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BBC Audio | Business Daily | Weight-loss drugs. Who pays?
Weight-loss drugs have transformed lives but unleashed a debate about should pay for them
Politics Unplugged Podcast: Paul Bentz on latest polling
Arizona pollster Paul Bentz joins with exclusive polling data on the heated Democratic primary in Congressional District 1, where Amish Shah holds a commanding lead, but nearly half of voters remain undecided. We discuss what voter registration trends mean for 2026, why affordability tops every other issue, and whether Democrats can replicate their 2022 success. Then, Dennis and Colin debate this year's Rock and Roll Hall of Fame nominees—from Joy Division to Mariah Carey to Wu-Tang Clan—and reveal which acts truly deserve a spot.
Strikes on Iran spur heated debate
Lawmakers like Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) spoke about strikes the U.S. and Israel launched on Iran over the weekend.
War powers debate intensifies after Trump orders attack on Iran without approval by Congress
Key members of Congress are demanding a swift vote on a war powers resolution that would restrain President Donald Trump’s military attack on Iran
Birmingham residents urged to not let politics define it
The city has been compared to both a "cesspit" and a "powerhouse" during a heated council debate.
Colorado Republicans, Democrats clash over Iran military operation
Colorado’s congressional delegation split sharply along party lines Saturday after the U.S. and Israel attacked Iran, triggering a fresh debate in America over presidential war powers. Trump announced early Saturday morning that U.S and Israeli forces had begun “Operation Epic Fury” after multiple explosions were reported around Iran. Later in the day, the president said that […]
Colorado Politics Calendar Mar. 2-9
CoPo’s weekly political calendar will help you find political and public-policy events throughout Colorado. It includes candidate and issue campaign events, public policy meetings, court hearings, state and local party conventions, assemblies, debates, rallies, parades, speaking engagements, traveling dignitary appearances, water meetings, book signings, county commission hearings, city council meetings and more. As a subscriber, […]
Trans actor slams men's hockey for embracing Trump, igniting sports politics debate
Washington Examiner columnist Salena Zito comments on transgender actor Harrison Browne criticizing the U.S. men’s hockey team for meeting with President Donald Trump and more on ‘America Reports.’
Director Alexandre Trudeau Addresses Berlin Artistic Freedom Debate
With his brother, Justin Trudeau, and father, Pierre Elliott Trudeau, both having served as Canadian prime ministers, the ‘Hair of the Bear’ filmmaker knows a thing or two about tackling political issues.
Dorsey's blunt AI warning sharpens debate over jobs and profits
Jack Dorsey is not the first chief executive to say artificial intelligence will transform work. He may be among the first to act as if it already has - and to say so openly.
AIPAC faces test of its power in Illinois primary as Democrats debate future of Israel relationship
The aggressive spending comes after AIPAC put $2 million into a recent Democratic primary for a special election in New Jersey, an effort that's widely considered to have backfired.
Chernobyl at 40: physics, politics and the nuclear debate today
Jim Smith reflects on the 1986 disaster and how it still shapes public perception of nuclear power
AIPAC faces test of its power in Illinois primary as Democrats debate future of Israel relationship
A crowded Democratic primary in Illinois is shaping up as the next test for the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, a powerful advocacy organization that has stirred anger and frustration while exacerbating tensions over the war in Gaza
The politics of no sympathy for ‘IS families’ | Back to Back Barries podcast
Tony Barry and Barrie Cassidy discuss the debate over the Australian women and children in a Syrian detention camp, One Nation's rising poll numbers and the future of the capital gains tax
Two Maine candidates for governor face off in Auburn
The debate was an unusual event because at this stage in the process, forums and debates typically seek to highlight differences between candidates in each party to help voters make their decision on primary day, which is June 9.
SC lawmakers weigh SNAP limits on eligible foods amid health push
South Carolina lawmakers are weighing a proposal that could permanently limit what people can buy with SNAP benefits, setting up a debate over public health goa
Jasmine Crockett leads James Talarico by double digits in Senate Democratic primary, poll finds
On the Republican side, Ken Paxton and John Cornyn were neck-and-neck and in position for a runoff, according to the poll from the University of Texas’ Texas Politics Project.
