Netanyahu to be grilled over 'illegal gifts' claims
JERUSALEM • Israeli police were expected to question Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu yesterday on whether he illegally accepted gifts from wealthy supporters, media reports said, in a probe shaking the country's political scene.
The long-running inquiry has looked into whether Israeli and foreign businessmen have offered gifts worth tens of thousands of dollars as well as another unspecified issue, according to the reports.
In a Facebook post at the weekend, Mr Netanyahu rejected all allegations against him and said his political opponents and some news outlets wanted to bring down his government.
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
National Front leader to borrow from political fund
PARIS • National Front leader Marine Le Pen will borrow €6 million (S$9.1 million) from her father Jean-Marie Le Pen's political fund, Cotelec, to fund her presidential race as French banks refuse to loan money to the far-right party.
The National Front is struggling to raise the €20 million it needs to run its presidential and legislative campaigns this year after the party's Russian lender failed.
Ms Le Pen, who is committed to increasing restrictions on immigration and putting up tariff barriers, is not the favourite to win France's upcoming presidential elections.
BLOOMBERG, WASHINGTON POST
Part of Kazakhstan building collapses, killing 9
ASTANA (Kazakhstan) • Nine people were killed when part of their apartment building collapsed in central Kazakhstan, with an exploding boiler reportedly to blame for the carnage.
"Nine dead people were pulled from the rubble" of the building in the village of Shakhan outside the city of Karaganda, according to the central Asian nation's interior ministry yesterday.
A criminal case has been opened to determine whether Sunday's collapse could have been caused by negligence, local media reported.
Building collapses are not uncommon throughout the former Soviet republic, either due to faulty construction or worn-out infrastructure.
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
