TECH'S SHOW TRADE : SPAIN

Barcelona : One of the technology industry's biggest annual get togethers kicked off in the Spanish city of Barcelona on Monday, under the shadow of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

The Mobile World Congress, where smartphone and telecoms companies show off their latest products  and reveal their strategic visions, is expected to welcome more than 40,000 guests over its four-day run.

Organisers were hoping to return to a full-scale event after two years of disruption caused by the coronavirus pandemic, but they were forced to remove Russia's dedicated pavilion following the invasion.

Opening the event, Mats Granryd of industry body GSMA said his organisation ''strongly condemns the Russian invasion of Ukraine'', drawing applause from the packed auditorium. [AFP]