World's leading media about the winners of Eurovision Song Contest 2011 Eldar and Nigar

Agence France-Presse (AFP): Azerbaijan scored a spectacular first-ever win in the 56th Eurovision Song Contest, Europe's annual pop extravaganza watched by tens of millions of people. Eurovision tradition dictates that Azerbaijan's victory means that the 2012 competition is set to be held in the resource-rich former Soviet republic often criticised by campaign groups for having a poor human rights record.

Deutsche Welle: After 25 crackling live performances at Düsseldorf's Esprit Arena, the votes are in: Azerbaijan leave Germany as victors of 2011's Eurovision after Ell and Nikki wowed European juries with "Running Scared." An estimated 125 million people worldwide tuned in to see duo Ell and Nikki crowned Eurovision winners at this year's festival with 221 points. Their romantic ballad "Running Scared" was mentioned by fans and critics as a potential winner.

BBC: Eldar Gasimov and Nigar Jamal of Ell/Nikki were voted Europe's favourites, after scoring 221 points with their love song, Running Scared. It is the first time that Azerbaijan has won the contest in its 56-year history, having only joined Eurovision in 2008.

Associated Press:Azerbaijani representatives beat out the much-hyped Irish twins and 23 other finalists Saturday to secure their nation's first-ever win in the Eurovision Song Contest.

In the past three years, Azerbaijan has finished in the first 10 at the songfest, but have never before reached the top.

Azerbaijan had been among the entries favored to win heading into the competition, but other favorites, including the much-hyped Irish duo Jedward, nor the British bookies' top pick, French tenor Amaury Vassili.

Reuters: Azerbaijan won the 2011 Eurovision Song Contest Saturday, taking top honors with a love song in the annual competition of 43 countries that was watched by an audience of more than 100 million people. It was broadcast live from the Atlantic Ocean to the Caspian Sea.

RIA Novosti: An Azerbaijani pop duo, Ell and Nikki, won the 2011 Eurovision Song Contest with 221 points on Saturday. The highest score - 12 points took Azerbaijan from Russia, Turkey and Malta. 10 points Azerbaijan took from Ukraine, Greece, Croatia, San Marino, Romania and Moldova. Nigar Jamal and Eldar Gasimov performed song "Running Scared", written by the authors of the hit Safura - last year's participants in Azerbaijan at the Eurovision.

CNN: Azerbaijan took top prize in the Eurovision Song Contest on Saturday, snagging the country's first-ever win. Eldar Gasimov and Nigar Jamal, known as Ell/Nikki, won for "Running Scared," a romantic love ballad. They performed it in Dusseldorf, Germany.

Wall Street Journal: The winner is… Azerbaijan. "It must have pleased a lot of the juries," the German commentator said, hinting that the former Soviet nation had won on the grounds of merit, not just neighborly support.


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