Pak Taliban suspend ceasefire

RElITERS, Peshawar

The Pakistani Taliban have not extended a month-long ceasefire but are still open to pursuing peace talks with the Islamabad government, a spokesman for the insurgent movement said Wednesday. Shahidullah Shahid said some Taliban leaders had objected to extending the ceasefire, which lasted during the month of March. The Pakistani Taliban and the Islamabad government are now involved in their second round of peace talks.

Turkey lifts controversial Twitter ban

AFP, Ankara

Turkey's government lifted a controversial ban on Twitter yesterday, a day after the country's top court said the ban breached the right to free speech. Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan had ordered the block on March

20 in the lead-up to key local elections last Sunday, in which his party chalked up sweeping wins despite damaging leaks on Twitter and other social media claiming widespread graft.

Japan cancels Antarctic whaling hunt

Ait, Tokyo

Japan is cancelling its next Antarctic whaling hunt for the first time in more than 25 years, an official said yesterday, just days after the UN's International Court of Justice ordered an end to the controversial practice. On Monday, the Hague-based ICJ issued a landmark ruling that found the Antarctic programme illegal.

US court removes campaign donations cap A IT, Washington

The I IS Supreme Court on Wednesday removed the overall limit on contributions a donor can make to political candidates, a move which critics say could give rich individuals unfair influence over elections. The move was immediately hailed by Republicans, who are gearing up to challenge President Barack Obama's Democratic supporters for control of the Senate in November mid-term elections.