Scores hurt as balloons explode at Armenia rally

Scores of people have been injured in the Armenian capital Yerevan after clusters of balloons exploded at a political rally.

Crowds were attending a government campaign event in the city's central square ahead of parliamentary polls.

The emergencies ministry said some 144 people had been taken to hospital with burns, none of them life-threatening.

The ministry said the explosions had been caused by a smoker lighting a cigarette near the balloons.

Despite the incident, President Serge Sarkisian went on to address tens of thousands of people at the rally.