Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was expected to be questioned on Monday over two separate corruption allegations, after the Prosecutor General's Office asked the police to carry out an investigation.

According to Voice of Israel radio station, Netanyahu's questioning will be carried out at his residence in Jerusalem and it is set to have no time limit, Efe news reported.

A black screen has been reportedly place in front of the Prime Minister's residence aimed at keeping out the media.

Netanyahu was suspected of receiving significant gifts from Israeli and foreign businessmen, in a manner which breached his duty of trust as a public servant, the Jerusalem Post said.

In a cabinet meeting on Sunday, Netanyahu responded to numerous attacks from opposition figures criticising him over the corruption allegations. 

"I suggest that the opposition calm down," Netanyahu said at the opening of a cabinet meeting.

His party, the right-wing Likud, called the investigation an "orchestrated campaign" to undermine his leadership.

Likud leader David Amsallem said he would propose a bill to block future investigations of sitting prime ministers as the law is in some other countries such as France. 

Tracking mixed Asian peers, Indian equity markets closed Monday’s volatile trading session with no profit no loss. The Sensex at the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) ended 31 points down at 26,595 and the Nifty at the National Stock Exchange (NSE) closed six points lower at 8,180.

However, broader markets registered gains. BSE Midcap index jumped 0.9 per cent while Smallcap index climbed 1.2 per cent.

Among the BSE sectoral indices, Realty index jumped the most, up 4.3 per cent, while Bankex index became the top loser, down 1.2 per cent.

On Friday, the Sensex had closed 260 points up at 26,626 and the Nifty had ended 82 points higher at 8,186.

Top gainers in the Sensex-30 pack: Tata Steel (up 3.8 per cent), M&M (up 3.5 per cent), Tata Motors (up 3.1 per cent), Maruti Suzuki (up 2.7 per cent) and Bharti Airtel (up 2.1 per cent).

Top losers in the Sensex-30 pack: HDFC (down 3.4 per cent), SBI (down 2.5 per cent), Bajaj Auto (down 1.4 per cent), ICICI Bank (down 1.4 per cent) and Infosys (down 1.1 per cent).

However, the Rupee was trading 16 paise down at 68.08 against the US Dollar.

With her maiden Hollywood film "xXx: The Return of Xander Cage" up for release, Deepika Padukone feels both excited and nervous while being proud that she is representing the country abroad.

The actress will be seen in the third instalment of the 'xXx' franchise, scheduled to release on January 14.

When asked her feelings before she left Mumbai last night, Deepika told reporters, "I am very excited. This is my Hollywood debut. I am very, very nervous, but also excited.

Today is the beginning of that journey. Hopefully, we will be coming to India soon." 

The "Piku" star said she is happy that the film will first release in India as the movie is something that the audience here will enjoy.

"I feel very proud that I get to represent my country especially in this kind of an action franchise film.

"I am sure this film will be enjoyed a lot because of the content. There is lot of action, adventure, which we have not seen in Indian films before. So, I am excited to show the film here." 

The movie will see Vin Diesel return as Xander Cage while Deepika will play the role of a huntress Serena Unger.

Deepika, 30, says she is glad the makers of "xXx" agreed to release the film here first, making India a big plan of the project.

"In terms of promotions, we will first go to Mexico. But as far as the release is concerned, we will release first in India.

"While I was shooting I suggested the team that it would be great (to release it first in India) and I am happy it happened finally. It is a huge international franchise and I am happy India is such a big part of the plan." 

The film, directed by D J Caruso, also stars Donnie Yen, Samuel L Jackson, Tony Jaa, Nina Dobrev, Ruby Rose, Rory McCann, Kris Wu, and Ariadna Gutierrez.

A total of 650 vehicles were burnt in acts of vandalism in France on New Year's Eve, accounting for a 10 per cent rise from the previous year, authorities said on Monday.

French Prime Minister Bernard Cazeneuve said in an interview with radio channel France Inter on Monday that the figure has decreased 20 per cent in five years, Efe news reported.

He also said that "nobody admits that cars are burning", and applauded security forces who arrested 454 people over the New Year for their involvement in various altercations.

As an earlier statement said WhatsApp will stop working on certain phones by the end of 2016, many users of older versions of iPhones and Android handsets are about to find themselves cut off from using the chat app, media has reported.

