BBC News with Marion Marshall

The American congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, who was shot in the head while meeting voters almost two weeks ago, has left hospital in Arizona to go to a

rehabilitation

centre in Texas. The shooting, in which Ms Giffords was injured and six others were killed, led to concerns about the harsh political debate in the United States. Some people said it had contributed to the incident. Rajesh Mirchandani reports.

People lined the streets as a motorcade ferried congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords from the hospital in Tucson to a military airbase. Her ambulance was

escort

ed by a group of army veteran motorcycle riders. Ms Giffords had previously ridden with them. She'll be flown to a

renowned

rehabilitation centre in Houston, Texas, but doctors warn she'll need weeks, if not months, of treatment, and it's still too early to say what long-term damage there might be.

Hospital officials in the Albanian capital Tirana say three people have been shot dead in clashes between riot police and thousands of anti-government protesters. More from Mark Lowen.

Several policemen and civilians have also been injured in the violence, which began in the early afternoon when supporters of the opposition Socialist Party gathered outside the prime minister's office. They

hurl

ed stones and set cars alight before the police used tear gas and water cannons. The protesters are calling for the resignation of the government, which they believe stole the last election and is