PM’S GOLF BRAG

BERLIN: Chancellor Angela Merkel yesterday started lastditch talks with Germany’s second biggest party to form a government, in what is also a battle to rescue her political career. September’s inconclusive elections left the veteran leader without a majority and struggling to find partners to govern Europe’s biggest economy. TOKYO: Japan’s golf- mad Prime Minister Shinzo Abe revealed the “national secret” of his best score – in a good- natured brag to his country’s Miss Universe representative – revealing his best is 79 “a long time ago”. SEOUL: Police have raided South Korea’s largest cryptocurrency exchanges and tax agencies for alleged tax evasion. Coinone, a major cryptocurrency exchange in South Korea, confirmed the raids took place. Bithumb, the second- largest virtual currency operator in South Korea, was also raided by the government authorities.