WhatsApp, with more than one billion monthly users, had earlier announced that it was phasing out compatibility with older phones in a technology upgrade. 

According to a report in the Independent on Monday, WhatsApp said that the move had been made to ensure that the app could continue to introduce new features and stay secure, which relies on the app being used on newer operating systems. 

In the developing markets where the chat app and older phones are popular, WhatsApp has faced a sharp criticism for its move.

WhatsApp had initially listed all BlackBerry models and some Nokia handsets among the handsets that would be blocked from the chat app. However, the company retracted late last year, apparently in response to complaints.

"We are extending support for BlackBerry OS, BlackBerry 10, Nokia S40 and Nokia Symbian S60 until June 30, 2017," WhatsApp wrote in an update to its blog.

The service will stop on any first, second, third or fourth generation iPad that has not been updated. Users need to update to iOS 9.3 to use the service.

With these changes, WhatsApp is expected to more deeply integrate encryption and other privacy services. 

"Such technology stops messages from being read, and has led to WhatsApp facing criticism from governments who believe that WhatsApp conversations should be made public," the report added.
 

Accusing the Samajwadi Party and BSP of doing politics at the cost of development, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday urged the people of Uttar Pradesh to vote for the BJP to change the state's fortunes.

Addressing a huge rally here, Modi said it was imperative for Uttar Pradesh to develop for India to progress in every sense. 

"We want India to march ahead, want poverty to be eliminated, illiteracy to end, diseases to end. But all these dreams will be fulfilled only when the fortune of UP is changed," he said. 

"For India to progress, UP has to progress. 

"It pains me when I see how governments in the state have been functioning. Even for building a road, they first measure political considerations. 

"Development is not their preference. They only know petty politics," he said, targeting the Samajwadi Party and the Bahujan Samaj Party which have ruled the state for the last 14 years. 

"The Centre in the last two and half years provided Rs 2.5 lakh crore to the state. Had this money been properly utilized, UP's condition wouldn't be like it is now," he said. 
 

In a startling revelation, Chelsea striker Diego Costa revealed that he wanted to quit the club during the summer transfer window.

Costa was roped in by the Blues for £32 million ($32.4 million) in 2014, and was understood to be close to a return to former allegiance Atletico Madrid after a spluttering 2015-16 season.

The Brazil-born Spain international has since netted 14 English Premier League goals with Chelsea taking a six-point lead courtesy of 13 successive victories.

"Did I want to go? Yes, yes, I was about to leave. But not because of Chelsea," the 28-year-old was quoted as saying by BBC.

"There was one thing I wanted to change for family reasons but it wasn't to be, and I continue to be happy here. I knew I had to improve that aspect because here in the Premier League there is no mercy," Costa said.

"A lot of the time it seemed (referees) were against me. If they're not going to change, I had to change," he added.

Costa scored 20 goals in his first season, as Chelsea won the Premier League title under Jose Mourinho.

But after that the lull started setting in with the brash forward finding the back of the net only four more times by the time Mourinho was sacked in December 2015.

To curb steep fall in wholesale onion prices and protect farmers' interest, the Centre has further extended export sops on onion by three months till March 31 this year.

Wholesale prices fell by up to 42 per cent to Rs.7.40 per kg at Lasalgoan (Maharasthra), Asia's biggest onion market, during last month from an average Rs.12.80 per kg in the year-ago period on expected good production.

Maharashtra, the top onion producer, had demanded the central government to extend export incentive of five per cent to exporters under the Merchandise Exports from India Scheme (MEIS) for both fresh and stored onions, beyond December 31.

In the latest public notice, Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) said it "hereby extends the MEIS benefit at 5 per cent freight on board (FoB) for 'onions fresh or chilled' by further three months till March 31, 2017." 

At present, the arrival of 2016-17 kharif (summer) onion is in the full swing not only in Maharashtra but also in other states like Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Gujarat.

"Prices are under pressure because of increased arrival of the fresh kharif crop. Looking at the daily arrivals, it looks productivity is higher even though the acreage was lower," a senior Agriculture Ministry official said.

It may be noted that 20 per cent of the country's total onion output is grown during the kharif season. Since the kharif onion cannot be stored, farmers sell off the produce in domestic as well as overseas markets.

