IMF holds back $1 billion loan as Pakistan fails to meet tax target

IANS | March 15, 2026 3:29 PM

New Delhi, March 15 (IANS) Negotiations between Pakistan and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) over the release of a $1 billion tranche have reportedly stalled again due to the country's weak tax collection and doubts about the credibility of the current budget, reports said.

China codifies assimilation policies into law threatening ethnic minority identity: Report

IANS | March 15, 2026 1:29 PM

Beijing, March 15 (IANS) China is increasingly restricting the minority autonomy in education, language, and religion through both political campaigns and legal reforms. By codifying assimilation policies into law, Beijing is entering a new stage of frontier governance -- one aimed not just at managing ethnic diversity but fundamentally reshaping it, a report said on Sunday.