As Rep. Julia Letlow runs for Senate, late disclosure of 210 stock trades draws scrutiny
It ties into a larger debate over whether members of Congress should be able to trade individual stocks.
Minister signals government won’t stop MPs voting to publish Andrew trade envoy documents
MPs to debate the release of documents relating to the appointment of ex-prince Andrew as UK trade envoy
The Carlson-Huckabee interview may be the wake-up call Americans needed
The interview brought the 'Israel first vs America first' debate to heart of the American right.
Trans athletes face intense efforts to sideline them. These California teens are resisting
Several California teenagers have found themselves at the center of an intense national debate around transgender kids participating in school sports. They aren't backing down.
WTF? Is political discourse becoming coarser or par for the course?
The country's political debate is increasingly peppered with profanity but subjects such as immigration have been flashpoints for centuries.
A border district in Texas is flashing warning signs for Republicans in the midterms
We visited Alcazar and South Texas as part of our “All Over the Map” project, an effort to track elections and major issue debates through the eyes of experiences of everyday Americans. That there is good reason to visit speaks volumes about President Donald Trump’s midterm political troubles.
The Pixel 10a will finally end the Tensor debate
Google gets to prove it made the right call
Colorado Politics Calendar Feb. 23-Mar. 1
CoPo’s weekly political calendar helps you find political and public policy events throughout Colorado. It includes candidate and issue campaign events, public policy meetings, court hearings, state and local party conventions, assemblies, debates, rallies, parades, speaking engagements, traveling dignitary appearances, water meetings, book signings, county commission hearings, city council meetings and more. As a subscriber, […]
Pauline Hanson is already distorting policy and politics on immigration. It’s threatening to take us down a dark road
Labor is cutting immigration, and the Coalition is talking about ‘good and bad’ migrants, as One Nation’s rise influences the debate
Scientists just mapped mysterious earthquakes deep inside Earth
Scientists at Stanford have unveiled the first-ever global map of rare earthquakes that rumble deep within Earth’s mantle rather than its crust. Long debated and notoriously difficult to confirm, these elusive quakes turn out to cluster in regions like the Himalayas and near the Bering Strait. By developing a breakthrough method that distinguishes mantle quakes using subtle differences in seismic waves, researchers identified hundreds of these hidden tremors worldwide.
When It Comes to Health Insurance, Federal Dollars Support More Than ACA Plans
Questions of fairness came up in last year’s congressional debate about extending Obamacare’s enhanced subsidies. Critics wondered why the federal government should underwrite coverage costs for people with ACA coverage. In truth, though, almost all health insurance in the U.S. comes with some federal help.
With federal research funding uncertain, states debate new science initiatives
A handful of states are considering initiatives to increase funding for scientific research as uncertainty around federal dollars has grown.
Q&A: How the 'science of reading' is reshaping literacy education
Stanford Professor Rebecca Silverman discusses a transformative movement backed by research that is changing literacy instruction in schools nationwide. After decades of debate over the most effective ...
Kenny Atkinson weighs in on the NBA’s tanking debate
The NBA is looking into fixing tanking. Doing so while satisfying all stakeholders is easier said than done.
Berlin Film Festival Tried to Focus on Movies. Politics Stole the Spotlight.
Reporters’ attempts to draw stars into debates about Gaza and other highly charged topics have threatened to overshadow the movies at the Berlin Film Festival.
Can Science Account for Consciousness?
A debate about consciousness with the panpsychist Philip Goff.
‘Like a drunk uncle:’ Panel debates Trump’s push to prove he’s not racist
Future of sports betting in South Carolina up for debate at State House
Lawmakers are considering a bill that would legalize sports betting in South Carolina, potentially opening up millions of dollars in revenue for the state.
