INTERNACIONAL
Albanian judge killed in courtroom shooting amid growing anger over justice system reforms
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
On Oct. 6, Albanian Appeals Court Judge Astrit Kalaja was shot inside the Tirana courtroom where he oversaw a property dispute case, according to the International Commission of Jurists. Kalaja died of his wounds, and two others were injured in the shooting. The 30-year-old suspect has been arrested.
Kalaja’s killing quickly became a lightning rod for nationwide dissatisfaction with the Albanian judiciary.
Former Albanian Ambassador to the United States and the United Nations Agim Nesho told Fox News Digital that reforms implemented almost a decade ago by the European Union and the U.S. were «intended to strengthen the rule of law,» but have been «transformed into a political instrument, undermining democratic institutions and concentrating power in the hands of the executive.»
SOROS V TRUMP: SOCIALISTS TARGETS CONSERVATIVES IN UPCOMING EUROPEAN NATION’S ELECTION
Police secure the perimeter outside Tirana Appeal Court after a judge was shot dead, in Tirana, on Oct. 6, 2025. A man on trial opened fire in a courtroom in the Albanian capital Tirana, killing Appeals Court Judge Astrit Kalaja, who was presiding over the man’s case when the man opened fire, police said. (Adnan Beci/AFP via Getty Images)
«As a result,» Nesho said, «the public’s confidence in the justice system has severely eroded, with institutional dysfunction reaching a level where some segments of society feel driven to take justice into their own hands — a dangerous sign of democratic backsliding.»
Opposition Democratic Party leader Sali Berisha told Fox News Digital that Kalaja’s killing was «an abominable act and an alarm bell that should not be ignored.»
MEET RAMADURO: EUROPE’S PROGRESSIVE SOROS-TRAINED AUTOCRAT AND ENEMY OF TRUMPISM
Berisha said that the «evident support that the act has garnered,» including the creation of a now inactive GoFundMe to support the killer’s legal rights, demonstrates «protest against a dysfunctional judiciary, against a corrupt and politicized judicial system.»
Berisha said judicial reforms «left the country without a Constitutional Court and without a High Court for more than five years,» creating a «staggering backlog» of around 200,000 cases. He said that the process of vetting judicial personnel turned into «a witch-hunt against magistrates that were perceived [to be] independent or potentially right-leaning.» According to Berisha, this led to the «weaponization of the judiciary against the opposition.»
Lawmakers of the Democratic Party, left, look on as their colleagues of the ruling Socialist party vote in Tirana, Albania, Feb. 22, 2024. (Armando Babani/AP Photo)
A 2020 report on U.S. assistance to Albania describes American and EU efforts to «restore the integrity of the Albanian justice system.» The report states that USAID assisted the High Court with creating a procedure to manage 72% of its 35,000 backlogged cases. It also stated that 125 of 286 judges and prosecutors put through vetting procedures had «been dismissed for unexplained wealth, ties to organized crime, or incompetence,» while 50 judges chose to resign rather than go through vetting.
EX-ALBANIAN PRESIDENT WARNS BIDEN THAT RUSSIA SEEKS TO ‘UNDERMINE EUROPEAN VALUES AND FOUNDATIONS’ IN REGION
Berisha claimed that in the aftermath of reforms, it now takes about 15–20 years for the resolution of legal disputes. «Justice delayed is justice denied,» Berisha said.
Lawyer Besnik Muçi, formerly a prosecutor and a judge in the Constitutional Court of Albania, told Fox News Digital that judicial reforms aimed «to establish a credible, fair, independent, professional, service-oriented justice system that is open, accountable and efficient.» He said that the Albanian justice system «has failed in almost all» parameters.
Muçi said the courts’ backlog consists of about 150,000 cases. He also noted that the closure of five appeal courts and some district courts has «almost blocked the citizens’ access to justice.» He also explained that most court buildings do not «meet…the security conditions and standards necessary.»
«Citizens do not believe in the justice system,» Muçi said.
