Madonna and a leather-clad punk group from Iceland added a tinge of political controversy to Saturday’s Eurovision song contest, held this year in Tel Aviv and broadcast to a global audience of about 200 million. The half-time show featured Madonna singing “Like a Prayer” and her new song “Future,” which ended with two of her dancers wearing Israeli and Palestinian flags on their backs. The European Broadcast Union said Sunday that Madonna had not cleared that part of the act with broadcasters and “was advised as to the non-political nature of the event.” Madonna later defended the stunt on Twitter, sharing a clip of the dancers and writing, “I am grateful for the opportunity to spread the message of peace and unity with the world.” Iceland’s Eurovision act could face sanctions. Hatari, a heavy-metal trio who call themselves anti-capitalist and techno-dystopian, unveiled a small Palestinian banner while the public vote for their song was being announced, prompting TV footage to cut away within seconds. The European Broadcast Union also said it is considering “consequences” for Iceland’s performers. Even before the annual contest, themed as “Dare to Dream,” the event was a lightning rod for controversy. Some musicians, including producer Brian Eno and Roger Waters of Pink Floyd, called for a boycott.
Former President Jimmy Carter canceled plans to teach Sunday School just days after undergoing surgery for a broken hip. “Though he is progressing well, he underestimated the amount of time he would need to recover from his recent hip replacement,” Carter spokesman Deanna Congileo said in a statement Saturday evening. Carter, 94, broke his hip last Monday as he was leaving to go turkey hunting. Congileo said Carter apologized for any inconvenience to those who traveled to hear his lesson at Maranatha Baptist Church in Plains, Ga. Congileo said Carter’s niece, Kim Fuller, would teach the lesson in his stead and, he says, “No one will be disappointed.” A devout Christian, Carter regularly teaches Sunday School in Plains, drawing hundreds of visitors for each session. He and his wife, Rosalynn, pose for pictures with each attendee. Carter became the longest-lived president in U.S. history in March when his age surpassed that of former President George H.W. Bush, who died Nov. 30 at the age of 94 years, 171 days. Nearly four years have passed since Carter revealed he had been diagnosed with cancer. Carter said in August 2015 he had melanoma that had spread to his liver and brain. He received treatment for seven months until scans showed no sign of the disease.
