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Eurovision explained as the extravagant pop contest reaches its grand final

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The 69th Eurovision Song Contest is approaching its grand final in the Swiss city of Basel .

Musical acts from 26 countries will take the stage at the St. Jakobshalle arena on Saturday .

Favorites, according to oddsmakers, are KAJ , representing Sweden with “ Bara Bada Bastu ,” a jaunty serenade to the sauna.

Viewers in participating countries can vote by phone, text message or the Eurovision app .

The combined “rest of the world” vote is given the weight of one individual country.

Russia was banned from Eurovision after its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 .

Pro-Palestinian and pro-Israel protests have both taken place in Basel .