Daniel Miller
Daniel Miller is a reporter at POLITICO covering the intersection of entertainment, media, sports, technology and politics.Part of POLITICO’s California team since 2026, he examines how Hollywood and Southern California function as engines of political power. Daniel also covers the rainmakers, dealmakers and cultural figures who shape policy debates, elections and public life far beyond the state’s borders.Daniel previously spent 13 years at the Los Angeles Times, most recently as an enterprise reporter in the newspaper’s Metro department, where he worked on investigations and features. He wrote about allegations of sexual misconduct at L.A.’s Magic Castle, chronicled the cratering ventures of a celebrity vegan chef and detailed themystery of a missing million-dollar pocket watch once owned by J.P. Morgan. In 2019, he wrote, reported and hosted "Larger Than Life," an award-winning podcast about the life of an enigmatic L.A. street racer.He previously covered the business of entertainment for The Times, examining the fraught political ties between the Walt Disney Co. and the city of Anaheim, probing the world of second-tier talent agents operating on Hollywood’s fringes and uncovering allegations involving several #MeToo figures.Daniel was named Journalist of the Year at the 2015 National Arts & Entertainment Journalism Awards and, a year later, received the L.A. Press Club’s Entertainment Journalist of the Year award. He was also a finalist for the 2016 Loeb Awards for "Selling Stardom," a series on unscrupulous Hollywood operators. His narrative reporting has been honored by organizations including the Society for Features Journalism, the National Association of Black Journalists and the Motor Press Guild.Daniel began his career reporting in Southern California, writing for the Ventura County Star, the Los Angeles Business Journal and the Hollywood Reporter. He attended Beverly Hills High School and UCLA. He lives in Los Angeles.
This odd-looking new Spinosaurus is reviving an age-old debate
Could Spinosaurus swim? A new fossil with a scimitar-like head crest provides new evidence on the unsettled question.
OPINION: Discussing politics in the classroom shouldn’t feel unsafe
I’ve never been one to shy away from a debate or hold back my thoughts. I approach conversations with confidence and have always felt comfortable expressing my beliefs and opinions openly. Valuing open discussion is always important. But when it comes to politics in the classroom, I often don’t f
Electability and enthusiasm: How the Texas Senate primaries are testing the direction of both parties
In Texas, a pair of US Senate primaries set for early next month have emerged as an early gauge of the direction of both political parties and sparked a sharp debate over what it will take to win the reliably Republican state in November.
Kevin James accused of being MAGA after punting political questions, says he focuses on fun
Social media users debated Kevin James' political stance after he refused to discuss politics recently, with some praising his approach while others suspect he has conservative views.
Should Drug Companies Be Advertising to Consumers?
Aging means “becoming a target” of the industry, one expert said. After decades of debate, politicians of all stripes are proposing bans.
Wealth battles science in climate debate
Reader commentary: Climate change deniers can’t take the high ground on intellectual integrity.
Daphne parade group mimics Comic Cowboys with political satire
The Kourt of Krustaceans brought political commentary to Daphne's Order of the Fire Truck parade for the third year, prompting debate about whether satire belongs in the family-oriented event.
Politics of renaming a presidential memorial
The debate over adding Trump’s name to the Kennedy Center raises questions about presidential memorials and what they reveal about our values today.
T20 World Cup 2026: 'India vs Pakistan becoming a political rivalry rather than sporting one'
After weeks of debate about whether Pakistan's fixture against India would go ahead at the T20 World Cup, the action failed to deliver and it left the rivalry feeling more political than sporting.
T20 World Cup 2026: 'India vs Pakistan becoming a political rivalry rather than sporting one'
After weeks of debate about whether Pakistan's fixture against India would go ahead at the T20 World Cup, the action failed to deliver and it left the rivalry feeling more political than sporting.
Why Tesla Walked Away from Radar and LiDAR to Go All-In on Vision
A deep dive into the sensor fusion debate and why Tesla abandoned radar and lidar to bet everything on a camera-only approach for FSD.
A consequential presidential debate, and a years-long investigation (Politics+) : The NPR Politics Podcast
In today's bonus episode, Claudia Grisales (congressional correspondent) and Barbara Sprunt (congressional correspondent) each share the "most" memorable story they've worked on. Barbara talks about being in the "press pool" at a pivotal moment in the 2024 presidential election, the Biden-Trump debate in Atlanta. Claudia talks about an investigative project she worked on for years that helped expose systemic corruption at the largest member-owned electric utility in the country. Listen to find out how you can submit a most-type question for us to answer in a future bonus episode! To unlock this and other bonus content, and get sponsor-free listening, sign up for NPR Politics Podcast+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. Regular episodes haven't changed and remain available every weekday!
