Read the latest news from regional and global sources, presenting different voices and perspectives.

Albania unveils 2024–2027 plan to boost revenues
Albania has launched its Medium-Term Revenue Strategy 2024–2027, aiming to boost budget revenues by 64.8 billion lek (€635 million) without increasing the tax burden on citizens. The plan focuses on better tax administration, digitalization, and...

Albania ranks 8th in Europe for digital services, minister says
Albania is now the eighth-ranked country in Europe and 19th globally for the level of digital services it provides, Minister of State for Entrepreneurship and Business Climate Delina Ibrahimaj said Friday. Speaking at a meeting hosted by Prime...

Bank of Albania to cut transfer fees
The Bank of Albania plans to lower fees on interbank money transfers, doubling the threshold for free electronic payments as part of new payment system regulations. The draft regulation for the country’s small-value payment clearing system (AECH)...

World : Albanian Premier Suggests AI Could Run Government Ministry In Future
BERAT (Albania), July 19 (Bernama-Anadolu) -- Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama suggested Friday that artificial intelligence (AI) could soon play a key role in the country's governance, hinting at the possibility of an AI-run government ministry,...

Albania’s top court rejects Becchetti custody appeal
Albania’s Supreme Court has dismissed Francesco Becchetti’s appeal against pre-trial detention, keeping the Italian businessman under an active arrest warrant. The court decision upholds an earlier ruling for Becchetti’s custody, despite his...

Trump is leveraging power of his office to reap profits for family businesses
WASHINGTON -- If one theme has emerged in President Donald Trump’s second term, it's this: He's leveraged the power of his office for personal gain unlike anyone before in history. From crypto coins to bibles, overseas development deals to an...

Crypto coin, cellphones, real estate: Trump uses power of his office to reap profits for family businesses
If one theme has emerged in President Donald Trump’s second term, it's this: He's leveraged the power of his office for personal gain unlike anyone before in history. From crypto coins to bibles, overseas development deals to an upcoming line of...

Albania sees sharp rise in foreign-owned business registrations
Albania recorded a sharp increase in foreign and joint-venture business registrations in Q2 2025, signaling growing investor confidence. Foreign-owned business registrations in Albania rose 44% year-on-year in the April–June 2025 quarter, reaching...

203 Billion ALL from Exports This Year, 56% of Trade with the EU
Exports are showing signs of recovery this year, accompanied by a new trend — a decline in imports. According to data from INSTAT, in June 2025, goods exports reached a value of 35 billion ALL, marking a 2% increase compared to the same period...

UAE president visits Albania to deepen bilateral ties
TIRANA, July 17 – The President of the United Arab Emirates, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, arrived in Albania late Wednesday for an official visit aimed at expanding cooperation between the two countries. Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama...

Albania cuts sky-high interest rates on small loans
Albania has slashed interest rate limits on small consumer loans in an effort to protect borrowers from predatory lending, following public backlash over abusive microcredit practices. As of July 11, lenders can no longer charge more than 62%...

Albania’s second‑home tax likely hikes rents, not sales
Albania’s new tax on second homes won’t directly impact wealthy owners—but it is expected to raise rental costs for tenants, experts say. One consultant explains: “If a €100,000 apartment sees a 1% tax (€1,000) annually, renters will end up paying...

Tramore community rallies around Albanian family facing deportation
Dozens of parents and children gathered under the hot July sunshine on Saturday morning in the seaside town of Tramore calling on the Minister for Justice not to deport an Albanian family and to grant them permission to remain on humanitarian...

BIG PICTURE: Spa owner opts for early retirement, transitions business to former employees
A Focused Touch Day Spa has opened a new chapter as its founder, Amy Hughes, takes an early retirement. She's leasing out space to her former employees, who now run their own independent businesses.Shelley Swift | Daily Reporter By Shelley Swift |...

Water tanks replace springs on a Serbian mountain as drought endangers some 1,000 cows and horses
Your support helps us to tell the story From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our...
:quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/shawmedia/LVBWIG3BAVFBJD5SVM45XX6JKQ.jpg)
Truckers fear job loss as new English language rules take effect
LINDEN, N.J. (AP) — At a trucking school in New Jersey, students are maneuvering 18-wheelers around traffic cones. Other future drivers look under hoods to perform safety checks, narrating as they examine steering hoses for cracks and leaks. An...

This hidden Staten Island gem serves Albanian food just like grandma used to make
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — Steaming borek bread loaves and hand-made kebabs are part of the draw to Alba Cafe and Market. Located at 1880 Hylan Blvd on Staten Island’s East Shore, Alba Market combines a butcher shop, grocery store, and restaurant under...

Armenia and Azerbaijan have taken a new route in their quest for peace
Political scientists and wider civil society from Armenia and Azerbaijan don’t often see eye to eye. After decades of war between the two countries their grievances run deep, with each side blaming the other for continued rounds of conflict. But...

The Secret Mediterranean: Why Albania Should Be Your Next Vacation
A stunning beach not yet taken over by summer crowds. Green Coast MGallery For decades, the Mediterranean has been spinning the same golden oldies: Capri, Saint-Tropez, Mykonos, Ibiza — the kind of places where the yachts are larger than the local...
![History of the Bosnia War [Part 1] – Thirty Years After Srebrenica](https://2c717466dc25cd7041c9-8eeda6a8ca964cf210ed223dbc947813.ssl.cf2.rackcdn.com/23398788-832337539-Map_of_war_in_Yugoslavia_1993-1000x600-100x60.png)
History of the Bosnia War [Part 1] – Thirty Years After Srebrenica
By Ibrahim Moiz 15 July 2025 Bism Allah Al-Rahman Al-Rahim A Terrible Anniversary Srebrenica, Bosnia Keep supporting MuslimMatters for the sake of Allah Alhamdulillah, we're at over 850 supporters. Help us get to 900 supporters this month. All it...