Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, by some accounts a big fan of ABBA, has suggested organizing an international song competition for Russia, Central Asia and China, saying it would strengthen cultural ties among the nations.
“Uzbekistan Idol” perhaps? Or maybe “Tajikistan’s Got Talent.”
Europe has been holding such a competition for decades, called the Eurovision Song Contest. Known for campy and glitzy performers, the annual showcase for singers and musicians from across the continent typically attracts 100 million viewers or more from around the world on TV and the Internet.
After regional competition, the …

CHARLOTTE:
This 17-year-old has displayed a flair for performance from early childhood. By age 11 she and her family moved lock, stock and barrel back from Nottingham to Essex in order for her to attend Sylvia Young’s much-admired stage school. She earned her place with a combination of sheer talent and determination, plus over 500 letters to obtain both the grants and scholarship the family needed to see her through.
“I’m really excited about being in the show and just amazed at how quickly everything has happened,” says Charlotte. “I can’t begin …

‘MAMMA Mia! The Movie’ has now officially broken all box office records to become the biggest Brit film of all time. The movie, based on the musical, has grossed £67million – more than previous record holder ‘Harry Potter and.
Starring , 55, it is the number 1 film in 13 countries including . It is also Universal Pictures’ most profitable movie ever.
The film which uses the hit music of the Swedish Eurovision stars ABBA, also Eurovision Song Contest winners in 1974, had the largest opening weekend of any musical film in …

It has delighted and appalled viewers from Belfast to Belgrade for over 50 years but one continent is no longer enough for the Eurovision Song Contest, which said Thursday it will take its show to Asia.
Japan, China and India will be among the 15 Asian countries sending their kitsch-clad crooners to compete for glory, said the Geneva-based European Broadcasting Union in a statement.
“Having brought the European version of the Eurovision Song Contest to the Middle East and North Africa, we are now delighted that viewers across Asia will enjoy one …