Student protesters, riot police outside MWC in BarcelonaFebruary 29, 2012 - 21:14 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Student protesters are gathering outside the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, chanting and shouting, which would be more concerning if they weren't more or less outnumbered by the riot police, The Register reports. A helicopter is circling overhead and a large group of students is gathered on the roundabout outside the congress site, but the local police are taking no chances and have deployed riot cops right across the entrance, forcing attendees to slip in the back way. Neighboring streets are blocked up with police vans, presumably ready to deploy more men in blue should occasion demand it. Locals had threatened transport strikes to coincide with the conference, pointing out that it was an ideal opportunity to tell the world about the economic struggle being played out in Spain, since the world has been too selfishly concerned with its own economic struggles to notice. That's the stated motivation, but really it's a chance to embarrass the government in front of an international audience, the report says. The transport strikes were called off at the very last moment, preventing serious embarrassment. Top stories Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev arrived in Moscow on April 22 to hold talks with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. 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". Partner news | Ruling MP accuses opposition of “serving other countries' interests” Khachatur Sukiasyan has accused Armenia’s opposition of serving the interests of other countries Protest leader vows to achieve departure of Armenian authorities According to Archbishop Bagrat, there is only one solution to the situation in Armenia. Heads of Armenian, Ukrainian parliaments hold virtual talks Alen Simonyan and Ruslan Stefanchuk held talks via video conference on Tuesday, May 21. Pashinyan travels to Iran to pay tribute to Raisi, others Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has left for the Islamic Republic of Iran on a working visit. |