Russia wins 2008 Eurovision Song Contest; Israel finishes ninth
By AP
Russian singer Dima Bilan has won the 2008 Eurovision Song Contest, beating performers from Ukraine and Greece.
Bilan won the title early Sunday with an R&B ballad "Believe" that featured a violinist and an ice dancer in the packed Beogradska Arena hall.
Bilan made a comeback two years after he settled for the second place.
He has won 272 points from viewers from 43 countries who picked the winner by phone calls and text messages.
Israel's representative, Boaz Mauda, came in ninth with 124 points.
The Eurovision Song Contest - Europe's most glamorous pop song festival - is held annually and watched by an audience of more than 100 million people across the globe.
JPost.com Staff contributed to this report
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