The arrival of quality onions has boosted exports in the last few weeks. About 13,56,381 tonnes of onions have been shipped abroad in the April-September period of this fiscal.

The government is still assessing onion production figures for the 2016-17 crop year (July-June). Last year, the country's onion output was higher at 20.99 million tonnes.

Maharashtra contributes more than a quarter of the country's overall output.

New Year has already begun and life is gradually coming back to its normal pace after all the celebrations. First Monday of 2017 and mind has started to walk on the track of analysis and criticism. While thinking about all the blunders and bad experiences of the last year, there is a tinge of optimism that drives the thought process towards future planning. Making a list of New Year resolution and a to-do list is a ritual followed everywhere by all.

While you think about quitting bad habits and toxic people this year, consider a better therapy to detoxify your mind and life.

Begin this year with a backpack on your shoulders, enthusiasm and curiosity in your heart. While you sip in the coffee on your work table, close your eyes to breath in the aroma of coffee and smell of new beginnings. This time along with New Year resolutions, pen down some travel resolutions as well.

The first and most important resolution should be to ‘not make excuses’ when an opportunity to travel knocks on your door. In the real world savings will hit the lowest, paid leaves will run out, and friends will ditch you but one thing that will never leave your side is the will to travel. So do not make excuses and pull up your socks whenever there is a chance to travel.

This year, do not cave in to the circumstances and let the wish to travel over power you. Such decisions always end up becoming a memory worth cherishing.

Pick a destination and promise yourself that no matter what, you will travel to that place this year. This destination can be the one you have always dreamt of or just spin the globe and choose one.

Travel is not all about thrill and adventure, it can also be about obtaining peace of mind and cleansing of heart. This year ditch the mainstream travel destinations and explore some untrodden paths.

While you plan a trip this year, make sure you get a travel insurance. It is good to be adventurous and it is even better to be practical and keep a back up.

Life is not a bed of roses and no matter how free spirited and positive you are, there might come those moments where you feel down and out. Rather than doing something that you regret later, travel to get rid of the trauma, pain and hurt.

Even when you are extremely happy and wish to celebrate, you should consider traveling as a mode of celebration. You will definitely not regret and rejoice these moments.

While you go for shopping therapy this year during the sale season, invest some amount in travel gadgets and accessories. This will give you another reason to feel motivated to travel, and you will have a comfortable journey. To begin with, you can buy a travel planner or a journal, a travel pillow, a pair of comfortable shoes, a power-bank, a pair of windcheater pants and jacket.

People wait for weekend every week, for summer every year and for happiness their whole life. 2017 is the year of hopes, positivity and new opportunities. Travel to some place unknown this year to feed your soul and give your heart what it craves for.

NRIs and Indian nationals abroad can deposit up to Rs.25,000 of the demonetised currency during the 3-6 month grace period, but only if they show the junked notes to Customs officials at the airport and get declaration form stamped.

The declaration will have to be submitted at specified branches of the Reserve Bank while depositing the junked currency, a finance ministry notification stated.

While the 50-day window for such deposits at banks or post offices ended on December 30, the government has offered a grace period for those who were abroad.

The window for Indian nationals who were travelling abroad is till March 31 and for NRIs, it is June 30, 2017.

This facility, however, is "subject to the Foreign Exchange Management (Export and Import of Currency) Regulations, 2015. As per these regulations, bringing back such currency into the country is restricted to Rs.25,000 per person".

Those returning from Nepal and Bhutan are not permitted to carry specified bank notes (SBNs) of old 500 and 1,000 rupee notes.

The ministry said since it is a facilitation step to enable resident and non-resident Indians to deposit SBNs when they arrive in India, measures should be taken to make passengers and airlines aware of the new dispensation.

"While discharging the above task, care may be taken that due courtesy is extended to the declarants and that no unnecessary inconvenience is caused," it said.

The government had declared 500 and 1,000 denomination bank notes as illegal tender from November 9, 2016.

Subsequently, the President approved the promulgation of the Specified Bank Notes (Cessation of Liabilities Ordinance) Ordinance, 2016 on December 30.

"The ordinance imposes penal liabilities on the holders of SBNs after the specified date," the notification said.

It makes holding, transfer and receiving of the demonetised notes a criminal offence, punishable with a fine of Rs.10,000 or five times the cash held, whichever is higher.

