Names and faces

Austrian bearded drag queen Conchita Wurst won the 59th edition of the Eurovision Song Contest on Saturday with a James Bond-inspired entry that had caused a wave of protests in eastern Europe before the competition. The power ballad, "Rise Like a Phoenix," helped Wurst -- the alter ego of 25-year-old Thomas Neuwirth -- secure Austria's second victory in the competition with 290 points. The country also won in 1966. "This is dedicated to everyone who believes in a future of peace and freedom," a tearful Wurst said as she accepted the trophy. "We are unity." Pushing the boundaries of gender identity is nothing new at Europe's annual song contest, an extravaganza known for its eclectic lineup of techno beats, love songs and pop tunes. The winner in 1998 was Israel's Dana International, who had male-to-female gender reassignment surgery several years before competing. Still, Wurst drew criticism before the show, with some saying she was an example of Western decadence. Wurst said after returning to Austria on Sunday that the victory doesn't put pressure on her because she doesn't consider herself "the ambassador of tolerance or the example" -- though she is doing her "little bit." "Shoot for the moon; even if you miss -- you will land among the stars. That is exactly how I'm living," she said. Juries and television viewers across Europe selected her as the winner ahead of The Common Linnets from the Netherlands with 238 points. The first Eurovision song contest was held in 1956 in Switzerland, and the contest's most famous winners include ABBA, Celine Dion and Johnny Logan, who won the contest three times -- in 1980 and 1987 as a performer, and in 1992 as a songwriter.

Hugh Jackman has had another cancerous growth removed. The 45-year-old actor attended the premiere of his latest film, X-Men: Days of Future Past, on Saturday night with a bandage over his nose. He said he had a basal-cell carcinoma removed two nights earlier. Jackman said he learned the results of a recent biopsy earlier on Thursday, and had it removed right after. Basal-cell carcinoma is a slow-growing form of skin cancer. Jackman was treated for the same disease last year but said the prognosis was good. "It's all out now," he said. Jackman urged others to "get checkups and wear sunscreen." He said he hopes children will listen to X-Men character Wolverine, or at least the man who plays him, and be smart about their health.

A Section on 05/12/2014

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