Albania
Albania’s Last Captive Bear Rescued to Austrian Sanctuary
TIRANA, Albania—Albania’s last brown bear in captivity was rescued by an international animal welfare organization Wednesday and will be taken to a sanctuary in Austria. Four Paws began the journey with the 24-year-old bear, named Mark, accompanied by a large file of documents to get him across multiple national borders. “I’m very sure if we […]
Nearly Half a Ton of Cocaine Seized in Albania, 10 Arrested
TIRANA, Albania—Albanian authorities on Friday said they have seized 430 kilograms (1,000 pounds) of cocaine in a coordinated operation with neighboring Montenegro and other law enforcement international institutions. Albania’s corruption and organized crime squad said 10 Albanian nationals were arrested after the cocaine was found hidden in a shipment of some 24 tons of fertilizer. […]
North Macedonia Wedding Tradition Endures
On a mountainside near North Macedonia’s border with Albania, a special event called Petrovden happens every year in the village of Galicnik. Also known as the Saint Peter’s Day wedding, scores of wedding goers in traditional costume get together for the event each July.
Lightning Storms in Albania Flood Cities, Cause 1 Death
TIRANA, Albania—Lightning storms in Albania flooded cities, caused power outages in the capital and led to the death of at least person Thursday, authorities said. Police said a 51-year-old man died in a fire after lightning hit a home in the northwestern village of Dedaj and caused an electrical short. Another man was injured, police […]
3 Die, 2 Missing After Tugboat Sinks Off Southern Italy
ROME—Three people died and two were still missing after a tugboat sank off the southern Italian coast while pulling a pontoon on a route between Italy and Albania, the coastguard said on Thursday. The Franco P tugboat sent an alarm signal on Wednesday evening, while sailing some 50 nautical miles (92.6 km) off the city […]
Russian Tourists Found Dead in Albania Hotel Sauna
TIRANA, Albania—Police say four Russian tourists were found dead at a beach resort in western Albania. Albanian police issued a statement Saturday saying the four were found asphyxiated in a hotel sauna in the village of Qerret late Friday. Police did not give more details about the circumstances of the deaths, citing the ongoing investigation. […]
CDC Advises Against Travel to Afghanistan, Other Countries Over COVID-19
Washington—The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Monday warned against travel to Afghanistan, Albania, Serbia, Belize, Lithuania, and four other destinations because of COVID-19 concerns. The CDC raised its travel recommendations to “Level 4: Very High” for nine destinations, telling Americans they should avoid travel to the locations. The destinations also include Grenada, […]
Search in Albania Quake Reduced, Death Toll at 49
TIRANA, Albania—The operation to find survivors and recover bodies from Albania’s deadly earthquake was winding down Friday, with rescue crews limiting their efforts to a collapsed beachfront hotel in the port town of Durres as the death toll climbed to 49. Albanian, Serb and Montenegrin rescue crews were working through the ruins of the hotel, […]
Hopes Fade for Any More Survivors in Albania Quake: 42 Dead
Hopes were fading Thursday, Nov. 28, of finding anyone else alive beneath the rubble of collapsed buildings in Albania, two days after a deadly quake struck the country’s Adriatic coast, killing at least 42 people and injuring more than 750.
Albanian Earthquake Kills 16; Rescuers Hunt for Survivors
THUMANE, Albania—Rescue crews with excavators searched for survivors trapped in toppled apartment buildings Tuesday after a powerful pre-dawn earthquake in Albania killed at least 16 people and injured more than 600. The magnitude-6.4 quake was felt across the southern Balkans and was followed by multiple aftershocks, with several above magnitude 5. In nearby Bosnia, another […]
Magnitude 5.6 Earthquake Rocks Buildings in Albania, 340 Aftershocks Followed
An earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 5.6 and an aftershock only slightly weaker shook the Albanian port town of Durres on Saturday, rocking buildings there and in the capital Tirana and sending residents rushing out into the streets.
Macedonia parliament breaks out in violence after Albanian speaker election
The election of an ethnic Albanian to parliament speaker was enough to send protesters bursting through the door. They brought masks and flying fists. Eight people were injured, including Social Democratic leader Zoran Zaev and an ethnic Albanian lawmaker. The conflict puts another roadblock in the quest for a working Macedonian government. In 2015 a […]