The Conversation (US)
중도 성향
기타
Upcoming telescopes could shed light on dark matter – astronomers are looking for these ‘fingerprints’ of the elusive substance
Scientists study small galaxies to look for hints of dark matter in the universe.
"ELUSIVE" · 총 75건
필터 보기현재 지수
50.3
0 = 부정 우세
50 = 중립
100 = 긍정 우세
최근 7일 기준 87,829건을 분석한 결과, 뉴스 심리지수는 50.2(균형)입니다. 긍정 4,503건(5.1%)·중립 81,133건(92.4%)·부정 2,193건(2.5%)이며, 중립 비중이 뚜렷하게 높습니다. 성향 지수는 종합 15.3(중도 균형)입니다.
Scientists study small galaxies to look for hints of dark matter in the universe.
We’ve all been there. Relentlessly poring over the page in search of that one elusive man in the striped shirt: Waldo. Created by British author and illustrator Martin Handford in 1987, the Where’s Waldo? series became immensely popular and entertains readers to this day as they try to find Waldo on every page. What many...
Israel hit a petrochemical plant in southwestern Iran early on Monday, the first direct energy strike on Iranian territory since the April 8 ceasefire, as hostilities in the Middle East rapidly escalated during the weekend. Israel and Iran traded missile strikes on Sunday, with Iran targeting Israel and Israel retaliating on Iranian targets. The escalation swiftly led to a 5% spike in oil prices early on Monday in Asian trade amid market fears that a U.S.-Iran deal is becoming increasingly elusive. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) on Monday confirmed…
THE latest exchange of fire between the US and Iran raises the question: at what point does a ceasefire cease to be one? American forces say they intercepted Iranian drones near the Strait of Hormuz before striking Iranian radar installations. Tehran responded with missiles and drones aimed at Gulf states hosting US forces. Both sides accuse the other of violating the truce that was supposed to halt the conflict in April, yet neither appears willing to abandon negotiations altogether. Ceasefires are meant to reduce tensions and create space for diplomacy. When military exchanges become a recurring feature, that distinction begins to lose meaning. The danger is not only the violence, but the gradual erosion of confidence that disputes can still be resolved at the negotiating table. Yet neither Washington nor Tehran seems prepared to walk away from talks. Discussions over sanctions relief, frozen Iranian assets and regional security arrangements are reportedly continuing despite the latest violence. Progress, however, remains elusive. Iran says there has been little tangible movement, while the US continues to rely on military pressure to strengthen its negotiating position. Such an approach may yield short-term leverage but deepens mistrust. Every strike invites retaliation, and every retaliation creates fresh obstacles to compromise. Meanwhile, the conflict is becoming more complicated on several fronts. In Washington, lawmakers have sought to limit the administration’s ability to continue military action without congressional approval. In the region, violence on other fronts continues to cast a shadow over efforts towards a broader settlement. Complicating matters further is Lebanon. Iran has increasingly linked the fate of the ceasefire to developments there, warning that Israeli military operations against Hezbollah threaten the broader framework that ended the fighting. Whether Washington accepts that interpretation is almost beside the point. What matters is that the number of potential triggers for a wider crisis has expanded. The Strait of Hormuz is no longer the only arena capable of derailing diplomacy. A confrontation in southern Lebanon or another clash involving US forces in the Gulf could have consequences far beyond its immediate theatre. The greatest danger today is not a deliberate decision by Washington or Tehran to return to war. It is that the ceasefire is no longer confined to their relationship alone. Its survival is increasingly tied to developments across the region, making it ever more fragile. Published in Dawn, June 8th, 2026
The cartel's move to increase output by 188,000 barrels a day is largely symbolic.
Governments are increasingly turning to nuclear deterrence. As the global arms buildup intensifies, so do the risks, the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute warns.
Efforts for reconciliation seem elusive as the Omisore group remains adamant after it reported that demand for legislative tickets was not endorsed by the party's hierarchy. The post Tension in Osun APC as Omisore loyalists dump party appeared first on Vanguard News.
