Impakti.com
EN|SQ
HomeEconomyTechnologyPoliticsWorldWeatherCultureLifestyleScienceOp-EdNation

Download the app

Download on the App StoreGet it on Google Play
Impakti.com

Impakti is a bilingual digital news platform delivering news and analysis in English and Albanian.

  • Radio Impakti
  • Weather
  • Crypto
  • Terms of Use
  • Advertise
  • About Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Newsletter

Find us on:

media@impakti.com

Agim Ramadani St.

10000 Pristina

© 2026 Impakti. All rights reserved.

Politics

Saturday, April 18, 2026

Policy · Analysis · Developments

Rubio urges two nuclear powers to avoid escalation
Politics

Rubio urges two nuclear powers to avoid escalation

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has called for calm between India and Pakistan after a deadly attack in Indian-administered Kashmir that killed 26 Hindu tourists.
In separate phone calls with Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Rubio expressed condolences for the victims and stressed the need for the two countries to work together to maintain peace and security in South Asia.
India has accused Pakistan of supporting the perpetrators of the attack, a charge Islamabad has vehemently denied. As a result, tensions have escalated significantly, including the expulsion of diplomats from both sides, the closure of airspace, and daily exchanges of fire along the Line of Control in Kashmir.
India and Pakistan are both nuclear powers, which makes the situation even more sensitive and dangerous. According to the latest data from the Federation of American Scientists (FAS), India possesses about 160 nuclear warheads, while Pakistan has an arsenal of about 170 nuclear warheads.
Along with the military escalation, the Indus Waters Treaty, the 1960 treaty that regulates the sharing of water resources between India and Pakistan, has also been brought back into the spotlight. Indian officials have threatened to cancel the agreement. Islamabad has called the potential water embargo an “act of war,” warning that such a move could lead to an immediate escalation of the conflict between the two nuclear powers. These developments make diplomatic intervention to preserve peace all the more urgent. A clash between the two nuclear powers, based on territorial disputes and tensions over vital resources such as water, could lead to catastrophic consequences for the region and beyond.
Ad space
Politics

Liberals retain power in Canada: Mark Carney consolidates position as leader

Mark Carney has won Canada's federal election held on April 28, 2025, leading the Liberal Party to a significant victory after a close and highly contested race. Carney, an internationally renowned figure for his experience at the helm of the Bank of Canada and the Bank of England, managed to secure 164 seats, positioning his party to form a minority government. Although he fell short of a majority, his victory is seen as a clear mandate to protect Canada's independence and restore economic stability.
Pierre Poilievre, the leader of the Conservative Party, suffered a heavy defeat not only nationally but also personally, losing his long-held seat of Carleton, Ontario. His harsh rhetoric against federal institutions and a tougher approach to social policies did not find sufficient support among voters who this time sought more moderation and calm leadership in turbulent times. For many conservatives, Poilievre's loss is a clarion call for reflection and a restructuring of the political approach.
Mark Carney's campaign was characterized by a strong focus on defending Canadian sovereignty, especially in the wake of rising tensions with the administration of US President Donald Trump. Trump's statements about the possibility of annexing Canada as the "51st state" caused widespread anger in the Canadian public and reinforced Carney's message about the need for strong and stable leadership in defense of national interests. This political climate accelerated the consolidation of support for the Liberals in the final weeks of the campaign.
In his victory speech, Mark Carney declared that Canada “will never be broken” by external pressures and emphasized that his government would commit to building closer relationships with international partners such as the European Union and Asia, reducing its heavy economic dependence on the United States. He also reiterated his commitment to combating climate change, making housing more affordable, and strengthening Canada’s middle class.
As Mark Carney prepares to build his government and negotiate support for future bills, the challenges ahead are numerous. He must preserve the internal unity of the Liberal Party, manage relations with a fragmented Parliament, and fulfill campaign promises. However, for many voters, Carney's arrival at the helm of government represents a new hope for stability, responsibility and a strong stance on the international stage.

