Names and faces

LITTLE ROCK — Lady Gaga canceled next week’s sold-out show in Indonesia after Islamist hard-liners threatened violence, claiming her sexy clothes and provocative dance moves would corrupt the youth. The controversy was a blow to the predominantly Muslim country’s reputation for combining free speech and democracy with a mostly moderate brand of the faith. Fans were devastated, despite the promoter’s offer of full refunds. Some accused police - who refused to issue a permit over concerns about security - of buckling to the will of a small group of thugs. The planned Born This Way Ball concert has been on-again-off-again from the start. But on Sunday, it was final, said Minola Sebayang, a lawyer for Big Daddy, the promoter of Sunday’s show. “It’s unfortunate,” he said. “But with threats if the concert goes ahead, Lady Gaga’s side is calling it off. This is not only about Lady Gaga’s security, but extends to those who will be watching her.”

Sweden’s Loreen clinched the top spot at this year’s Eurovision Song Contest with her dance hit “Euphoria,” pushing aside competition from a sextet of Russian grannies and a Serbian balladeer. Juries and television viewers from across Europe awarded Loreen a total of 372 points, handing her an easy win in an event that ended in the early hours Sunday in host country Azerbaijan. Sweden will take over hosting duties next year. Softly spoken Loreen, a 28-year-old of Moroccan-Berber descent, thanked her fans for their support. “I wouldn’t have been able to do this without you. Thank you so much,” she said after her victory was announced. Russia’s Buranovskiye Babushki garnered much public affection for their cute onstage presence which featured choreographed baking, but their folksy dance ditty “Party for Everybody” couldn’t quite match Sweden’s more contemporary offering and ended up second with 259 points. Zeljko Joksimovic, a Eurovision regular from Serbia, came in a distant third with his slow and stripped-down “Nije Ljubav Stvar.” The 57-year-old pan-European competition viewed by 125 million people worldwide is hailed by its legion of devoted fans as harmless, kitschy fun that allows Europeans to forget their differences - and economic troubles - for at least one night. The winner is picked by juries and television viewers across the continent, so a broad appeal is deemed key to success.