Oktoberfest folk festival kicks off in GermanySeptember 22, 2012 - 15:51 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - The mayor of Munich has tapped the first keg of beer to kick off the 179th traditional German folk festival Oktoberfest. With only two blows of his hammer and a cry of "O'zapft is" — "It's Tapped" — Mayor Christian Ude inserted the first tap into the first keg as the festival opened Saturday, Sept 22. More than six million guests from around the world are expected to descend on the beer tents of Munich to celebrate Oktoberfest through October 7. Last year's visitors consumed almost 8 million 2-pint (1-liter) mugs of beer. This year a mug, called "Mass" in German, sells at up to €9.50 ($12.30). German authorities keep security tight around the fairgrounds which accommodate hundreds of thousands of people at a time, although, they say, no concrete threat exists, The Associated Press reports. Top stories Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". The earthquake caused a temporary blackout, damaged many buildings and closed a number of rural roads. Partner news | Viva-MTS: Tech solutions to modernize infrastructure of border village The border village has been the focus of Viva-MTS and the Foundation for the Preservation of Wildlife and Cultural Values since 2015. Ucom's fixed network launched in Artashat To mark this occasion, the company has introduced a special offer exclusively for Artashat residents. “By Your Side”: IDBank's new support program for displaced Artsakh citizens IDBank is launching a long-term social support program for forcibly displaced Artsakh residents. The Power of One Dram to benefit Road of Life charity The companies inform that the May beneficiary of The Power of One Dram is the “Road of Life” charitable organization. |