Then Albanian President Ilir Meta holds an American flag as he delivers a speech during a rally in Tirana, on March 2, 2020. Thousands of Albanians rallied on March 2, 2020 against the country’s left-wing government and Prime Minister Edi Rama, responding to a call from the president who accuses him of violating the constitution. (Photo by Gent Shkullaku/AFP via Getty Images)
After Kalaja’s murder, the Korça Bar Association and National Bar Association of Albania boycotted court proceedings on Oct. 9 and 10. Korça Bar Association Director Nevzat Tarelli told Albanian news station CNA that Kalaja’s killing highlighted the need for increased security for and trust in judicial personnel. He also said that «people who expect justice in a timely manner, if they do not receive it, no longer have faith in justice.»
Engjëll Agaçi, general secretary of Albania’s Council of Ministers, did not respond to Fox News Digital’s questions about nationwide discontent with the judiciary or the size of Albania’s court case backlog.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
A State Department spokesperson declined to respond to questions about the success of U.S.-backed judicial reform efforts in Albania or address the issues that Kalaja’s killing has highlighted.
«We offer our deepest sympathies to the victims of this attack and their families and strongly condemn the use of violence against judges and prosecutors,» the spokesperson said.
the balkans,europe,foreign policy
INTERNACIONAL
Tech company at odds with Pentagon warns its AI possibly gained consciousness, Elon Musk gives 2-word response
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
SpaceX and Tesla CEO Elon Musk gave a two-word retort after Anthropic leader Dario Amodei claimed in an interview that he isn’t sure if his company’s AI models have gained consciousness.
«Anthropic CEO says Claude may or may not have gained consciousness, as the model has begun showing symptoms of anxiety,» read a post on X by cryptocurrency-based prediction market Polymarket, to which Musk replied, «He’s projecting.»
The comment from Musk, who is also the founder of xAI, comes as Anthropic is at odds with the Pentagon over its use in a separate matter.
In an interview with The New York Times, Amodei, when asked about AI and consciousness, said, «We’ve taken a generally precautionary approach here,» and, «We don’t know if the models are conscious.»
SpaceX and Tesla CEO Elon Musk, left, and Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei. (Stefani Reynolds/Bloomberg via Getty Images; Samyukta Lakshmi/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
«We are not even sure that we know what it would mean for a model to be conscious or whether a model can be conscious. But we’re open to the idea that it could be,» he continued.
«We’re putting a lot of work into this field called interpretability, which is looking inside the brains of the models to try to understand what they’re thinking. And you find things that are evocative, where there are activations that light up in the models that we see as being associated with the concept of anxiety or something like that. When characters experience anxiety in the text, and then when the model itself is in a situation that a human might associate with anxiety, that same anxiety neuron shows up,» Amodei also told the Times.
The interview comes as the Trump administration is moving federal agencies away from Anthropic after the tech company pushed back against the War Department’s usage of its tools.
The Pentagon has called for Anthropic to allow the Department of War to utilize the company’s artificial intelligence product for «all lawful purposes,» but Amodei has suggested the government could potentially use their product for «mass domestic surveillance» or «fully autonomous weapons,» and that the company would not be willing to allow such use cases.
PENTAGON’S AI BATTLE WILL HELP DECIDE WHO CONTROLS OUR MOST POWERFUL MILITARY TECH
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth stands outside the Pentagon during a ceremony welcoming Japan’s defense minister in Washington, on Jan. 15, 2026. (Kevin Wolf/AP)
President Donald Trump said last Friday, «The Leftwing nut jobs at Anthropic have made a DISASTROUS MISTAKE trying to STRONG-ARM the Department of War, and force them to obey their Terms of Service instead of our Constitution. Their selfishness is putting AMERICAN LIVES at risk, our Troops in danger, and our National Security in JEOPARDY.»
«Therefore, I am directing EVERY Federal Agency in the United States Government to IMMEDIATELY CEASE all use of Anthropic’s technology. We don’t need it, we don’t want it, and will not do business with them again! There will be a Six Month phase out period for Agencies like the Department of War who are using Anthropic’s products, at various levels,» Trump added on Truth Social.
President Donald Trump gestures as he boards Air Force One before departing Palm Beach International Airport in West Palm Beach, Florida, on March 1, 2026. Trump said last week he is «directing EVERY Federal Agency in the United States Government to IMMEDIATELY CEASE all use of Anthropic’s technology.» (Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images)
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth later wrote on X, «In conjunction with the President’s directive for the Federal Government to cease all use of Anthropic’s technology, I am directing the Department of War to designate Anthropic a Supply-Chain Risk to National Security. Effective immediately, no contractor, supplier, or partner that does business with the United States military may conduct any commercial activity with Anthropic. Anthropic will continue to provide the Department of War its services for a period of no more than six months to allow for a seamless transition to a better and more patriotic service.»
