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9 Fruits With the Most Soluble Fiber for Lower Cholesterol and Weight Loss
Soluble fiber has special health benefits, including helping to lower cholesterol and keeping blood sugar steady. Try these fruits high in soluble fiber to meet your daily needs.
Unified sports programs bring together athletes for more than wins and losses
At Minnesota schools, special needs students and those in general education bond in the arena of competition
Coalition seeks LA County sales tax vote to offset federal healthcare funding cuts
The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors will consider whether to place a half-cent sales tax measure in front of voters. Revenues would be used to create a coverage program for people who lose their Medi-Cal.
Can Apple's New AirTag Track How Many Fans Tim Cook Just Lost?
Apple releases the 2nd-gen AirTag and Creator Studio subscription in the middle of a tricky public relations week for CEO Tim Cook.
The latest Lehigh Valley business openings and closings
Here are January’s business openings and closures in the Lehigh Valley.
These Utah businesses will close — or donate from their sales — Friday to protest Minnesota immigration crackdown
One Salt Lake City bookstore will be closed Friday, but will reopen in the evening so people can gather to write letters or make safety kits. Another will stay open and donate a portion of its sales to a west-side school.
Businesses in Maine, across New England closed today for national ICE protest
Dozens of businesses in Maine and across New England will be closed on Friday as part of a national protest against recent U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement actions in Minneapolis and elsewhere. ICE was in Maine as recently as last week, and many Portland businesses have shut down for the day as a way of showing their solidarity with immigrant…
Prep talk: Bay League has a trio of top senior pitchers for 2026 baseball season
Garrett Jacobs of Mira Costa, Robby Zimmerman of Redondo Union and Kai Van Scoyoc of Palos Verdes are pitchers to watch this spring in high school baseball.
Gray wolves are hunting sea otters and no one knows how
On a remote Alaskan island, gray wolves are rewriting the rulebook by hunting sea otters — a behavior few scientists ever expected to see. Researchers are now uncovering how these coastal wolves adapted to marine hunting, what it means for land–sea ecosystems, and whether this ancient predator–prey relationship is re-emerging as sea otters recover.
Science Fields and Methodology Came from a Christian Worldview
Is Christianity incompatible with real science? The development and history of science answer a resounding “no.”
Lindsey Vonn airlifted from course after crash in final downhill before the Olympics
Vonn lost control when landing a jump in a World Cup race held in difficult conditions with low visibility and ended up tangled in the safety nets on the upper portion of the course.
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.
Katharine Burr Blodgett’s legacy comes to light
The Lost Women of Science team uncovers Katharine Burr Blodgett’s overlooked brilliance
Leading scorer Jaylen Brown may miss Celtics' matchup vs. Kings
The Boston Celtics will be looking to avoid back-to-back home losses and may be without leading scorer Jaylen Brown when they face the Sacramento Kings on Friday night.
Livingston v Motherwell: Pick of the stats
Tawanda Maswanhise has scored in his past three league appearances, while a goal here would make him the youngest player (23 years 72 days) to net in four successive Scottish Premiership outings since Malik Tillman for Rangers in April 2023 (20y 308d), and youngest for Motherwell in the top flight since Nick Blackman in November 2010 (21y 9d). Motherwell have only lost one of their past 15 league games (W9 D5), a 1-0 defeat at Rangers in December.
Cramping Alcaraz beats Zverev in epic to reach final
A cramping Carlos Alcaraz draws on every physical and mental reserve to beat Alexander Zverev in a five-set epic and reach the Australian Open final.
South Florida Republicans cheer Donald Trump's tariff order on nations doing business with Cuba
Mario Díaz-Balart, María Elvira Salazar and Carlos Giménez said the move could pressure the end of communist rule on the island.
China, Israel continue to collaborate in science and tech despite unrest in Gaza
While Beijing supports Palestine and has a fractious relationship with Tel Aviv’s closest ally, cutting-edge innovations keep them together.
Portland businesses closing Friday for 'National Shutdown' strike amid federal immigration concerns
Multiple businesses and restaurants across Portland are expected to close Friday, Jan. 30, in solidarity with a “National Shutdown” strike responding to growing concerns over federal immigration enforcement nationwide. The […]
How liberals lost the internet
In the first part of our series on digital politics, we look at how centrists have lost ground fighting disinformation – when the real battle is over emotion and attention, says digital media academic Robert Topinka
Apple buys secretive Israeli AI company Q.ai for $1.6 billion in biggest acquisition of its history
With the move, Apple aims to improve its access to AI technology, which has suffered recent setbacks, especially after several delays in deploying Apple Intelligence's full announced capabilities.