Colorado Politics Calendar Feb. 16-22
CoPo’s weekly political calendar will help you find political and public-policy events throughout Colorado. It includes candidate and issue campaign events, public policy meetings, court hearings, state and local party conventions, assemblies, debates, rallies, parades, speaking engagements, traveling dignitary appearances, water meetings, book signings, county commission hearings, city council meetings and more. As a subscriber, […]
Review: High on Life 2 reignites the Unreal Engine 5 image quality/performance debate
But a clever, fun game shouldn't be overlooked.
What services are affected by the Homeland Security shutdown? What you need to know
Another shutdown for parts of the federal government is expected this weekend as lawmakers debate new restrictions on President Donald Trump's immigration enforcement agenda.
ABC Board grants permanent liquor license for Plank Road business despite community concerns
A months-long debate over a new liquor license on Plank Road has come to an end, but not everyone agrees with the decision.
Tufts professor says students are ditching woke culture and find performative politics 'cringy'
Tufts professor says new college students are rejecting woke culture and demanding real debate. Campus politics shifting as generation embraces discourse.
This state tried to overhaul math instruction. It didn’t go as planned
Utah tried to infuse data science into its math standards. That effort got caught up in a broader debate about rigor and what math high schoolers need.
Myles Garrett on hand to support girlfriend Chloe Kim's Olympic gold medal run
Garrett and Kim had a hilarious debate over which of them was more dominant in their respective sport.
The rise of vice-signalling: how hatred poisoned politics
Over the last 10 years, the terms of political debate have changed completely – and week by week they seem to get worse
When conflict meets competition: Trump's immigration agenda roils opening days of Winter Olympics
The Winter Olympics have become a platform for political debate in the U.S. American athletes face questions about President Donald Trump’s immigration policies
Antitrust debate tops the college sports agenda
Despite holding a whisper-thin majority in the House of Representatives, Republican lawmakers are attempting to salvage a bill that aims to regulate the college sports business.
'Rules are rules' - pundits on VAR mayhem
Former England captain Wayne Rooney says he understood the late VAR call in Manchester City's chaotic win at Liverpool on Sunday. There was widespread confusion in the stadium and endless debate on social media following the decision to chalk off a Rayan Cherki goal and issue a red card to Liverpool's Dominik Szobozslai. Former City goalkeeper Joe Hart agreed with Rooney, stating "rules are rules" after the officials applied the letter of the law to the action.
Elderly Lawmakers Won’t Step Aside, Prompting New Debate Over Age Limits
The refusal of older officeholders to cede the stage to younger faces is prompting fresh calls for a limit on how long they can serve.
Letters to Sports: Dodgers visiting White House fires up usual debate
Readers of the Los Angeles Times Sports section give their thoughts on myriad topics, with a majority not wanting the franchise of Jackie Robinson visiting the White House.
Colorado Politics Calendar Feb. 9-15
CoPo’s weekly political calendar will help you find political and public-policy events throughout Colorado. It includes candidate and issue campaign events, public policy meetings, court hearings, state and local party conventions, assemblies, debates, rallies, parades, speaking engagements, traveling dignitary appearances, water meetings, book signings, county commission hearings, city council meetings and more. As a subscriber, […]
GOP businessman Rinke rules out run for governor, noting state party struggles
The Bloomfield Township businessman said he researched his chances but has doubts about the Republican Party’s ability to unite around a candidate.
Public Safety vs. Public Health: Oregon needle exchange bill sparks heated debate
There's been a push from the Stadiumhood Neighborhood to create a law that would bar any needle exchanges 2,000 feet away from school zones.
Clintons, in Chess Match With Congress, Agree to Testify, Avoid Contempt Vote
Plus, partial shutdown’s end sets up debate over curbs on immigration officers’ operations, and MAGA has issues with Bad Bunny.
Dem CA governor candidates seek daylight during first debate
A question about taxing billionaires created perhaps the most indelible moment at Tuesday night’s debate hosted by KTVU Fox 2 San Francisco
Racial Debate Rattles Texas Democratic Primary for Senate
State Representative James Talarico used the word “mediocre” to describe a former House member who is Black. The controversy has repercussions for a key contest.
