The Albania parliament, amidst protests&nbsp;by loyal MPs has voted to remove legal immunity of former President Sali Berisha, who faces corruption charges. This move, met with&nbsp;jeers and demonstrations, marks a pivotal moment in Albanian politics.

Sali Berisha, a political figure who dominated Albanian politics in the 1990s and served as the conservative prime minister from 2005 to 2013, now confronts potential arrest and a lengthy jail term. Despite vehemently denying all charges, Berisha has labeled the investigation a "purely political" ploy by his rival, current socialist Prime Minister Edi Rama.

As the parliament voted to strip Berisha of immunity by a narrow margin of 75 to 65, his opposition Democratic party MPs protested vehemently, igniting smoke bombs and piling up chairs&nbsp;in the chamber. Berisha, leaving the session surrounded by bodyguards, defiantly declared, "I am stronger than ever."

Also watch |&nbsp;Albania struggles to control forest fire

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<h2>Protests and security measures</h2>

Outside the parliament, hundreds of Berisha's supporters protested, prompting police to cordon off the area. Riot police, equipped with water cannons stood by to prevent potential violence following the decision.

Berisha and his son-in-law, Jamarber Malltezi, face charges of "passive corruption" stemming from 2008, when Berisha's government introduced a law allowing the privatisation of sports facilities expropriated under communism. The special prosecutor’s office alleges that these legal changes benefited projects in which Berisha and Malltezi had financial stakes, resulting in €5.4m in kickbacks.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/football-ireland-women-secure-nations-league-a-berth-after-beating-albania-on-damp-pitch-653990">Also read |&nbsp;Football: Ireland Women secure Nations League A berth after beating Albania on damp pitch</a>

The parliamentary decision came after Berisha refused to cooperate with authorities during the investigation and ignored measures requiring him to report to the police regularly. Albania, often ranked as one of Europe's poorest and most corrupt countries, faced international scrutiny last year when Berisha was banned from entering the US and the UK over alleged involvement in organised crime and corruption.

The United States has accused Berisha of misappropriating public funds and interfering with public processes, asserting that, as prime minister, he used his power for personal gain. Berisha staunchly denies these allegations, setting the stage for a complex legal battle that could have far-reaching consequences for Albanian politics and its international standing.

(With inputs from agencies)

The Albania parliament, amidst protests by loyal MPs has voted to remove legal immunity of former President Sali Berisha, who faces corruption charges. This move, met with jeers and demonstrations, marks a pivotal moment in Albanian politics.

The Albania parliament, amidst protests by loyal MPs has voted to remove legal immunity of former President Sali Berisha, who faces corruption charges. This move, met with jeers and demonstrations, marks a pivotal moment in Albanian politics. Sali Berisha, a political figure who dominated Albanian politics in the 1990s and served as the conservative prime minister from 2005 to 2013, now confronts potential arrest and a lengthy jail term. Despite vehemently denying all charges, Berisha has labeled the investigation a "purely political" ploy by his rival, current socialist Prime Minister Edi Rama. As the parliament voted to strip Berisha of immunity by a narrow margin of 75 to 65, his opposition Democratic party MPs protested vehemently, igniting smoke bombs and piling up chairs in the chamber. Berisha, leaving the session surrounded by bodyguards, defiantly declared, "I am stronger than ever." Also watch | Albania struggles to control forest fire Protests and security measures Outside the parliament, hundreds of Berisha's supporters protested, prompting police to cordon off the area. Riot police, equipped with water cannons stood by to prevent potential violence following the decision. Berisha and his son-in-law, Jamarber Malltezi, face charges of "passive corruption" stemming from 2008, when Berisha's government introduced a law allowing the privatisation of sports facilities expropriated under communism. The special prosecutor’s office alleges that these legal changes benefited projects in which Berisha and Malltezi had financial stakes, resulting in €5.4m in kickbacks. Also read | Football: Ireland Women secure Nations League A berth after beating Albania on damp pitch The parliamentary decision came after Berisha refused to cooperate with authorities during the investigation and ignored measures requiring him to report to the police regularly. Albania, often ranked as one of Europe's poorest and most corrupt countries, faced international scrutiny last year when Berisha was banned from entering the US and the UK over alleged involvement in organised crime and corruption. The United States has accused Berisha of misappropriating public funds and interfering with public processes, asserting that, as prime minister, he used his power for personal gain. Berisha staunchly denies these allegations, setting the stage for a complex legal battle that could have far-reaching consequences for Albanian politics and its international standing. (With inputs from agencies)

Smoke bombs thrown in Albanian parliament after former president Sali Berisha stripped of immunity

Lalit Jha, the 'mastermind' in the parliament security breach case, has been sent to seven-day police custody of the Delhi Police Special Cell by the Patiala House Court on Friday (Dec 15).

Lalit Jha, the 'mastermind' in the parliament security breach case, has been sent to seven-day police custody of the Delhi Police Special Cell by the Patiala House Court on Friday (Dec 15). Besides, Delhi Police's Special Cell has also detained two more people in connection with the Indian Parliament security breach that happened on Dec 13. The two have been identified as Mahesh and Kailash and their detention comes after the authorities nabbed Lalit Jha, the fifth accused who is being described as the mastermind behind the plan. Initial reports suggest that both Mahesh and Kailash, residents of Rajasthan, had an association with Jha and contributed in some manner to execute the plan. They were associated after being part of a social media group called Bhagat Singh Fan Club. Mahesh was also supposed to be part of the team that was in the parliament that day but backed out at the end due to his family members who persuaded him. More details are likely to emerge as the special cell continues its investigation. According to reports, Jha had called everyone for a meeting in Gurugram prior to the incident. He also took possession of the phones of all the accused so that the police could not trace any information immediately. The ploy to hit the parliament was a well-thought-out conspiracy which had been in the work for more than a year. One of the accused had got a cobbler in Lucknow to build a custom shoe with 2.5-inch deep cavities that allowed to conceal the smoke gas canisters. Also watch | Parliament security breach: Lok Sabha Secretariat suspends 8 personnel for security lapse Accused remanded to custody On Thursday, Delhi's Patiala House Court sent the four accused nabbed on the day of the incident to seven days of police remand. "We had requested for 15 days police custody remand which had been considered by the court and the court had been kind enough to grant seven days police custody remand," said Atul Shrivastava, a lawyer for Delhi Police. Also read | Indian Parliament security breach: Who are the intruders and how did they enter Lok Sabha? Speaking about the breach, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Prahlad Joshi on Friday said: "Whatever directions the Speaker has given, the government is following them in letter and spirit. The matter is also in the court, high-level investigation is going on. They (the opposition) should behave responsibly." The incident transpired on the same day as the 2001 parliament attack when terrorists laid a siege on the all-important building, killing 14 people and injuring 16 others. The security around the parliament complex had been heightened as the session started last week. Moreover, threats from Khalistani terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannu of attacking the parliament had already put security forces on high alert. Yet the group managed to infiltrate one of the safest institutions in the country. (With inputs from agencies)

Parliament security breach: Lalit Jha, 'mastermind' of entire row, sent to seven-day police remand

The Japanese prime minister has been evacuated as of right now and is reportedly unharmed. Reports are coming in that a blast was strong in the western city of Wakayama where Prime Minister Fumio Kishida was scheduled to give a speech.

Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida evacuated after 'smoke bomb' at speech, unharmed in incident

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