In this section

Haxhiu does not receive enough votes in the next attempt for Speaker of the Assembly
Politics

Haxhiu does not receive enough votes in the next attempt for Speaker of the Assembly

The attempt to elect the speaker of the Kosovo Assembly has failed again after the candidate of the Vetëvendosje Movement, Albulena Haxhiu, failed to secure the necessary majority of votes. Haxhiu received only 54 votes out of 120 deputies, falling short of the 61-vote threshold required to take over the leadership of the Assembly.
Malaysia opens doors to Kosovors without visa barriers
Politics

Malaysia opens doors to Kosovors without visa barriers

Citizens of the Republic of Kosovo can now travel to Malaysia without a visa, for stays of up to thirty (30) days, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kosovo announced in an official statement.
This decision constitutes an important step towards expanding travel freedoms for citizens of Kosovo and another concrete evidence of the advancement of the international subjectivity of our state. With this, Malaysia joins the list of countries where Kosovors can travel without visa barriers.
The Ministry emphasized that this development is the result of the increasingly close relations between the two countries and the commitment to deepen bilateral cooperation in various fields.
Haxhiu does not receive enough votes even in her fourth attempt to become Speaker of the Assembly
Politics

Haxhiu does not receive enough votes even in her fourth attempt to become Speaker of the Assembly

The fourth attempt to elect the speaker of the Kosovo Assembly has also failed after the candidate of the Vetëvendosje Movement, Albulena Haxhiu, failed to secure the necessary majority of votes. As in previous sessions, Haxhiu received only 57 votes out of 120 deputies, falling below the threshold of 61 votes required to take over the leadership of the Assembly.

More headlines

06

Trump Message to Putin: "Vladimir, STOP!"

United States President Donald J. Trump has reacted strongly to the recent Russian attacks on the Ukrainian capital, Kiev. In a post on his Truth Social network, Trump called the attacks “unnecessary” and “very badly timed,” directly calling on Russian President Vladimir Putin to stop them immediately.
“Vladimir, STOP!” Trump wrote in strong tones, further emphasizing: “5,000 soldiers a week are dying.” He concluded the message with a clear appeal: “Let’s finish the Peace Agreement NOW!”
His statement today clearly shows that he continues to position himself as a key figure in ending the conflict. His comments come at a time when fighting has intensified and international concerns about casualties and humanitarian consequences are growing.
07

Albulena Haxhiu does not receive enough votes even in her third attempt to become Speaker of the Parliament

The third attempt to elect the speaker of the Kosovo Assembly ended in failure, as the candidate of the Vetëvendosje Movement, Albulena Haxhiu, failed to secure the necessary majority of votes. As in previous sessions, Haxhiu received only 57 votes out of 120 deputies, falling short of the 61-vote threshold required to take over the presidency of the Assembly.
08

Kosovo Assembly's constitutive session adjourned: Konjufca seeks political agreement

The constitutive session of the Kosovo Assembly was adjourned today by Speaker Avni Dehari, following the request of the Vetëvendosje Movement MP, Glauk Konjufca.
Konjufca asked for time and stressed that it is necessary to reach an agreement between political parties on the election of the Speaker of the Assembly, adding that "without a political agreement, the process cannot continue".
The session is expected to continue on Wednesday, while the political parties are expected to engage in intensive negotiations over the coming days to find a solution that would pave the way for the constitution of the institutions.
09

Four votes away: The decision is expected today on the podium, but has it been made in the corridors?

The Kosovo Assembly will attempt again today, for the fourth time, to elect its speaker in a session that begins at 15:00. In the last meeting on April 19, although the oath-taking procedure was completed, the candidacy for speaker did not receive the necessary votes.
The attempt by the Vetëvendosje Movement to install Albulena Haxhiu as head of the Kosovo Assembly failed, as she failed to secure the necessary majority of votes in either the first or second round of voting. In the first round, Haxhiu received 57 votes in favor, 20 against and 3 abstentions, leaving four votes below the required threshold of 61 votes to be elected. 
Even in the second round, the result remained almost unchanged, proving that the lack of support from the opposition continued to be the same. Vetëvendosje, although it emerged as the largest force with 48 mandates, has not managed to secure partners to form a governing coalition or to pass its candidacies in the Assembly. 
If today's session also ends unsuccessfully, the institutional crisis could be prolonged with consequences for the functioning of the state. Without the election of the Speaker of the Assembly, the formation of a new government cannot proceed. Another failure could trigger new scenarios, including the calling of early elections.
10

MP Balje positions herself as an opposition member

Bosnian MP Duda Balje has announced that she will move to the opposition, stressing that she does not expect any major changes in political developments as a result of this decision. She has emphasized that she will not be aligned with the Vetëvendosje Movement in the Kosovo Assembly, underlining her independent stance and commitment to representing the interests of the Bosniak community.
Duda Balje, as a representative of the Bosniak community in Kosovo, has had the main request to initiate procedures for the creation of a new municipality with a Bosniak majority, a proposal that does not seem to have found support from Kurti. Her non-participation in the vote for Albulena Haxhiu as Speaker of the Assembly was interpreted as a clear step towards the opposition, at a time when Vetëvendosje is facing difficulties in securing a parliamentary majority.
Page123456789