Louisiana delegation votes along party lines on budget as immigration controversy looms
The debate over budget bills has been complicated by controversy over the immigration crackdown in Minneapolis.
49ers' Fred Warner ignites Brock Purdy vs. Justin Herbert debate
Warner loves his quarterback.
Congress passes spending bill amid DHS funding debate, Minnesota deaths
Congress narrowly passed the final spending package, averting a prolonged shutdown amid fierce debate over homeland security funding following fatal Minnesota shootings.
After 30 Years, Virtual Boy Gets Its Chance To Shine
When looking back on classic gaming, there’s plenty of room for debate. What was the best Atari game? Which was the superior 16-bit console, the Genesis or the Super NES? Would the N64 have b…
Elon Musk Calls Billie Eilish ‘Hypocrite’ Over Grammys Speech
Elon Musk weighed in on Billie Eilish’s controversial Grammy Awards speech, where she denounced ICE and declared “F*** ICE” on stage. The tech billionaire responded publicly, sparking fresh debate over the singer’s political activism and past comments. Elon Musk calls out Billie Eilish over her speech At the 2026 Grammy Awards, Billie Eilish used her […] The post Elon Musk Calls Billie Eilish ‘Hypocrite’ Over Grammys Speech appeared first on Reality Tea.
Nursery industry chief navigates politics as 'friend accumulator'
As the Republican scion of Democrat parents, Jeff Stone is no stranger to political debate — nor to to reaching across the aisle.
Saturday Night Open Thread: The change would do us good
Come and join this merry band of Steelers’ faithful for some lively debate about our Steelers, good food, music, and the merits of the odd cold beverage.
New report detects arsenic in 28 popular candies: What you need to know
Florida health officials reportedly detected arsenic in 28 of 46 popular candy products tested, sparking debate over food safety standards.
Senate passes government funding deal despite GOP backlash
President Donald Trump made a deal with Democrats to carve out Homeland Security funding and allow Congress to debate new restrictions on federal immigration raids across the country.
Immigration enforcement drives possible U.S. government shutdown
The Senate has reached an impasse with a temporary spending plan due to debates over Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations.
Government shutdown looms as Senate deal stalls amid heated political rhetoric
Fox News congressional correspondent Bill Melugin reports on Capitol Hill efforts to avoid another government shutdown amid tense debates over new DHS funding. Fox News contributor Marc Thiessen reacts on ‘Fox & Friends.’
Opinion | The Wyoming Business Council debate is missing one big piece
Wyomingites stand to lose much more than just a line item in the budget, writes the Wyoming Women’s Business Center Board of Directors.
Senate Democrats and White House strike deal to avert shutdown, continue ICE debate
The deal could be approved by the Senate as early as Thursday night, but would still need House approval before midnight Friday to avert another government shutdown.
Democrats, White House strike deal that would avert shutdown
The two sides agreed to separate homeland security funding from the rest of the legislation and fund it for two weeks while they debate Democratic demands for curbs on ICE.
'Let them sue us': Residents outraged over proposed mental health facility in Horry Co.
A town hall meeting turned heated as residents and mental health advocates debated the location of a proposed mental health facility.
NWSL players dig into grass vs. turf debate and more at media day
At NWSL media day, players gave their thoughts on the general state of affairs, from fresh starts with new teams to the growth of the league.
Sergey Brin Spends $20 Million on California Political Effort Amid Wealth Tax Debate
Sergey Brin, the co-founder of Google, is donating toward campaigns to solve California’s housing crisis, spurring other billionaires to pitch in. Their efforts may also help ward off a wealth tax.
ASNC says PET is now the preferred nuclear imaging test for CAD
Which imaging modality is better for evaluating heart patients, PET or SPECT? After years of discussions and debates, the American Society of Nuclear Cardiology is now ready to point to PET as the No. 1 choice. “There are no clinical scenarios or patient subgroups where cardiac PET with myocardial blood flow should be excluded," the group wrote.
