Kamala Harris makes history with tiebreaking votes in Senate July 12, 2023 at 03:51PM

Kamala Harris has set a new record by casting her 31st tiebreaking vote in the US Senate on Wednesday, tying with John C Calhoun's historic record. Harris, the first woman and person of colour to serve as the US vice-president, cast a tiebreaking vote to advance the nomination of Kalpana Kotagal to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

Milan Kundera, exiled Czech writer dies at 94 July 12, 2023 at 10:28AM

Czech-born novelist Milan Kundera, who satirised totalitarian regimes and mixed dark irony with philosophical musings to explore the human condition, has died, a library he worked with said on Wednesday. He was 94. The author of "The Unbearable Lightness of Being" won accolades for his style in depicting themes and characters that floated between the mundane reality of everyday life and the lofty world of ideas.

Huw Edwards named as BBC presenter at centre of explicit images row July 12, 2023 at 08:35AM

Veteran news anchor Huw Edwards was on Wednesday revealed by his wife as the BBC presenter accused of paying for explicit images but police said no criminal offence had been committed. Vicky Flind said in a statement that her husband was "suffering from serious mental health issues" and was now "receiving in-patient hospital care where he will stay for the foreseeable future".

Pakistan secures final IMF approval for $3 billion bailout July 12, 2023 at 07:25AM

The International Monetary Fund's board approved a $3 billion bailout programme for Pakistan on Wednesday, the lender said, which will immediately disburse about $1.2 billion to help the South Asian country.Pakistan and the Fund reached a staff level agreement last month, securing much-needed funding for the cash-starved nation.

Pakistan gets $1 billion boost from UAE ahead of key IMF decision July 12, 2023 at 06:16AM

Pakistan's state bank coffers were further boosted Wednesday by a $1 billion deposit from the United Arab Emirates, officials said, ahead of a key International Monetary Fund (IMF) board meeting to approve new funding. The deposit comes a day after Saudi Arabia transferred $2 billion to Islamabad, and brings the state's foreign reserves to $7.5 billion -- more than double last week's account balance.

Milan Kundera, author of 'The Unbearable Lightness of Being', dies at 94 July 12, 2023 at 05:20AM

Czech-born writer Milan Kundera, author of the novel "The Unbearable Lightness of Being" who lived nearly five decades in Paris after emigrating in disillusionment from his Communist-ruled homeland, has died at the age of 94.The Moravian Library (MZK) in the Czech city of Brno, which houses Kundera's personal collection, said he died in his Paris apartment on Tuesday after a long illness.