Alexander Zverev reached the fourth major final of his career after beating 20-year-old Czech Jakub Mensik 7-5, 6-2, 3-6, 6-3 in the Roland Garros semifinals on Friday.
Title favourite Alexander Zverev is one win away from an elusive first Grand Slam title after beating Jakub Mensik in the French Open semi-finals.
Germany's Alexander Zverev on Friday moved within one win of his first Grand Slam title by beating Czech Jakub Mensik in four sets to reach the French Open final. The second seed will face either Flavio Cobolli or Matteo Arnaldi after a 7-5, 6-2, 3-6, 6-3 victory as he chases a long-awaited crown at the majors.
ISLAMABAD: More than five years after the passage of a landmark child protection law, key provisions of the Zainab Alert, Response and Recovery Act, 2020 — including the agency meant to issue rapid alerts for missing children — remain unimplemented, the Islamabad High Court was told on Thursday. During the hearing of a writ petition filed by Sanila Khurram against the Federation of Pakistan and others, the court took notice of data submitted by the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) administration, according to which 562 criminal cases relating to missing children and child abuse were registered in the federal capital between 2022 and 2025. The court noted that the Zainab Alert Act was enacted to protect children’s rights, including the right to life and protection from violence, abuse, neglect, abduction and exploitation, in line with Pakistan’s obligations under the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. Justice Arbab Muhammad Tahir observed that a careful reading of the preamble of the act showed the law’s clear intent, yet its enforcement remained elusive. The Act envisages the establishment of the Zainab Alert, Response and Recovery Agency under Section 3, with its powers and functions enumerated in Section 5. The court directed the Ministry of Human Rights to submit a comprehensive report addressing at least 11 specific areas of concern. These include whether the agency has been established; what standard operating procedures or rules exist for issuing alerts; what technological framework has been developed for the Zainab Alert Act database; whether real-time information is being shared by law enforcement agencies; what penal action has been taken against delinquent officials under Section 9; and whether rules have been framed under Section 18 of the Act. Sources indicated that the rules have still not been notified. The court also sought details on legal aid mechanisms for victims, the constitution of the ICT Child Protection Advisory Board and the integration of the Zainab Alert Act database with the ICT Police. The court demanded a centralised record of cases tried under the act, including the number of cases referred for prosecution, pending trial and concluded, as well as the average time taken for trial, particularly whether trials concluded within the period stipulated under Section 15 of the Act. The Ministry of Human Rights was directed to send an officer well conversant with the facts, while the director general of the authority — if such an authority exists in operation — was ordered to appear in person before the court. The ICT Police was also directed to submit its response. Justice Tahir adjourned the case until July 1, 2026. Published in Dawn, June 5th, 2026
JAKARTA, June 4 — For the past century, the Blue-fronted Lorikeet was one of Indonesia’s most elusive...
Traders and investors have become more 'edgy', with fuel prices expected to remain elevated as a truce in the Iran war remains elusive.
People walk on the dry riverbed of the Indus River in Hyderabad, April 24, 2025. — Reuters Pakistan has reached a harrowing milestone in its environmental history, with per capita water availability falling to approximately 899 cubic meters, crossing the threshold into absolute...
The Blue-fronted Lorikeet in the highlands of Mount Kapalatmada in Buru, Indonesia, in this photograph taken in April 2026 and released on June 1, 2026. — ReutersFor the past century, the Blue-fronted Lorikeet was one of Indonesia's most elusive birds, known only from a...
In a new exhibition, work from artists including Pablo Picasso and Wifredo Lam offer different ways to see what a portrait can represent What exactly is a portrait? At its simplest, it might be an attempt to depict oneself or someone else via a painting. But then consider German expressionist Max Beckmann’s masterpiece The Beginning, a triptych of scenes from his childhood, or Cuban artist Wifredo Lam’s Ídolo, a melange of forms based around the goddess Oyá. Rooted more in memory and myth than a mere physical likeness, these pieces stretch just what we might decide counts as a portrait. Works such as the Beckmann and the Lam – as well as cubist abstractions, an ornate hand mirror, and one of Joan Miró’s pieces of “painting-poetry”, — are all portraits as defined by The Met’s new show The Face of Modern Life, which gathers close to 80 works from the museum’s permanent collection. A boisterous and effusive selection of work from one of the nation’s most storied museums, this show gives audiences a peek into the museum’s estimable archives and a chance to wonder just what defines this seemingly simple but truly elusive form. Continue reading...
