec 18, 2020: Downing Street Christmas party
F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
How to help
Call the hotline on 0502955999 or send "thenational" to the following numbers:
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Manchester United's summer dealings
In
Victor Lindelof (Benfica) £30.7 million
Romelu Lukaku (Everton) £75 million
Nemanja Matic (Chelsea) £40 million
Out
Zlatan Ibrahimovic Released
Wayne Rooney (Everton) Free transfer
Adnan Januzaj (Real Sociedad) £9.8 million
Scoreline
Arsenal 0 Manchester City 3
- Agüero 18'
- Kompany 58'
- Silva 65'
MATCH INFO
Everton 2 Southampton 1
Everton: Walcott (15'), Richarlison (31' )
Southampton: Ings (54')
Man of the match: Theo Walcott (Everton)
Dubai works towards better air quality by 2021
Dubai is on a mission to record good air quality for 90 per cent of the year – up from 86 per cent annually today – by 2021.
The municipality plans to have seven mobile air-monitoring stations by 2020 to capture more accurate data in hourly and daily trends of pollution.
These will be on the Palm Jumeirah, Al Qusais, Muhaisnah, Rashidiyah, Al Wasl, Al Quoz and Dubai Investment Park.
“It will allow real-time responding for emergency cases,” said Khaldoon Al Daraji, first environment safety officer at the municipality.
“We’re in a good position except for the cases that are out of our hands, such as sandstorms.
“Sandstorms are our main concern because the UAE is just a receiver.
“The hotspots are Iran, Saudi Arabia and southern Iraq, but we’re working hard with the region to reduce the cycle of sandstorm generation.”
Mr Al Daraji said monitoring as it stood covered 47 per cent of Dubai.
There are 12 fixed stations in the emirate, but Dubai also receives information from monitors belonging to other entities.
“There are 25 stations in total,” Mr Al Daraji said.
“We added new technology and equipment used for the first time for the detection of heavy metals.
“A hundred parameters can be detected but we want to expand it to make sure that the data captured can allow a baseline study in some areas to ensure they are well positioned.”
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