Albania
Long jumper accused of false information to get Olympic spot

Dec. 09, 2022 06:23 AM EST
MONACO (AP) — A long jumper and two officials from Albania could face bans after they were accused of submitting false information that helped the athlete get a spot...

Its Olympic future in doubt, weightlifting names new leader

Jun. 25, 2022 12:34 PM EDT
TIRANA, Albania (AP) — Iraqi official Mohammed Jalood was elected president of the International Weightlifting Federation in chaotic scenes on Saturday. ...

FILE - President of the International Weightlifting Federation Tamas Ajan speaks during the opening ceremony of the 2006 World Weightlifting Championships in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, Friday, Sept. 29, 2006. The former IOC member who ran weightlifting’s governing body for more than 40 years has banned for life for corrupting the sport’s anti-doping program. The Court of Arbitration for Sport found Tamss Ajan guilty of tampering and hiding doping cases. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa, File)
Russians win court ruling ahead of weightlifting elections

Jun. 23, 2022 06:36 AM EDT

11 candidates in weightlifting election amid Olympic crisis

May. 25, 2022 11:26 AM EDT
LAUSANNE, Switzerland (AP) — Two American women are among a total of 11 candidates running for president of weightlifting’s troubled governing body, looking to lead...

Funa Tonaki, top, of Japan, reacts after losing to Distria Krasniqi, of Kosovo, in their women's 48-kg judo gold medal match at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Saturday, July 24, 2021, in Tokyo. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
Kosovo hails Krasniqi's gold medal in judo at Tokyo Games

Zenel Zhinipotoku And Llazar Semini Jul. 24, 2021 08:58 AM EDT

Thousands of Virus-free international fans participate at Unum Albania's open-air music festival in Shengjin on Friday, June 4, 2021. Organizers had sold all 10,000 planned tickets with more requests to follow from people around the world trying to forget the virus restrictions and follow non-stop music for five days at the Rana e Hedhun (Thrown Sand) beach, 75 kilometers (45 miles) northwest of the capital Tirana. (AP Photo/Visar Kryeziu)
Music fans flock to Albania’s beach festival despite virus

By Florent Bajrami And Llazar Semini Jun. 08, 2021 04:21 AM EDT

Albanian President Ilir Meta speaks during an interview with the Associated Press in Tirana, Albania, Wednesday, April 21, 2021. Albania’s president waded deep into the country's parliamentary election campaign Wednesday, accusing the left-wing government of running a “kleptocratic regime” and bungling its pandemic response. In an interview with The Associated Press, Ilir Meta also said he would step down if Prime Minister Edi Rama's Socialists — who are leading the main opposition conservatives in opinion polls — win Sunday's vote. (AP Photo/Hektor Pustina)
Albanian lawmakers to investigate president for impeachment

By Llazar Semini May. 07, 2021 09:12 AM EDT

A container with boxes of the Pfizer vaccine delivered, at the Sarajevo Airport, Bosnia, Tuesday, May 4, 2021. The European Union has started delivering EU-funded coronavirus vaccines across the Balkans, where China and Russia have for months been supplying the much-needed shots and thus making political gains. (AP Photo/Eldar Emric)
EU delivers vaccine jabs to Balkans after China and Russia

By Dusan Stojanovic May. 04, 2021 08:35 AM EDT

FILE - In this Wednesday, April 21, 2021 file photo, Albanian President Ilir Meta speaks during an interview with the Associated Press in Tirana, Albania. Albania’s president has accused the U.S. ambassador of intervening in the small European country’s internal affairs by supporting its prime minister in an upcoming parliamentary election. Meta spoke harshly about Ambassador Yuri Kim during a television talk show on Friday, April 23, 2021. While the show was airing, Kim sent a text message to Meta and also tweeted about Sunday’s election. (AP Photo/Hektor Pustina, File)
Albania’s Socialists seek to impeach nation's president

By Llazar Semini May. 03, 2021 12:43 PM EDT

Albania's Prime Minister Edi Rama waves to his supporters during a rally in Tirana, Albania, Tuesday, April 27, 2021. Albania's left-wing Socialist Party has secured a third consecutive mandate in a parliamentary election, winning a majority of seats in parliament, Prime Minister Edi Rama said on Tuesday. (AP Photo/Hektor Pustina)
Albania's Socialists win election, gain 3rd straight mandate