Nearly two months have passed since the April 7 ceasefire in the Iran war. Yet negotiations aimed at turning that pause into a durable settlement remain stalled. The fighting may have slowed, but a viable political endgame remains elusive. That reality deserves not only frustration but sober recognition. Why has diplomacy become trapped? One clear reason appears to be the negotiating style of US President Donald Trump. His approach toward Iran has relied on a familiar formula: maximalist demands
• Economists see little room for growth under IMF programme • Economy stuck in low-growth equilibrium as consumers’ purchasing power erodes • Exports, energy costs, policy inconsistency remain major hurdles WITH the government preparing to roll out its third budget, the economy appears trapped between two competing imperatives: preserving fragile macroeconomic stability to avoid another balance-of-payments crisis and reviving growth to create jobs and alleviate poverty. While the government continues to flaunt stabilisation as an achievement in itself, a sense of “stabilisation fatigue” appears to have settled in among businesses and households. The fatigue stems from a simple reality: Pakistan has spent much of the last three years managing crises rather than building sustainable growth drivers. No wonder the economy remains stuck in repeated cycles of adjustment and a low-growth equilibrium — stable enough to avoid collapse, but too weak to generate prosperity. The IMF-mandated adjustment policies — tight monetary policy, fiscal contraction, demand compression, import controls, and energy price hikes — have helped restore external stability, narrow the twin deficits, moderate inflation, and bring back some semblance of macroeconomic order. But the social and economic costs of prolonged stabilisation are now more visible than its benefits. Industries continue to operate below capacity, businesses remain hesitant to invest and consumers continue to struggle with eroded purchasing power. For most Pakistanis, the lived economy remains far harsher than the official narrative of recovery suggests. Several deep-rooted weaknesses continue to obstruct any transition towards sustainable growth. Exports remain weak, energy costs and inefficiencies continue to undermine industrial competitiveness, policy inconsistency deters investment and high interest rates have compressed private-sector activity. A large portion of government revenues is absorbed by debt servicing, defence spending and subsidies, leaving limited fiscal space for development, relief and industrial support. The upcoming budget is unlikely to break the economy away from this path of austerity. Growth prospects offer little comfort. Some analysts believe GDP growth in FY27 could remain closer to 3-3.5pc if crude oil prices stay elevated amid prolonged Middle East tensions, well below the government’s target of 4.1pc. Average growth over the last three years has remained below 2pc. The budget will almost certainly be framed within the IMF’s Extended Fund Facility, analysts at Topline and JS Global, two Karachi-based brokerage firms, wrote in their pre-budget analyses. They said the government would target a fourth consecutive primary surplus, push for stronger revenue mobilisation and pursue fiscal restraint. Little room for growth Development economist Naved Hamid sees little room for growth under the IMF programme. “We don’t really have any room. This budget will be an austerity budget like before,” he said. Economist Waqar Wadho is also not hopeful about the economy moving out of its low-growth mode. “The biggest issue remains structural problems. They are exactly where they were before. Even targeting 3-5pc growth would be a marginal change, not a major shift,” he said. He said growth would remain elusive because it was not the IMF’s mandate. “The IMF’s mandate is stabilising external balance. Under an IMF programme, growth-oriented policy is simply not possible,” he said. The constraints facing growth are serious. The revenue target for next year, for example, has been upgraded by the IMF to quantitative performance criteria, a binding commitment rather than a soft benchmark. This further tightens the screws around the government after repeated failures to meet targets. Pakistan Banks Association Chairman Zafar Masud said the problem lay deeper than collection shortfalls. “The centre of gravity of our economic problems is unsustainable government finance,” he said. “The issue is not the scale of government spending per se. The issue is the weakness of revenue generation, cross-subsidy and its leakages and fiscal efficiency. The FY27 budget is an opportunity to break Pakistan’s recurring low-growth, high-debt equilibrium.” This raises the uncomfortable question: stabilisation