An Israeli air strike on a town in southern Lebanon has killed six people, including three paramedics, according to Lebanon’s health ministry.

It comes as the US said the two countries had agreed to a 45-day ceasefire.

The health ministry said a fourth paramedic had sustained “critical injuries” after a civil defence centre was attacked in the town of Harouf.

The Israeli military told the BBC it had “identified” and “eliminated” two “Hezbollah terrorists”, adding “steps were taken to mitigate the risk of harm to civilians”.

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There has been an international backlash against Israel’s participation in the Eurovision Song Contest – one of the world’s biggest entertainment events – fueled by concerns over the war in Gaza.

Ireland, Spain, Slovenia, Iceland and the Netherlands are boycotting this year’s competition. And the Israeli contestant Noam Bettan was booed by some members of the audience on Tuesday, as he secured a spot in the final.

Israel’s Minister of Culture and Sports Miki Zohar has called the boycotts “shameful and hypocritical”, saying Eurovision is “a celebration of music, culture and brotherhood between nations, not a platform for scoring political points.”

All of this comes as Eurovision faces questions about its voting system, and the degree to which geopolitics may influence the contest’s outcome.

We ask the BBC’s music correspondent Mark Savage how the row over Israel’s inclusion could reshape Eurovision.

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00:00 Introduction
00:30 Boos and cheers for Israel’s entry
01:54 Criticism over the war in Gaza
03:30 Concerns about Eurovision voting
06:14 How politics affects Eurovision
07:58 Will the boycotts change Eurovision?

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This Saturday, the 70th edition of the Eurovision Song Contest final takes place in Vienna, and this year’s competition is again mired in controversy.

A boycott over Israel’s participation by several countries, including Spain and Ireland, threatens to put the competition’s stance of political neutrality to the test. And it is part of a wider debate over which countries should be allowed to compete in prestigious international arts and sports competitions.

We speak to William Lee Adams, a culture reporter at the BBC who also runs a Eurovision YouTube channel, to unpack the controversy surrounding this year’s contest and discuss whether politics and art can ever really be separated.

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Chapters:

01:03 What is the appeal of Eurovision?
03:16 A basic guide to Eurovision
06:13 Why are Israel and Australia in Eurovision?
07:44 No politics in Eurovision
09:37 What was so controversial at Malmo 2024?
12:00 What happened in the 2025 voting?
15:12 Why are some countries boycotting this year?
17:55 Isn’t all art political?
20:07 Do boycotts serve any purpose?

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Spain has started evacuating passengers from a hantavirus-stricken cruise ship anchored near Tenerife in the Canary Islands.

Health Minister Mónica García said the operation was “proceeding normally” and that all passengers on board the MS Hondius were still asymptomatic.

They will be divided into groups by nationality and ferried to the coast in small boats. Charter planes will be on the tarmac at the local airport, ready to repatriate them to their home countries.

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Vladimir Putin has used his annual Victory Day speech in Moscow, marking the Soviet Union’s defeat of Nazi Germany in the Second World War, to justify his war in Ukraine and denounce Nato.

He was speaking as he oversaw a scaled-back parade on Red Square, held under heavy security, with fears of a Ukrainian attack and growing public concern in Russia over the war.

For the first time in years, no armoured vehicles or ballistic missiles featured in Moscow’s Victory Day parade. They were instead shown large TV screens.

The Russian president said he was fighting a “just” war and called Ukraine an “aggressive force” that is being “armed and supported by the whole bloc of Nato”.

His remarks come amid muted celebrations across Russia to mark the nation’s biggest national holiday.

Ahead of the celebrations Russia and Ukraine agreed to observe a three-day ceasefire, announced by US President Donald Trump on Friday.

Jane Hill presents BBC News at Ten reporting by Steve Rosenberg in Moscow.

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