In a world where the only reliably expanding markets belong to the military sector, and technological innovation appears increasingly devoted to perfecting the art of mutual destruction, where can one still find hope? https://www.japantimes.co.jp/commentary/2025/12/28/world/year-that-could-be/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #commentary #worldnews #uk #albania #brexit #italy #donaldtrump #eu #immigration
@ascentale @bikenite A8. While you can see cargo-trikes here, you don't see bakfiets or the e-longbikes that have proven so popular with US/UK parents. However, you do see parents riding kids of all ages around. Sometimes on the top tube or handlebars, sometimes alongside them, and in this case, with two plastic child seats on the bike.
It's been raining and that doesn't stop cyclists here. #Albania #BikeNite
And our last question of the week:
Q8. What did your last week look like? Do you have a photo to share from this past week? Cycling-related or not, it's fine either way.
#BikeNiteQ #BikeNite #BikeTooter #Cycling #MastoBikes cc @bikenite
@ascentale @bikenite A8. While you can see cargo-trikes here, you don't see bakfiets or the e-longbikes that have proven so popular with US/UK parents. However, you do see parents riding kids of all ages around. Sometimes on the top tube or handlebars, sometimes alongside them, and in this case, with two plastic child seats on the bike.
It's been raining and that doesn't stop cyclists here. #Albania #BikeNite
One of the few times I caught one of these great cycling shots in time! #BikeTooter #Albania #Europe #CarryShitOlympics
@ascentale @bikenite Q8. Finally got a few good shots this week, but still missing some of the greatest ones. https://mas.to/@meganL/115543511576667506 #BikeNite #Albania #Europe
And our last question of the week:
Q8. Hopefully you've had a good week. Do you have a photo to share from this past week? Cycling-related or not, it's fine either way.
#BikeNiteQ #BikeNite #BikeTooter #Cycling #MastoBikes cc @bikenite
One of the few times I caught one of these great cycling shots in time! #BikeTooter #Albania #Europe #CarryShitOlympics
@ascentale @bikenite Q8. Finally got a few good shots this week, but still missing some of the greatest ones. https://mas.to/@meganL/115543511576667506 #BikeNite #Albania #Europe
One of the few times I caught one of these great cycling shots in time! #BikeTooter #Albania #Europe #CarryShitOlympics
One of the few times I caught one of these great cycling shots in time! #BikeTooter #Albania #Europe #CarryShitOlympics
Mentre i giudici di Roma alla Corte #EU dichiarano illegittimo l'accordo #Italia- #Albania sui #migranti, oggi sono 2 anni da quando venne firmato il protocollo grazie al quale sono stati realizzati l’hotspot di Shëngjin e il centro di Gjader: un fallimento - Annalisa Camilli - Internazionale https://www.internazionale.it/notizie/annalisa-camilli/2025/11/04/centri-migranti-albania-flop
What the fuck?
' #AI Minister "Pregnant" With "83 Children": #Albania PM's Bizarre Announcement
#EdiRama said the "children," or assistants, will record everything that happens in #parliament'
'In September 2025... #Diella was formally appointed as "Minister of State for #ArtificialIntelligence" of Albania...
making it the first AI system in the world to be named in a cabinet-level government role"
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diella_(AI_system)
I repeat:
What the fuck?
In September, PM #EdiRama of #Albania appointed the first #AI system in the world to a cabinet-level government role
Named ' #Diella' from the Albanian word diell meaning 'sun'
The AI uses the likeness and voice of Albanian actress Anila Bisha wearing traditional clothing of the Zadrima region in Northwest Albania
This is its first address to parliament on September 18, from its new government position
Prepare to be creeped the fuck out
What the fuck are we doing world?
What the fuck?
' #AI Minister "Pregnant" With "83 Children": #Albania PM's Bizarre Announcement
#EdiRama said the "children," or assistants, will record everything that happens in #parliament'
'In September 2025... #Diella was formally appointed as "Minister of State for #ArtificialIntelligence" of Albania...
making it the first AI system in the world to be named in a cabinet-level government role"
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diella_(AI_system)
I repeat:
What the fuck?
What the fuck?
' #AI Minister "Pregnant" With "83 Children": #Albania PM's Bizarre Announcement
#EdiRama said the "children," or assistants, will record everything that happens in #parliament'
'In September 2025... #Diella was formally appointed as "Minister of State for #ArtificialIntelligence" of Albania...
making it the first AI system in the world to be named in a cabinet-level government role"
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diella_(AI_system)
I repeat:
What the fuck?
A possibly interesting bit of trivia is that I've seen Magnolia grandiflora, native to the US South, used as a street tree in at least a couple cities in #Albania. #UrbanForest #Botany
A possibly interesting bit of trivia is that I've seen Magnolia grandiflora, native to the US South, used as a street tree in at least a couple cities in #Albania. #UrbanForest #Botany
Man using a bike as a "dolly" for a minisplit in Tirana today. #Albania #CarryShitOlympics #BikeTooter
Man using a bike as a "dolly" for a minisplit in Tirana today. #Albania #CarryShitOlympics #BikeTooter
A growing number of women are being drawn by international criminal networks into Albania from impoverished countries on the promise of lucrative sex work and a potential gateway to Europe. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/10/07/world/crime-legal/women-albania-sex-trade/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #worldnews #crimelegal #sexcrimes #prostitution #pornography #albania #organizedcrime #humantrafficking
Even the utility box art smokes here. #Albania
There's an initiative for civil society orgs from #Albania, #Armenia, #BosniaAndHerzegovina, #Georgia, #Kazakhstan, #Kosovo, #Kyrgyzstan, #Moldova, #Montenegro, #NorthMacedonia, #Serbia, #Ukraine, and #Turkey:
The Digital #Democracy Initiative #Hackathon provides pilot #funding to develop & scale digital solutions to protect and expand #civicspace through technology.
You can apply for the fully funded 5-day hackathon in Bangkok (1-5 November 2025):
In an area of town that has a lot of greengrocers and vendors of dried fruits & nuts, this vendor is splitting the peppers and laying them out on a car hood to dry. #Albania #FruitToot
The Vjosa River in #Albania is one of the largest free-flowing wild rivers in Europe.
In 2023, it was declared Europe’s first Wild River National Park.
But even the Vjosa is under threat. Ironically, it is being endangered by the very people coming to admire its wildness
Many people are coming by car. Visitors drink water from plastic bottles, which end up in the Vjosa river. There is no proper sewage system in place