for what? Mr Masud believes growth is possible even under the IMF programme. “The IMF programme buys stability, not growth. Stability is necessary, but growth is what ultimately reduces poverty and improves living standards. It’s the micro-economic interventions which can bring the necessary growth. With limited fiscal space, leveraging private-sector funding becomes a game-changer for achieving the economic multiplier,” he said. Mr Hamid agreed that some room existed for improvement, but he sounded less optimistic. “Yes, there is some room to improve even under the IMF programme. But whether you look at private-sector investment, early indicators or any visible government strategy, I do not see anything big or substantial happening,” he said. The recently released Shadow Economic Survey 2026-27, published by an Islamabad-based think tank financed by a business lobby, acknowledged that stabilisation was necessary. However, it warned that stabilisation was defensive economics; it may prevent collapse, but it does not automatically generate growth, jobs, investment or prosperity. Many business leaders say it is unfortunate that economic success is now measured through reserve accumulation, current account balances and IMF review completions. Managing immediate crises appears to have taken precedence over pursuing a growth agenda. This may reassure lenders and financial markets, but it cannot satisfy a population facing declining real incomes and disappearing jobs. Mr Masud described the current economic predicament as a failure of policy design. “Pakistan’s recurring balance-of-payments crises are downstream symptoms of unresolved structural fiscal distortions — distortions that have been patched in the past rather than fixed,” he said. Beyond stabilisation Pakistan’s growth predicament stems from an economic model dependent on imports and external financing. Historically, whenever growth accelerates beyond a modest threshold, imports surge because the domestic industry relies heavily on imported machinery and inputs, while exports fail to keep pace. The current account deficit widens, foreign exchange reserves come under pressure and the country eventually returns to the IMF for another bailout. The deeper structural weaknesses remain unresolved. Aware of public pressure, the government is reportedly considering limited relief measures for salaried classes and compliant businesses despite fiscal constraints. These concessions, however modest, could create an additional revenue gap. Mr Wadho is sceptical that any meaningful relief will materialise. “They are unable to broaden the tax base, so there will be pressure. For public optics, they may trim a few headline items here and there. But then they will squeeze people indirectly, say, in the form of an even higher petroleum levy, and everyone will feel that,” he said. Mr Masud argued that Pakistan should widen the tax base rather than continue raising tax rates. “Tax-base expansion without punitive rates should be one of the defining objectives of the coming budget. Sustainable deficit reduction requires stronger revenue generation and lower leakages, not higher tax rates,” he said. Business leaders argue that the IMF programme can provide temporary stability and policy discipline, but it cannot substitute for a long-term national growth strategy based on reforms. “Confidence cannot be restored through macroeconomic management alone,” a textile exporter said, adding that public belief had weakened that economic sacrifices today would eventually lead to tangible improvements in living standards. Economists say Pakistan does not need another stabilisation budget dressed in the language of reform. It needs a redesign of its growth model: from consumption-driven, import-financed expansion to export-oriented, productivity-led growth. Such a transformation requires reforms that successive governments have continued to delay because they are politically costly and slow to yield visible rewards. The new budget will be judged not by whether it satisfies the IMF’s performance criteria, but by whether it offers any credible signal that Pakistan is finally charting a course beyond mere survival. As Wadho put it: “The choice before the budget makers is clear: reform, delay or another lost cycle.” Published in Dawn, June 3rd, 2026
PARIS, June 3 — Alexander Zverev breezed past Rafael Jodar to stay on course for an elusive Grand Slam title at th...
Virginia Woolf herself was not the greatest admirer of her 1919 novel “Night and Day,” a complex and somewhat elusive work that wove a pensive reflection on women’s suffrage through a quasi-Shakespearean rotation of misbegotten and rearranged courtships — in a style far removed from the angular modernism of her later works. It remains perhaps […]