By Llazar Semini Apr. 27, 2021 01:51 PM EDT

Election officials wait in line to deliver ballot boxes to a counting center during parliamentary elections in capital Tirana, Albania on Sunday, April 25, 2021. Albanian voters have started casting ballots in parliamentary elections on Sunday amid the virus pandemic and a bitter political rivalry between the country's two largest political parties. (AP Photo/Visar Kryeziu)
Exit polls: Tight race in Albania's parliamentary vote

By Llazar Semini Apr. 25, 2021 01:03 AM EDT

Supporters of the Democratic Party waving Albanian and party flags participate in the political rally in capital Tirana, Albania on Friday, April 23, 2021.Albania holds parliamentary elections on Sunday amid the virus pandemic and a bitter political rivalry between the country's two largest political parties but that will serve as a key milestone in the country's next step toward European Union membership. (AP Photo/Visar Kryeziu)
Albania heads to polls after a bitter political fight

By Llazar Semini Apr. 23, 2021 04:15 AM EDT

Albanian President Ilir Meta speaks during an interview with the Associated Press in Tirana, Albania, Wednesday, April 21, 2021. Albania’s president waded deep into the country's parliamentary election campaign Wednesday, accusing the left-wing government of running a “kleptocratic regime” and bungling its pandemic response. In an interview with The Associated Press, Ilir Meta also said he would step down if Prime Minister Edi Rama's Socialists — who are leading the main opposition conservatives in opinion polls — win Sunday's vote. (AP Photo/Hektor Pustina)
Albania’s president harshly attacks PM ahead of Sunday polls

By Llazar Semini Apr. 21, 2021 12:12 PM EDT

Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama, speaks during an interview with the Associated Press, in Tirana, Albania, on Tuesday April 20, 2021. Albania holds parliamentary elections on Sunday, April 25. (AP Photo/Hektor Pustina)
Prime minister hopes to make Albania a 'tourism champion'

By Llazar Semini Apr. 20, 2021 12:46 PM EDT

Albania signs 104 million-euro deal to build new airport

By Llazar Semini Apr. 20, 2021 08:13 AM EDT
TIRANA, Albania (AP) — Albania on Tuesday signed a contract with a Swiss-based consortium to build a 104 million-euro ($125 million) new international airport....

This Monday, April 19, 2021 photo provided by the Albanian Police shows Rudolf Nikolli, 34, after his arrest in Tirana, Albania. The Albanian young man has attacked with a knife and injured five persons at a mosque in the capital Tirana, according to police. A statement on Monday said that at about 2.30 p.m. (1230 GMT) Rudolf Nikolli, 34, entered the Dine Hoxha mosque downtown Tirana and "in unclear situation he injured with a knife 5 citizens." Police forces reacted immediately and managed to "neutralize him" but have yet to disclose the cause of the attack. (Albanian Police via AP)
Albanian man with knife wounds 5 at mosque in Tirana

By Llazar Semini Apr. 19, 2021 12:41 PM EDT

Albania’s flights resume after 2-day airport closure

By Llazar Semini Apr. 09, 2021 06:09 AM EDT
TIRANA, Albania (AP) — Commercial flights resumed at Albania’s Tirana International Airport on Friday after they were blocked for two days by an air traffic...

'Essential' flights resume at Tirana Airport after strike

By Llazar Semini Apr. 08, 2021 07:10 AM EDT
TIRANA, Albania (AP) — Albania’s infrastructure minister on Thursday said that “essential” flights have resumed at the country’s only international airport...

Albania sends troops, police, to end flight control strike

By Llazar Semini Apr. 07, 2021 09:08 AM EDT
TIRANA, Albania (AP) — Albania's government sent troops and police Wednesday evening to clear striking air traffic controllers out of the flight control tower...

FILE - In this Wednesday, April 16, 1997 file photo, Albanian Prime Minister Bashkim Fino shakes hands with OSCE representative Austrian Franz Vranitzky, in Tirana. Bashkim Fino, who was appointed prime minister to shepherd Albania out of almost total chaos 24 years ago when fraudulent investment schemes collapsed and angry crowds looted military installations nationwide, has died aged 58. Fino's family and his governing Socialist party said the former prime minister died Monday March 29, 2021 in hospital, where he had been treated for several days after contracting COVID-19. (AP Photo/Hektor Pustina, File)
Economist who pulled Albania out of 1997 anarchy dead at 58

By Llazar Semini Mar. 29, 2021 12:20 PM EDT