Investment and Statecraft: The International Politics of Sovereign Wealth Funds - Georgetown Journal of International Affairs
In 1953, Kuwait established the world’s first sovereign wealth fund to invest the country’s oil revenues and generate returns that would reduce its reliance on a single resource. Since then, over 100 separate funds have been created to preserve national wealth and ensure long-term fiscal sustainability. Today, they manage over $10 trillion in global assets. In this discussion with GJIA, political economist Kathryn Lavelle explains the increasingly novel dynamics that surround fund behavior and what the world can come to expect from their growing presence in international financial markets. GJIA: When it comes to the roles sovereign wealth funds (SWFs) play in global markets and politics, what would you say makes them unique? Kathryn Lavelle: Sovereign wealth funds (SWFs) operate on behalf of governments as investors. That in itself is a strange relationship. Within them, a core contest takes place between the state’s interests (or sovereign) part of the dynamic, and the money interests (or wealth) part of it, and these two aspects are frequently in contradiction, serving fundamentally different goals. SWFs are also quite fascinating because when you talk to the people who manage these funds, they have an interest in convincing you that the decisions are made almost exclusively on a financial basis—they really will go to great lengths to differentiate their government owners and those who make the management decisions. At the same time, these people ultimately answer to someone in power. Therefore, for most SWFs, it remains deeply unclear who is actually making the investment decisions and for what purposes. Of course, it is not always clear how other vehicles, such as hedge funds and private equity make the decisions they do, but I think what a lot of people find particularly disconcerting about SWFs is that they seem to act on behalf of people who have a different identity from their own. People who could be trying to manipulate politics and markets in a way that would have a long-term effect on their own populations. Regular investors come and go at will, and they only share an interest in profit as far as most of us understand. However, SWFs have that extra “sovereign” part right behind them that obscures their true interest. GJIA: These funds can be found in countries all across the globe, in both authoritarian states and democracies. Would you say SWFs differ in their goals and structures between regime-type? KL: It is not necessarily regime type that makes the goals and structures of SWFs different. It has to do with their economies. Let’s look at a country like China. There’s going to be a debate about exactly how to characterize the regime, but it is a country with many different kinds of sovereign wealth funds, and a particularly opaque state connection to each. At one time, some of the state-owned Chinese oil companies created specialized investment vehicles listed outside Chinese markets that excluded parts of the firms that were more associated with human rights violations. At the same time, the China Investment Corporation (CIC)—China’s largest SWF—draws a lot of concern, not necessarily because of its investment activities, but because of the dynamics of global politics. So, I wouldn’t really tie differences to regime types themselves in a wholesale way, but rather to how such funds are perceived and how they are structured. Saudi Arabia’s SWF is getting all kinds of attention for its involvement in Hollywood, and this takes me right back to when I was a student in the 1980s, when people were concerned about Japanese investment entities buying assets in Hollywood. They aren’t quite the same in financial terms, but it’s the same kind of concern about foreign investment that drives people to be suspicious, and the whole idea that “foreigners are influencing Hollywood.” This holds true across industries, and it reflects where politics are in places like the United States right now. One metric we can try to look at is transparency, where all the funds will tell you, “we are transparent.” The problem you’ll keep running into with this approach is how you value things. When trying to do comparative studies of equity markets, you’ll find that every country doesn’t use Generally Accepted Accounting Principles like we do in the United States. A fund may appear opaque politically and not want people to show what they’re invested in or what their intent with that investment is, but they could also just not be able to report it because of the way it was purchased, or the kinds of shares they purchased. There are some assets out there that really are difficult to put a monetary value on. GJIA: To what extent do domestic politics shape SWF behavior in both the investing “home” country and the recipient “host” country? KL: This depends on the type of fund present and also on the extent to which voters’ political views are able to influence the fund. For example, in a democratic home state like Norway, the SWF doesn’t invest in nuclear weapons or tobacco because of social concerns, but there is a continuing debate over whether it should invest in oil, even though that’s where most of the money comes from. The degree to which Norway will continue to make those investments, and whether they contradict the government’s overall climate goals, is an open question in Norwegian politics. Because of the way the fund’s