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Eurovision 2015 Contestants: Belarus

The representatives of Belarus at this year’s Eurovision are Uzari and Maimuna, a duo made up of what seems to be an elf and a violinist trapped inside an hourglass. Uzari already ran for Belarus in 2012 and in 2013, but came respectively in 5th and 8th place. Third time lucky? Maimuna, also known as “Moon”, is simply “The First Violin of Belarus.”

We’re not too sure what their song “Time” is about, but we’ll let this verse speak for itself:

“Time is like thunder

No more!

Time is like thunder

I know, you know

Time is like thunder

I don’t want to wait!”

This will be Belarus’ 12th participation in the event. Its best result was 6th position, in 2007.

Our vote:

Does it make you want to visit that country? 1.75/10

Was there enough glitter? 5.75/10

Ok to quit your day job? 0.25/10

OVERALL AVERAGE: 2.58/10

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FOCUS: Israel-Palestine War

Palestinian Olive Trees Are Also Under Israeli Occupation — And That's Not A Joke

In the West Bank, a quieter form of oppression has been plaguing Palestinians for a long time. Their olive groves are surrounded by soldiers, and it's forbidden to harvest the olives – this economic and social violence has gotten far worse since Oct. 7.

A Palestinian woman holds olives in her hands

In a file photo, Um Ahmed, 74, collects olives in the village of Sarra on the southwest of the West Bank city of Nablus.

Mohammed Turabi/ZUMA
Francesca Mannocchi

HEBRON – It was after Friday prayers on October 13th of last year, and Zakaria al-Arda was walking along the road that crosses his property's hillside to return home – but he never made it.

A settler from Havat Ma'on — an outpost bordering Al-Tuwani that the United Nations International Law and Israeli law considers illegal — descended from the hill with his rifle in hand.

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After kicking al-Arda, who tried to defend himself, the settler shot him in the abdomen. The bullet pierced through his stomach, a few centimeters below the lungs. Since then, al-Arda has been in the hospital in intensive care. A video of those moments clearly shows that neither al-Arda nor the other worshippers leaving the mosque were carrying any weapons.

The victim's cousin, Hafez Hureini, still lives in the town of Al-Tuwani. He is a farmer, and their house on the slope of the town is surrounded by olive trees — and Israeli soldiers. On the pine tree at the edge of his property, settlers have planted an Israeli flag. Today, Hafez lives, like everyone else, as an occupied individual.

He cannot work in his greenhouse, cannot sow his fields, and cannot harvest the olives from his precious olive trees.

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