"The details of the declaration and statements that are required to be submitted along with the SBNs at the time of deposit in RBI issue offices will be separately announced by RBI. Any false declaration will invite a fine of Rs.50,000 or five times the amount of the face value of the SBN tendered, whichever is higher," a ministry statement had said after the Ordinance was promulgated on Friday.

Gold prices ended steady at Rs 28,300 per ten grams on the first trading day of 2017 on scattered demand from local jewellers.

However, silver declined by Rs 100 to Rs 39,300 per kg owing to reduced offtake by industrial units.

Traders said absence of cues from global markets which are closed, mainly kept gold prices unaltered here.

In the national capital, gold of 99.9 and 99.5 per cent purity ruled flat at Rs.28,300 and Rs.28,150 per 10 grams, respectively. It had lost Rs.200 on the last trading session of 2016 on Saturday.

Sovereign, however, traded at last level of Rs.24,000 per piece of eight grams in limited deals.

On the other hand, silver ready drifted lower by Rs.100 to Rs.39,300 per kg, while weekly-based delivery rose by Rs.495 to Rs.39,195 per kg.

Silver coins held steady at Rs.70,000 for buying and Rs.71,000 for selling of 100 pieces.

Scientists have developed a miniature lab device that could speed up the adoption of new anti-cancer treatments by showing which drugs perform the best against tumours.

The small, versatile and simple-to-use microfluidic system consists of a series of chambers, enabling scientists to monitor the response of hypoxic cells – deficient in oxygen and therefore resistant to therapy – when drugs are introduced.

The advantage of the new device – made of glass or plastic – is that it enables researchers to visualise the micro environment and monitor how cells respond in real time to the drug being tested, said Professor Roger Phillips from University of Huddersfield in the UK.

The test cells – after being grown in the lab – can be spheroid, as opposed to the flat "2D" cells normally relied on by researchers.

The "3D" nature of cells inside the microfluidic device means that it is possible to visualise what is happening to them internally.

"We can see the drugs moving in and see hypoxia developing in the centre," said Phillips, who added that the new system could also be used for a wide range of other applications.

While there have been major improvements in knowledge of cancer cell biology, clinical approval of new drugs has not kept pace, researchers said.

One strategy in response is to "develop new in vitro preclinical models that are better predictors of success in advanced preclinical and clinical testing." 

The microfluidic device will help address the urgent need for a new in vitro model able to mimic key aspects of the tumour microenvironment and therefore allow early assessment of the effects of drugs, speeding up the adoption of those that are shown to be therapeutically effective.

The research was published in the journal Scientific Reports.

Disney is reportedly set to receive USD 50 million after Carrie Fisher's death as they had taken out an insurance in case the actress was unable to fulfil her three-film "Star Wars" contract.

The legendary "Star Wars" actress passed away on Tuesday.

According to sources at The Insurance Insider, Lloyds of London will pay out for the "contract protection cover", with the insurance underwritten by US-based Exceptional Risk Advisors, who say there are "experts in insuring complex human capital risks for highly successful individuals", reported Independent Online.

Before her tragic death earlier this week, Fisher had finished filming for "Star Wars: Episode VIII" – which is slated for release in December 2017 – but was expected to play a big part in "Star Wars: Episode IX", which was due to be released in 2019.

It is thought the plot will have to be seriously changed in the wake of Fisher's tragic passing.

The actress died earlier this week after suffering a heart attack on a plane from London to Los Angeles.

Tragically, just one day after Fisher passed away at the ahe of 60, her mother Debbie Reynolds died after suffering a suspected stroke.

Buying into select stocks resurfaced in Monday's late afternoon session as the bulls refused to give up their dominance for the fifth session in a row.

Major indices had opened lower in morning trade as investors worked the math on a drastic cut in interest rates by banks on home loans. As a consequence, the top 10 losers on the main index, the Nifty, included nine lenders.

However, the bulls were able to make a comeback as auto, metals, pharma and realty shares saw heavy demand on the first trading day of calendar 2017.

Here are the major events of the day so far:

* Nifty rises for 5th day; index recovers from an intra-day low of 8,137 points. Index trades 5 points higher at 8,190 points.

* Eicher Motors, Tata Steel, UltraTech Cement, Mahindra & Mahindra and Tata Motors rose 2.3-3.2% and were among 35 gainers on the Nifty.