governance is structured, it may not be easy to resolve. On the other hand, some people consider pension funds, like the State Teachers Retirement System (STRS) in Ohio, to be quasi-SWF. They have a very strict separation between the people who make up the management division and the fund owners. No teacher or professor would want to invest in things that may harm the future of their students. At the same time, a fund manager might see an opportunity in a diversified multinational corporation that offers a good return, despite it deriving part of its revenue from e-cigarettes. These contests are very apparent. Domestic politics can work in host countries too. A good example is Singapore’s SWF, Temasek, investing in Thailand’s telecommunications sector. If you study political economy, you already know that countries everywhere are uncomfortable with foreign ownership of their telecom sectors because a foreign entity could monitor or manipulate our communications with each other. In the case of Temasek, there was significant pushback from Thai citizens surrounding the deal, which went on to influence national political sentiment toward Singapore as a whole, underscoring the risks some SWFs may face with their investment choices. In this case, fund behavior led to the dissolution of the entire Thai government in 2006 and a subsequent coup d’état. GJIA: To address some of this unease, the Santiago Principles were established in 2009 to ostensibly promote trust and transparency. From your perspective, have these mechanisms actually changed fund behavior? KL: In international relations theory, we always like to have a clear set of norms and best practices—the orientation we want the proverbial ship to be going in. In that regard, the Santiago Principles at least got the discussion going about which direction SWFs should take at a time when people were very skittish about the growing size of these funds. Nobody wanted them to be out there and potentially destabilizing economies, so talks about disclosure, conditions for withdrawal, and the independence of managers were helpful when initiated. The biggest stumbling block was that there wasn’t exactly a good way to measure compliance with the Principles, let alone how to hold funds to them. If you read the Principles, they’re overall quite vague. In general, a fund doesn’t want to reveal how and why they make certain investment decisions because that information is proprietary—a fund makes money off of how and why it makes decisions—so how do you reconcile that with loosely-defined ideas of openness? Some decisions might have a political purpose. The bottom line is that trying to figure out and assign a score to compliance is not easy, and it is therefore the reason why the Santiago Principles never really got off the ground to the point where they could truly direct fund behavior. GJIA: Many emerging markets are looking to build their own SWFs from mineral and oil revenues. Historically, have funds shaped development trajectories in these countries? KL: I think the big story in international emerging markets investment is that the investment is increasingly no longer unidirectional. In the past multinational corporations of primarily Western background were the main form of foreign direct investment in a country. That has changed dramatically, to the point where you have companies from so-called “developing countries” taking over companies in the United States. Therefore, the landscape of international investment has changed, and I think SWFs are certainly a possibility to be the next step in the game. Historically, you didn’t need an entire financial vehicle to reinvest commodity revenues in your country, but as emerging markets get more financially sophisticated, their capacity to operate such funds has increased. SWFs would allow treasuries to move from relying on holding foreign exchange assets like cash or government bonds to having broader financial markets and targeted growth areas, while easing pressure on welfare expenditures. GJIA: With their increasing financial weight, do you see the presence of SWFs being a factor in the political choices leaders will have to make with regard to domestic and foreign policy? KL: It will depend on just how big the funds get. One of the reasons people are already apprehensive is because of their scale, and if certain SWFs in certain countries achieve a large-enough size, the presence will absolutely be cause for concern. The other factor political leaders will have to consider are their objectives. It’s not always clear how to define a SWF, or even where its activity is concentrated, but it is certainly a worry from the perspective of national security of opaque external investment. More than that, I think one of the most interesting questions going forward is whether the United States, the home to the world’s largest financial markets, will develop its own fund, for which the Trump administration announced a plan. There have also been several proposals in Congress. Were it to come into being, it would have tremendous weight. At the same time, one of the hallmarks of U.S. capitalism is a lack of government ownership of shares, so it would not be clear how such a fund would be received in domestic politics, or which direction it would take. Given how politically fragmented the country is, a Democratic administration would likely be concerned about different sectors of the economy, such as healthcare, and want investment there, rather than a Republican