Pakistan brazenly breaching terms of IMF loans: Report

IANS | April 8, 2026 3:28 PM

New Delhi, April 8 (IANS) While the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has asked Pakistan to remove subsidy on diesel as keeping prices of fuels below the market price violates the conditions that have been fixed for its loans to the cash-strapped country, Islamabad has, in brazen defiance of the norms, gone ahead with reducing the subsidy on petrol as well.

Bangladesh faces stark gender gap in political leadership: UNDP

IANS | April 8, 2026 3:18 PM

Dhaka, April 8 (IANS) Bangladesh's electoral landscape highlights a persistent gender gap, with women active as voters, but their transition to leadership roles remains alarmingly slow, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) had recently highlighted.

Statement war erupts in Bengal after ECI's 'straight-talk to Trinamool Congress'

IANS | April 8, 2026 3:07 PM

Kolkata, April 8 (IANS) A political slugfest erupted in West Bengal on Wednesday following a statement released by the Election Commission of India (ECI) that seemingly confronts the Trinamool Congress regarding their responsibility to ensure that the upcoming two-phase Assembly elections in the state will occur without fear, violence, intimidation, and inducement.