Tirane

The second international literature "White Sea" festival gathered authors from all over the Europe in Tirana in an attempt to revive the cultural life of the Albanian capital.

Organized by Institute for Democracy, Media, and Culture, the festival gives European writers a stage to hold dialogue with each other and include a wider audience while discussing their work.

On a historic trip to Albania by the Serbian Prime Minister on Wednesday, the two sides underlined the importance of regional cooperation and agreed to disagree on the independence of the former Serbian province of Kosovo.

Vucic arrived in Tirana on Wednesday morning and was welcomed at the airport by Deputy Prime Minister Niko Peleshi.

The zoo in the Albanian capital was shuttered after the video was published online last week by Animal Rescue Albania, a Tirana-based campaign group.

In an open letter to the city's mayor Lulzim Basha, Animal Rescue Albania called on the authorities to close the zoo down and end the cruelty towards the animals kept there.

Tirana responds to twin terror bombings

Bomb blasts in the Albanian capital are being seen as an attempt to undermine the country's anti-crime agenda.

Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama said Tuesday's terror attacks have not shaken the government's commitment to fight crime. [AFP]

In Serbia, local people including journalists spontaneously gathered on Wednesday night in front of the French embassy in Belgrade to honour the staff of Charlie Hebdo - the satirical magazine at the centre of the bloodbath in Paris.

About 40 people lighted candles paying respect to the 12 victims of the attack who included eight journalists and two policemen.

Pëllumb Peka owns one of only three bakeries in this former mining community of 8,000, where almost everyone bakes their own bread. Recently, however, he has also kept himself busy minting certificates about the baking abilities of locals seeking jobs in the EU.