In short

A round-up of today's other world news in brief

A round-up of today's other world news in brief

Court declares Franken winner of Senate race

MINNEAPOLIS – The Minnesota supreme court has declared Democrat Al Franken the winner of a tight US Senate race over Republican Norm Coleman, which should give Democrats the 60-seat majority they need to overcome procedural obstacles and push through their agenda.

Mr Coleman says he is unlikely to appeal the state court’s decision to the federal courts. Under state law, the court’s decision gives Mr Franken the right to occupy the seat, which has been up for grabs since last November’s election.

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Minnesota Republican governor Tim Pawlenty has said he will certify the winner based on what the state court decides. – (Reuters)

Schröder accuses Merkel of lying

BERLIN – German chancellor Angela Merkel and her conservatives are lying to the German people by promising tax cuts at a time when Berlin is spending billions of euro to support the economy, former chancellor Gerhard Schröder has said.

In an interview less than three months before a federal election, Mr Schröder said yesterday he expected the pledge of tax relief to come back and haunt the conservatives in the vote because it was so irresponsible. – (Reuters)

EU and Turkey in tax reform talks

BRUSSELS – The EU and Turkey have agreed to open negotiations on taxation reform, part of Ankara’s stalled bid for accession to the 27-nation bloc. “We have opened chapter 16 on taxation . . . a significant step on Turkey’s path towards the European Union,” said Czech foreign minister Jan Kohout. – (Reuters)

Russian editor dies after attack

MOSCOW – The editor of a newspaper in southern Russia that campaigned against official corruption died late on Monday of head wounds sustained two months ago in what colleagues and an opposition group said was murder.

Vyacheslav Yaroshenko (63), who ran the paper Korruptsia i Prestupnost (Corruption and Crime) in Rostov-on-Don, suffered severe skull damage in the April 30th attack outside his home. – (Reuters)