* Banks were under pressure. HDFC, Bank of Baroda, State Bank and IndusInd Bank dropped 1.8-3.1% and were among 16 losers on the index.

* State Bank, Bharat Financial and LIC Housing Finance were the top traded shares by value. Maruti and Indiabulls Housing Finance also made it to the most active list by value.

* State Bank, JP Associates and HDIL were among the top traded shares by volume.

* Buyers hunted in every pocket. As a consequence, mid caps, small caps and broader market indices rose between 0.3-1%.

* Realty stocks advanced smartly with their index surging 4.2%. Investors expect lower borrowing costs to propel potential fence sitters to buy property, thereby helping real estate companies reduce their burgeoning inventory.

* Indices tracking the media, pharma, software and metals sectors rose 0.3-1.5%.

* All four banking indices dropped between 0.8-1.8% as interest earnings may fall on reduced lending rates.

* The mood is buoyant on Dalal Street with 1,183 shares rising compared with 417 shares that fell.

US President-elect Donald Trumps Indonesian business partner Hary Tanoesoedibjo, a billionaire developer and media mogul, has announced he might run for President in the 2019 elections.

"If there is no one I can believe who can fix the problems of the country, I may try to run for President," Tanoesoedibjo said in an interview on Monday.

"Not for myself, for the country," he said, adding that the nation of about 260 million people needs "a leader with integrity who can bring a solution for the country".

Known locally as Hary Tanoe, the tycoon is building two Trump developments — a 100-hectare, six-star luxury resort on the coast of Bali and a resort outside Jakarta with a championship golf course designed by former world No.1 Ernie Els, the Guardian reported. 

The resort will have 300 villas and adjoin a theme park.

Both projects are due to be completed while Trump is in office.

Unlike Trump, the 50-year-old has already delved deeply into politics. Tanoe made a failed attempt in 2014 to get the nomination for Vice-President and has since set up his own political party, United Indonesia, using Twitter and appearances on his TV stations as a platform.

His company, Global Mediacom, also known as MNC Group, saw stocks rise significantly when Trump won the election on November 8, 2016, the Guardian noted.

Tanoe said he has "access" to Trump although it was limited and most of his contact regarding the joint developments was with the President-elect's adult children Donald Jr, Eric and Ivanka. 

"Each of them has different roles. Donald Jr has responsibility for the overall project, Eric the design and golf, and Ivanka more of detail — the fit-out of the hotel," Tanoe added.

Legendary spinner Bishan Singh Bedi on Monday hailed the Supreme Court order to sack BCCI President Anurag Thakur and Secretary Ajay Shirke, saying they had made cricket their fiefdom.

"This is a very important decision for Indian cricket and for all sportspersons," Bedi told the media after the apex court cracked the whip on the Board of Control for Cricket in India brass for not complying with its orders to implement the R.M. Lodha Committee reforms.

A bench of Chief Justice T.S. Thakur, Justice A.M. Khanwilkar and Justice D.Y. Chandrachud said that as an interim arrangement, the senior most Vice President of the BCCI will act as the President and the Joint Secretary will act as the Secretary.

"This is not a happy moment as we should not have been in this situation at the first place. A few people had made cricket their own property," the 70-year-old Bedi said.

The Supreme Court has set January 19 for the next order when names of the interim BCCI board will be announced. It will pass a separate order on January 19 for appointing the administrator.

"Legally and in prosecutional terms, the decision was much needed and we are indebted to them (Supreme Court) for taking the bold step. I hope Indian cricket will be benefitted from this decision and clean-up will be possible now," added Bedi.

BJP President Amit Shah on Monday sought the support of the people of Uttar Pradesh to bring about a "parivartan" in the state in the coming assembly elections.

Addressing the 'Maha Parivartan' rally at Ramabai Sthal here, Shah said the state had been ruined by both the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and the Samajwadi Party.

The time had come to change the destiny of the country's most populous state, he said.

Take potshots at the ongoing feud in the Samajwadi Party, Shah said the "chacha" and "bhatija" were squabbling while the development of the state had taken a backseat.

And referring to BSP chief Mayawati, he said even the "bua" had not contributed positively to the state and it was because of these two parties that Uttar Pradesh remained backward.

He said an all round development of Uttar Pradesh would become possible only when the BJP was voted to power.