Notre Dame loses to Cal on the road, 80-69
Notre Dame drops another ACC game to put its conference record at .500.
Portland businesses join national ‘ICE Out’ protest, close doors Friday
UFC 325 loses fight after controversial weigh-in failure
UFC 325 loses fight after strange weigh-in
Cooper Flagg breaks NBA teen record with 49-point game
Cooper Flagg scored 49 points -- the most ever by a teenager in a single NBA game -- but it was not enough to save the Dallas Mavericks from a 123-121 loss to the Charlotte Hornets on Thursday.It was a third consecutive loss for the Mavericks, but a fifth straight win for the lowly Hornets, who sit 11th in the Eastern Conference.
Phoenix business owners join nationwide ‘Ice Out of Everywhere’ strike
Business owners in the Phoenix metro area are closing their doors Friday to support the “Ice Out of Everywhere” movement that began in Minnesota.
Trump says ‘very dangerous’ for UK to do business with China, after Starmer hails progress in Beijing
US president warns Keir Starmer over closer ties with China during British PM’s trip to secure lower tariffs and better access to Chinese market
Some businesses that closed for Minnesota general strike won't shut down for national one
Phoenix businesses join nationwide 'ICE Out' to protest immigration raids
Several local businesses across the Valley will close their doors Friday, Jan. 30, as part of a nationwide "ICE Out" shutdown to protest recent federal immigration operations.
Businesses in the Triangle feeling the effects of winter weather
Local businesses are feeling the effects of the winter weather, especially when they have to close their doors. Many business owners told WRAL News that weekends are the busiest time, so having their doors closed and with no customers two weekends in a row is hurting their margins.
NC State downs Boston College, 106-84
Normally you might have to worry a little bit if you give up 16 made threes, but not so on Thursday night, as not even a ridiculously above-average shooting performance from Boston College could keep the Eagles close. NC State’s offense was relentless thanks to standout performances from Zoe Brooks, Tilda Trygger, Khamil Pierre, and […]
Virginia Tech's task? Slow No. 4 Duke's blowout roll
Duke experienced some close calls early in its ACC schedule, but the nation's No. 2 team in the NET rankings has dominated opponents of late.
Eugene businesses close during nationwide economic shutdown
Portal Teas, Noisette Pastry Kitchen, Acorn Community Cafe, and more disrupt business as usual for protest on Jan. 30
Rams hire new special teams coordinator
The Los Angeles Rams are hiring a new special teams coordinator
Davis Webb withdraws from Las Vegas Raiders head coach job
Las Vegas loses another head coach candidate
Eugene business owners grapple with decision to open or close for Friday’s general strike
The general strike protesting federal law enforcement crackdowns leave business owners contemplating what action is best: close in solidarity or stay open to be of service.
Winter weather hits local businesses hard as snow forces closures
Local business owners are grappling with the financial strain of consecutive winter weather weekends, with closures significantly impacting service industry employees and small retailers.
More than 80 Maine businesses will be closed Friday as part of ICE protest
Dozens of Portland area businesses have signed on to close for the day as part of what's being called a service industry strike, which is happening nationwide.
Josh Allen Disrespects Patriots In New Sore Loser Comments
It’s always unlikable when a pro athlete plays the “shoulda, woulda, coulda” game during interviews, and that’s what Buffalo Bills QB Josh Allen just did. In a new presser, Allen insinuated that if he’d made one more play against the Denver Broncos in the Divisional round, the Bills would be headed to the Super Bowl […]
Chicago small business owner says she lost over $8K to fraud, bank held her responsible
A small business owner in Chicago says thousands of dollars were stolen from her bank account.
M12's Cheng: Health Care One of The Fastest AI Adopters
Cheryl Cheng, managing partner at M12, Microsoft’s venture fund, says health care has shifted from being slow to adopt technology to becoming one of the fastest adopters of AI. She speaks with Romaine Bostick and Katie Greifeld on “The Close.” (Source: Bloomberg)
Packers losing QBs coach Sean Mannion to Philadelphia Eagles
The Packers will need a new QBs coach. Sean Mannion, who took over the job for Tom Clements in 2025, is headed to Philadelphia to be the Eagles OC.
