Police in Tirana fired tear gas and used water cannon in clashes on Friday (20 February) with opposition protesters demanding the resignation of the Albanian government following corruption allegations against the deputy prime minister.
Demonstrators hurled petrol bombs and fireworks at the Prime Minister Edi Rama's office and police responded with tear gas and water cannon.
Political tensions have escalated since December after a special prosecution unit indicted Rama's deputy, Belinda Balluku, for allegedly interfering in public tenders for major infrastructure projects and favouring certain companies, charges Balluku denies.
Thousands of opposition Democratic Party supporters chanted 'Rama, go away' and 'Rama in jail' carrying Albanian and party flags.
'Edi Rama's days are numbered,' said Democratic Party leader Sali Berisha. "Let them know that even if they go behind the sun, we will find them and punish them with the full force of the law.”
An anti-corruption court has suspended Balluku from office but the Special Prosecution Office, tasked with fighting corruption, has demanded parliament lift her immunity to enable her arrest.
Rama has complained about judicial overreach, especially with pre-trial detentions.
Albania aims to join the European Union by 2030 but the bloc says the country must do more to fight crime and corruption.
The U.S. military carried out a strike Friday (20 February) on a vessel allegedly engaged in narcotrafficking in the Eastern Pacific, according to the...
UK politicians have renewed calls for Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, formerly Prince Andrew, to be removed from the line of succession following his arre...
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top news stories for the 21st of February, covering the latest developments you need to...
Police in Tirana fired tear gas and used water cannon in clashes on Friday (20 February) with opposition protesters demanding the resignation of the A...
U.S. President Donald Trump will travel to China from 31 March to 2 April, the White House has confirmed, for talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping ...
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top news stories for the 21st of February, covering the latest developments you need to know.
Anti-government protestors and police clashed in Albania's capital Tirana on Tuesday evening as thousands gathered to demand the resignation of the deputy prime minister over alleged corruption.
Thousands of people took to the streets of Albania’s capital Tirana on Saturday in an anti-government protest sparked by the indictment of Deputy Prime Minister Belinda Balluku over alleged corruption linked to major infrastructure projects.
European Union leaders meeting with Western Balkan counterparts in Brussels this week are working to refocus the bloc’s agenda on enlargement, with discussions heavily featuring Ukraine support and regional security.
Quentin Griffiths, co-founder of online fashion retailer ASOS, has died in Pattaya, Thailand, after falling from the 17th floor of a condominium on 9 February, Thai police confirmed.
The Board of Peace will be "looking over the United Nations," said U.S. President Donald Trump at the inaugural Washington meeting, where representatives from over 20 countries gathered to unveil plans for Gaza’s reconstruction and coordinate international support.
At least four people have died and 17 others were injured after a liquid gas truck overturned and exploded in Santiago, Chile’s capital, authorities confirmed on Thursday. Police said the driver was among those killed.
Kazakhstan has entered the world’s top 50 economies by GDP in 2026, ranking 50th with a projected nominal output of $320 billion. The result reflects sustained growth, structural reforms and the country’s rising role as a regional economic hub.
The Armenian Cabinet has approved a military-technical cooperation agreement (MTC) with Poland, which will be forwarded to parliament for ratification following its signing, according to Armenian media.
The U.S. military carried out a strike Friday (20 February) on a vessel allegedly engaged in narcotrafficking in the Eastern Pacific, according to the U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM).
UK politicians have renewed calls for Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, formerly Prince Andrew, to be removed from the line of succession following his arrest on suspicion of misconduct in public office and revelations over his links to convicted U.S. sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top news stories for the 21st of February, covering the latest developments you need to know.
U.S. President Donald Trump will travel to China from 31 March to 2 April, the White House has confirmed, for talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping as a U.S. Supreme Court ruling reshapes his tariff policy.
The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) said on Friday that its life‑saving food and nutrition assistance in Somalia could end by April without urgent funding, leaving millions at risk of severe hunger.
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