  Rio's famed Carnival kicks off in Brazil February 18, 2012 - 17:51 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Under a shower of confetti and pulsating samba beats, legendary King Momo on Friday, Feb 17 officially launched Rio's famed Carnival, a dazzling extravaganza broadcast to a worldwide television audience. Flanked by his queen and two princesses, the blue-crowned king, 160kg Milton Junior, symbolically received a giant key to the city from Rio Mayor Eduardo Paes. "Salute to King Momo's royal family. I transferred my mayoral duties and all the city powers to him," said Paes. "It's an enormous responsibility to lead the world's biggest cultural festival. I declare the Rio Carnival open," said King Momo, the Carnival's symbol of overweight excess. With these words, the white-clad king kicked off five days of wild samba dancing that will culminate in dazzling parades of lavishly decorated floats and scores of scantily dressed women in the Sambadrome, the hallowed "temple of Samba", on Sunday and Monday nights. And he deftly showed off his samba skills that launched "the greatest show on earth". Carnival is Brazil's most popular holiday and over the next five days it will bring this racially diverse country of 191 million people virtually to a stop. On Sunday Feb 19, Rio's top 13 competing samba schools will battle for the title of Carnival champion, a dazzling contest watched with the same fervor as football matches in this soccer-mad nation, AFP reported.   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 |  Latest news Russia provides info about arrested Armenian ex-MP  Russian law enforcement agencies have provided information about the arrest of Tigran Urikhanyan.Lemkin Institue slams Pashinyan's “cryptic engagement with Genocide denial” The Lemkin Institute is alarmed over Pashinyan’s statements “questioning Armenia's legal basis to pursue justice against Turkey”.41 detained as antigovernment protests continue in Yerevan 41 people were detained in Yerevan as people demanding Pashinian’s resignation stage campaigns of civil disobedience.Armenia votes for UN resolution granting Palestine new rights The U.N. General Assembly voted by a wide margin on May 10 to grant new “rights and privileges” to Palestine. |