The Madison businesses closing Friday for anti-ICE ‘national shutdown’
Rallies are also scheduled at UW-Madison and the Wisconsin Capitol during a nationwide protest to federal immigration enforcement.
Santa Fe businesses to close Friday as part of nationwide anti-ICE protest
The Santa Fe closures are part of a national effort to convey dissatisfaction with recent actions of ICE officers in Minneapolis.
Jackson Health System CEO Migoya steps down, successor appointed in president and COO Zambrana
Midtown businesses to close Friday as part of national ICE protest
Businesses in Minneapolis and across the country will close Friday to protest ICE activity.
Several Bellingham businesses will close Jan. 30 for nationwide ICE protest
“It’s time to speak up in the best way to make our government listen: the money in their pockets.”
Ivanti warns of two EPMM flaws exploited in zero-day attacks
Ivanti has disclosed two critical vulnerabilities in Ivanti Endpoint Manager Mobile (EPMM), tracked as CVE-2026-1281 and CVE-2026-1340, that were exploited in zero-day attacks.
Rochester businesses join Friday’s national strike against ICE
ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC) – In response to the immigration crackdown taking place in Minnesota, businesses across the country and close to home are planning to go on strike this Friday. It’…
Gainesville businesses to join nationwide shutdown to protest ICE
Several Gainesville businesses will close Jan. 30 in solidarity with a nationwide protest against ICE, with demonstrations planned locally Jan. 30–31.
U.S. Department of State and National Football League Sports Diplomacy Partnership - United States Department of State
Today, the U.S. Department of State and the National Football League (NFL) announced a partnership to support and enhance the Department’s sports diplomacy initiatives and to collaborate on major sporting events, including international NFL games, the Super Bowl, and the debut of flag football at the 2028 Summer Games in Los Angeles (LA28). As American […]
6 Tactics Black Businesses Can Apply To Spur Revenue Growth In A Post-DEI World
Starting roughly a year ago, DEI rollbacks have meant $217 million in lost federal contracts to small businesses, including Black-owned ones.
Austin businesses shutting down Friday in nationwide ICE protest
Local businesses will close Friday to join a nationwide protest against ICE operations, part of a growing wave of actions happening this weekend.
Mavericks put their hope in health as the 1-year anniversary of the Luka Doncic trade approaches
Anthony Davis and Kyrie Irving didn't play in that 118-105 loss to Minnesota — and might not be in a Mavericks uniform on the same night again — while it was a temporary injury absence for four-time NBA champion Klay Thompson and Cooper Flagg, the rookie No. 1 pick who landed in Dallas by crazy luck and is seen as the next face of the franchise after Doncic. Days shy of a year since the Mavs shipped their global superstar to the Los Angeles Lakers for Davis and rocked the core of a team that was just nine months removed from playing in the NBA Finals, Washington's hope for a return to contention rests with those four teammates being healthy alongside him.
Trump Says He Only Appeared to Nod Off in Last Cabinet Meeting Because It Was ‘Boring’
Mr. Trump’s allies have strenuously insisted that he was alert and attentive at the meeting last month. The president said he had only closed his eyes.
A Business Owner Is Getting Divorced, Asks Dave Ramsey If He'll Lose The Business. 'She's Actually 98% Owner Of The Business And I'm 2% Owner'
A Texas business owner is facing a painful split, not just from his wife, but potentially from the company he helped build. He says he’s done almost all the work since 2021, but legally owns just 2% of the business. His wife holds the other 98%, a structure their accountant recommended for tax reasons. Divorce And Ownership Don't Match Up Manny, who shared his story on the “EntreLeadership” podcast recently with personal finance expert Dave Ramsey, said, “She’s actually 98% owner of the business
Make an Honest Living in Three New GTA Online Odd Jobs
Join the ranks of the Los Santos Fire Department as a Firefighter, load up delivery vans for Alpha Mail as a Forklift Operator, or deliver the old-fashioned printed version of the Los Santos Meteor with a Paper Route in three new Odd Jobs now available...
Maine businesses to close Friday, make donations to support immigrant community
More than 50 shops and restaurants are participating in a nationwide strike, which will include a protest in Portland's Monument Square.
Jackson Health CEO to step down. Who will be the new leader?