Fox News Digital’s Alex Nitzberg contributed to this report.
Related Article
artificial intelligence,pentagon,elon musk,tech,donald trump,politics
INTERNACIONAL
La magia del azúcar y la música salvadoreña: lo que se vive en la Feria de la Panela de Apastepeque
Este fin de semana el distrito de Apastepeque, en San Vicente Norte, se convertirá en el epicentro de la cultura y la tradición salvadoreña con la celebración de la 24.ª edición de la Feria de la Panela. Esta festividad, que se realizará los días 7 y 8 de marzo en la molienda Divina Providencia, reunirá a turistas nacionales e internacionales para celebrar uno de los productos más emblemáticos derivados de la caña de azúcar: la panela.
La feria inicia el sábado 8 de marzo con una variada agenda que incluye música en vivo, cabalgatas, gastronomía típica, desfiles de carrozas, bandas musicales y actividades de turismo vivencial. La molienda Divina Providencia, ubicada a 500 metros al oriente del Parque Central José María Canales, será el principal escenario donde los visitantes podrán disfrutar de artistas invitados como Los Dos de la Banda, Alex Joshua, Alejandro Fernández y Selena Rodríguez, quienes amenizarán las jornadas con presentaciones musicales y espectáculos variados.
Uno de los momentos más esperados será la elección y coronación de la reina de la Feria de la Panela, un evento que destaca el papel de las jóvenes de la localidad y la importancia de preservar las tradiciones comunitarias. Además, la programación cultural del domingo contará con la participación de la orquesta Color Esperanza, el ballet folclórico y el grupo Impacto Norteño, así como agrupaciones coreográficas que enriquecerán la experiencia de los asistentes.
La feria no solo es una celebración musical y cultural, sino también una oportunidad para que los visitantes conozcan a fondo el proceso artesanal de elaboración de la panela y sus derivados. Durante el evento, los asistentes podrán observar el proceso completo, desde la cosecha de la caña de azúcar hasta la obtención de los dulces tradicionales como la melcocha, el batido y el azúcar de pilón. Quienes visiten la molienda tendrán la oportunidad de adquirir estos productos y apoyar a los productores locales, contribuyendo así al desarrollo económico de la región.
La elaboración de la panela en Apastepeque inicia en los cañales, donde la caña madura se corta manualmente con herramientas como el machete. Los productores seleccionan las cañas más robustas y frescas, que luego son transportadas a la molienda. En este punto, la caña se introduce en una máquina de rodillos que la prensa con fuerza para extraer el jugo dulce, conocido como guarapo.
El jugo recién extraído se filtra para eliminar impurezas y se vierte en grandes calderas de metal donde se calienta con fuego de leña. A medida que el líquido hierve, los maestros paneleros lo remueven de manera constante con palas de madera para evitar que se queme y para lograr una cocción uniforme. Un espeso vapor se eleva de los calderos y el ambiente se impregna del aroma característico del azúcar cocida.
Durante la cocción, el jugo de caña pasa por varias etapas en las que se va concentrando y adquiere una textura más densa. En el momento preciso, el maestro panelero traslada la mezcla a moldes de madera, donde se enfría y solidifica para formar los bloques de panela. El resultado es un dulce compacto y de color dorado, de sabor intenso y aroma penetrante.
Además de la panela, en la feria se elaboran y venden otros productos derivados como la melcocha, un caramelo suave que se estira y enrolla a mano; el batido, una variante que implica batir el jugo caliente hasta obtener una textura granulada; y el azúcar de pilón, que requiere un proceso de cristalización adicional.
La Feria de la Panela en Apastepeque es una vitrina para la cultura local, el trabajo de los productores y la riqueza gastronómica de San Vicente Norte. Este evento no solo permite degustar productos auténticos, sino que promueve la identidad y el orgullo de una comunidad que mantiene vivo el legado de la caña de azúcar y la elaboración artesanal de la panela, una tradición que trasciende generaciones y une a familias enteras en torno al dulce sabor de su tierra.
corresponsal:Desde San Salvador, El Salvador
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
An Iranian official warned that any European countries that enter the conflict against Iran will become «legitimate targets» for Tehran’s retaliation.
Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Majid Takht-Ravanchi made the remark to France24 as Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Saturday apologized to neighboring countries that have been attacked by the regime.
«We have already informed the Europeans and everybody else that they should be careful not to be involved in this war of aggression against Iran,» Takht-Ravanchi told the network. «If they help, I’m not trying to name any country, but if any country joins in the aggression against Iran, joins America and Israel in the aggression against Iran, definitely they will be also the legitimate targets for Iranian retaliation.»
«This war has imposed on us, and we will continue to defend ourselves to the best of our abilities,» he added. «We have an obligation to defend our people and that is what exactly we are doing.»
Then-Iranian Ambassador to the United Nations Majid Takht-Ravanchi speaks to the media outside Security Council chambers at the U.N. headquarters in New York, on June 24, 2019. (Shannon Stapleton/Reuters)
Takht-Ravanchi also claimed Iran was «negotiating in good faith» in talks with the U.S. about its nuclear program, before America launched Operation Epic Fury and Israel began Operation Roaring Lion on Feb. 28.
«We are sincere. We are sincere in our endeavor to arrive at a peaceful conclusion of this issue,» he told France24.
AFTER THE STRIKES, HOW WOULD THE US SECURE IRAN’S ENRICHED URANIUM?
A group of men inspect the ruins of a police station struck during the U.S.–Israeli military campaign in Tehran, Iran, on Tuesday, March 3, 2026. (Vahid Salemi/AP)
Pezeshkian said Saturday that any future attacks coming out of Iran would only be in response to attacks against the country.
«I should apologize to the neighboring countries that were attacked by Iran, on my own behalf,» he said, according to The Associated Press. «From now on, they should not attack neighboring countries or fire missiles at them, unless we are attacked by those countries. I think we should solve this through diplomacy.»
Damage is seen in Bnei Brak, Israel, on March 3, 2026, following an Iranian missile barrage. (Nir Elias/Reuters)
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
Pezeshkian made the apology during a prerecorded televised speech on Saturday after Iran launched repeated strikes on Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Oman.
Despite the vow, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Ministry of Defense said on Saturday that the country’s air defense systems intercepted 16 ballistic missiles, 15 of which were destroyed while one fell into the sea.
Fox News Digital’s Elizabeth Pritchett and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Related Article
war with iran,iran,europe,the european union,conflicts,middle east,world
VIDEO | “Quiero un Milei en España”: el mensaje viral de una streamer de Barcelona
¡Urgente! Internaron a Floppy Tesouro por un grave problema de salud y crece la preocupación: «Estoy internada por una neuralgia del trigémino», reveló la modelo
Juicio por YPF: en su primera medida como Procurador, Amerio pidió frenar las investigaciones hasta que se defina la apelación de fondo
La queja de Ángel Comizzo en Perú tras ser despedido de Atlético Grau: «Ni en mi último día pueden…»
Tech company at odds with Pentagon warns its AI possibly gained consciousness, Elon Musk gives 2-word response
Tras la muerte por extorsión de un soldado, impulsan un proyecto para prohibir celulares en las cárceles bonaerenses
El hijo adoptivo de José María Muscari tomó una tajante decisión de vida a los 18 años
¡Interna total! Pablo Layus explotó y blanqueó quiénes son los que arruinan Intrusos: «Te matan»
Ángel de Brito contó la oscura verdad de Jorge Rial para no ir a LAM: “Es un…”
Mapa de la guerra en Medio Oriente: dos bandos y 13 países involucrados en un conflicto que jaquea al mundo
CHIMENTOS3 días agoEl hijo adoptivo de José María Muscari tomó una tajante decisión de vida a los 18 años
- POLITICA1 día ago
Javier Milei habló de la crisis con la vicepresidenta: “No quiero la renuncia de Victoria Villarruel”
- CHIMENTOS3 días ago
El desafortunado comentario de Yanina Zilli contra Daniela de Lucía, tras la muerte de su padre: “Jugamos con lo personal”