administration, which might prefer defense industries. No investment vehicle could thrive under conditions of such instability. Moreover, it remains unclear where the money to fund a theoretical U.S. SWF would come from. It would be a fundamentally different entity depending on whether it is financed with debt, economic surplus, commodities, or the sale of state companies, as in the case of Singapore. If it is debt, or government borrowing of some form, then the fund would have to outperform whatever the cost of that debt is, which is not an easy thing to do. I think our political leaders have enough on their plate. Our system has worked well keeping political and investment functions generally separate. We have seen different forms of business rise and fall, and even the perception of different countries, all of which funds are tied to. Unless a major SWF either starts—like in the case of the United States—or collapses—an issue that concerns the Saudis, I don’t see any political tsunamis on the horizon. . . . Kathryn Lavelle is the Ellen and Dixon Long Professor of World Affairs at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio. Her research explores the exchange between domestic and international and political institutions with a particular emphasis on political economy and multilateralism. Dr. Lavelle’s first book, The Politics of Equity Finance in Emerging Markets, explored the political circumstances that surround large issues of stock in the developing world. After being granted tenure at Case Western, she was awarded an American Political Science Association Congressional Fellowship and named the William A. Steiger fellow, a designation given to the most promising political scientist in her class of fellows. While in Washington during 2006-2007, she worked on the staff of the House Committee on Financial Services on issues related to domestic and international monetary policy. Dr. Lavelle holds a PhD in political science from Northwestern University; an M.A. in government and foreign affairs from the University of Virginia; and a bachelor’s degree in international economics from Georgetown University. She is a permanent member of the New York Council on Foreign Relations. This transcript has been lightly edited for clarity and length. Interview conducted by Sid Mehrotra. Image Credit: Jason Leung, Unsplash Content Licenses, via Unsplash
Commentary: They said Katie Porter was dead politically. I checked her pulse
A one-two punch of unflattering videos caused many to write off Porter's gubernatorial candidacy. But the former O.C. congresswoman remains a top contender.
Another government shutdown? ICE debate jeopardizes spending deal.
The killing of Alex Pretti by Border Patrol agents upended a federal spending deal at the last minute, virtually guaranteeing a partial shutdown.
Northe Saunders: New poll should guide Florida’s debate on childhood vaccine requirements
Florida voters strongly back vaccine protections that keep children safe.
Uptown car wash site hits market, reopening debate over future of Tchoupitoulas corridor
A longtime Uptown car wash is up for sale just two years after a heated fight over demolishing historic homes on the site. The 70,000-square-foot Tchoupitoulas Street property now sits at the center of a corridor still in flux, as nearby retail and development plans remain uncertain.
Lawmakers expect ICE tensions to punctuate N.Y. budget debate
Many things in the next two months will determine what makes the final deal.
'We're having a moral debate': Walz calls to put politics aside after Alex Pretti shooting
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz called on President Donald Trump to pull federal agents from the state one day after Alex Pretti, a Minneapolis man, was shot and killed by a border patrol agent. Walz said the discussion over federal agents in the state had become a "moral debate."
New DNA analysis rewrites the story of the Beachy Head Woman
A Roman-era skeleton discovered in southern England has finally given up her secrets after more than a decade of debate. Known as the Beachy Head Woman, she was once thought to have roots in sub-Saharan Africa or the Mediterranean—an idea that sparked global attention. But new, high-quality DNA analysis paints a different picture: she was most likely a local woman from Roman Britain.
Crockett, Talarico take on affordability, ICE and Trump during Texas primary debate
The Democratic U.S. Senate candidates weighed in on everything from foreign policy and the recent U.S. military actions in Venezuela to healthcare costs and whether they'd support raising taxes on billionaires.
Democrats Running for U.S. Senate in Texas Call for Overhaul of ICE
In a debate, Jasmine Crockett and James Talarico differed in their political styles but agreed that violent immigration agents needed to be held to account.
Takeaways from the first Texas Senate Democratic primary debate
The first debate in the Texas Senate Democratic primary on Saturday revealed few policy differences between US Rep. Jasmine Crockett and state Rep. James Talarico. The contrast was instead between their styles and the approaches each would take to try to flip a Republican-held seat. No Democrat has won a statewide election in Texas in more than three decades.
Letters to Sports: Readers debate whether the Dodgers are ruining baseball
Readers of the Los Angeles Times give their thoughts on the Dodgers signing Kyle Tucker, the Rams, the LeBron James-Jeanie Buss rift and college football.