Carlos Migoya has led Jackson for nearly 15-years and is credited with saving the hospital system from financial ruin.
Apple buys Israeli start-up Q.AI as it races Meta and Google on AI devices
Deal worth close to $2bn for secretive group that creates technology that analyses facial expressions
Multiple Upstate NY businesses to close Friday for national anti-ICE shutdown
Multiple cafes, restaurants and shops across Upstate New York will close their doors Friday in protest of recent federal immigration enforcement.
HIV: A Treatment Triumph Still Searching For Basic Science Answers
Molly Ohainle was growing up in the Bay Area when the AIDS crisis hit. She lost both of her uncles to HIV. Now, she researches HIV as a professor of immunology and molecular medicine at UC
Tanzania eyes East Africa’s pharmaceutical hub crown {Business Africa}
Tanzania is betting on local drug manufacturing to reduce imports and become East Africa’s pharmaceutical hub and we find out how Africa's private sector is fixing the supply chain to minimise the billions lost in post-harvest logistics.View on euronews
The promise and reality of the rural health fund
In the 2025 budget bill, Congress created the $50 billion Rural Health Fund to help struggling hospitals, doctors, and patients in rural America. But rural hospitals are expected to lose three times that through Medicaid cuts in that same budget bill. So, what will it take to keep rural healthcare afloat?
Polar bears getting "fatter and healthier" amid ice loss
Scientists think that Svalbard bears have adapted to recent ice loss by eating more land-based prey.
Buncombe County officials hold public health briefing to address rise in measles
Buncombe County Public Health officials will hold a media briefing Thursday morning to update the community on measles in the county and state.
Will Republicans break their losing streak on health care reform?
Republicans have repeatedly failed to successfully field an alternative to ObamaCare, but their new “Great Healthcare Plan” released in January offers some promising ideas, such as pric…
After assault on Ilhan Omar, Trump responds with another blame-the-victim conspiracy theory
President Donald Trump did it after the 2021 attack on the US Capitol. He did it after the 2022 attack on the husband of then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. He did it after the murder last month of filmmaker and Democratic activist Rob Reiner. And he did it again on Tuesday after an attack on another Democrat, Rep. Ilhan Omar of Minnesota.
Mia Bonta pleads for ‘pandemic-level’ response to Feds’ gutting of Medi-Cal
Up to two million of the state’s lowest-income people may lose health insurance due to federal changes. Bonta wants to lead the charge to stop that.
Comcast sheds more broadband customers as wireless competition mounts
Comcast lost more broadband customers than expected in the fourth quarter, as rivals lured away consumers with aggressive offers, piling pressure on the company's mainstay business.
This Week in Sports Trivia: January 29, 2026
How closely were you following the sports news this week? Find out and test your knowledge by taking The Athletic's weekly quiz.
Illinois job market loses momentum after year-end slide
Illinois shed jobs for a second straight month at the end of 2025, the sharpest pullback since the post-pandemic rebound began, even as Chicago’s job market proved more resilient.
Trump directs team to beef up his public schedule to combat questions about his stamina
Vague descriptions of presidential signing ceremonies, policy meetings and industry executive sit downs — mostly behind closed doors — began peppering President Donald Trump’s public schedule at the end of last year.
Premier Radiology Services acquires rival teleradiology group NRad
Backed by private equity investors at Grovecourt Capital Partners, the Florida firm is buying National Radiology Solutions for an undisclosed sum.
Lakers' top trade target revealed ahead of next week's deadline
Los Angeles is reportedly eyeing this defensive specialist.
Alibaba to merge with China's Zelos on $2 billion robovan business, WSJ reports
Alibaba's logistics arm plans to merge its autonomous-driving unit Cainiao with China's Zelos Technology, forming a new entity valued at approximately $2 billion, the Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday, citing sources familiar with the matter.
Alibaba Teams Up With Zelos on $2 Billion Robovan Business
Alibaba’s logistics arm is merging its autonomous-driving unit with Chinese robovan specialist Zelos Technology.
North Allegheny defeated by Fox Chapel, 44-33
North Allegheny hosted the Fox Chapel Foxes at UPMC Court on Wednesday night in a Section 1-6A contest. Neither offense was very explosive but the Foxes did enough offensively to defeat the Tigers by a score of 44-33. NA got a three-pointer from Will Robertson in the opening frame but trailed 10-5 after a quarter of play. Cole… More »
Lakers routed in LeBron's possible last game in Cleveland
Donovan Mitchell scored 25 points and the Cleveland Cavaliers routed the Los Angeles Lakers 129-99 on Wednesday, spoiling what might be the final Cleveland game for superstar LeBron James.Jaylon Tyson added 20 points for the Cavs and De'Andre Hunter scored 19 off the Cleveland bench while Luka Doncic had a game-high 29 points for the Lakers (28-18), who also had eight points from Bronny James, LeBron's son.
Talks intensify to avert shutdown as White House and Senate leaders eye last-ditch deal
The White House and Senate leaders are moving closer to a deal to avert a government shutdown but are seeking to resolve final sticking points in eleventh-hour negotiations ahead of Friday’s deadline, according to several sources familiar with the talks.
Avalanche Offense Goes Cold in 5-2 Loss to Senators
It wasn't a very pretty night for the Colorado Avalanche, as their offense completely dried up against the Ottawa Senators and end up losing 5-2
Highway 21 Dairy Queen closure sparks conversation amongst local business owners
some local business owners say despite the roadwork, they say the project is good for the community.
Editorial: Keep judges and politicians out of college sports
With the NCAA increasingly losing control of collegiate athletics, there's little distinction between the pro leagues and college teams.
US ski resorts devastated as worsening crisis impacts business: 'It's been really slow'
"You lose people, employees."
Teen Mental Health and School-Based Services in California
About 3 in 10 California teens report serious psychological distress, yet significant gaps exist between the need for mental health care and receipt of services. This report examines teen mental health and access to care across demographic groups and describes how state and district funding have expanded school-based solutions.
Policy Brief: Teen Mental Health and School-Based Services in California
Rates of chronic sadness and suicidal thoughts in teens have been rising in California—and nationwide—since about 2009. Significant gaps exist between the reported need for mental health care and receipt of services. The state has recently invested $8 billion for child and teen mental health, including school-based services.
Kings, Sabres each carrying strong momentum into clash
The Buffalo Sabres and visiting Los Angeles Kings each bring winning streaks into their Thursday night contest.
America’s biggest science loss: federal government loses over 10,000 STEM PhD scientists in 2025 | - The Times of India
Science News: The US federal government suffered one of the most severe losses of scientific expertise in its modern history in 2025, with more than 10,000 STEM PhD.
Some of ‘Star Search’s’ biggest losers became megastars. Can the revival live up to its past?
Aaliyah, Britney and Beyoncé famously lost when they appeared on “Star Search” back in the day. Those who bested them look back as a new reboot takes off.
Patriots Rival Reportedly Loses Defensive Coordinator, Longtime Coach To Packers
The New England Patriots are gearing up for the Super Bowl, but two of their division rivals are in the middle of coaching changes. The Miami Dolphins fired Mike McDaniel to hire Jeff Hafley, the Green Bay Packers’ defensive coordinator for the last two years. The Buffalo Bills promoted Joe Brady to head coach from […]
How Oprah Winfrey has turned her weight-loss journey into a business
Oprah Winfrey's newest book, "Enough," is about her relationship with weight-loss drugs. Since the '90s, she has been combining her health with business.
Moto G77 launches with a 108MP camera with 3x lossless zoom, 120Hz AMOLED display, and an IP64 rating
Motorola has grown its Moto G series line of smartphones with the launch of a new model. The new Moto G77 has a new camera, a bigger battery, and a brighter display than its predecessor, the Moto G75.
California mental health hospitals warn over cuts after state hands down staffing rules
Psychiatric hospitals could close beds under proposed state rules if regulators don’t allow implementation time, facilities warn.
Twenty One Capital: Wen Business, Ser?
Twenty One Capital came public via SPAC merger but has since plummeted by nearly 30% since deal closure. Click here to find out why XXI stock is a Hold.
Companies rush to refinance amid increased policy uncertainty
The activity may be a signal of corporate borrowers losing confidence.
Barry Keoghan Is Nearly Unrecognizable with Long Hair in London, Plus Halle Berry, King Charles, Queen Camilla and More
Barry Keoghan is nearly unrecognizable with long hair in London, plus Halle Berry, King Charles, Queen Camilla and more. From London to Los Angeles, and everywhere in between, see what your favorite stars are up to.
Windows 11’s ability to resume Android apps on your PC is getting closer
The feature is now in Release Preview testing
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