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Jim Cramer on Sphere Entertainment: “It’s Really Pretty Amazing”
Sphere Entertainment Co. (NYSE:SPHR) is one of the stocks Jim Cramer shared his opinion on. During the lightning round, a caller asked about the stock, and Cramer replied: I think Sphere’s great. We did, you know, Ben and I did, we did a piece on Sphere, and we felt really, really good about it. We’re […]
Do weeds really love poor soil? Not if you look at the science
It's a truism that weeds love poor soil, but is there anything to it? And what is a weed, anyway? James Wong investigates
National Girls & Women in Sports Day: Jacy Weisbrod
MARQUETTE, Mich. – From the moment she first picked up a basketball, Jacy Weisbrod has approached the game with endless energy, confidence, and a drive to compete. She quickly realized that sports would play a central role in her life — not just for the thrill of winning, but for the lessons, friendships, and opportunities they provide.
Can AI ‘vibe research’ replace social science?
AI tool improvement is compounding fast enough for researchers to start using tools like Claude Code for real social science tasks.
RFK Jr. says he is 'ending the war on protein.' Experts say it doesn't exist.
The new dietary guidelines prioritize protein and whole milk, but experts say the 'war on protein' RFK Jr. has talked about doesn't match reality.
Olympic curling: Sweeping, explained
The sweeping in curling might look simple, but it's a real-time mix of strategy, physics and athleticism in a game that can be decided by a matter of inches.
Dolan thrilled by world title shot on Paul promotion
Norfolk's Emma Dolan says "it doesn't feel real" that she will have her first world title fight on Jake Paul's debut London promotion.
AI Won’t Kill the Software Business, Just Its Growth Story
Fears that software companies are facing an extinction event are exaggerated, but other dangers are real.
EU sports chief slams call by football boss to lift Russia ban
Glenn Micallef said Russia poses “real security risks” in a statement blasting FIFA.
Nemotron Labs: How AI Agents Are Turning Documents Into Real-Time Business Intelligence
AI-powered document intelligence — built on NVIDIA Nemotron open models — enhances scientific research, finance and legal workflows.
‘ICE is not welcome’: urban raids, capacity and the politics of US immigration enforcement
Immigration enforcement in USA has become a highly visible, confrontational and politically charged form of policing.
Parents of trans kids ask: Does California really protect our rights?
AG Bonta's lawsuit against Rady Children's relies on a merger contract, not civil rights law—leaving trans families wondering what protections work
Opinion: Who really pays for business tax cuts in New Hampshire?
Discover the potential consequences of a proposed Business Enterprise Tax cut in New Hampshire, including budget strain and minimal benefits for businesses.
Why Greenland and Venezuela Are Really about AI
The connection between Greenland and Venezuela with AI may not be fully understood without considering the policies undertaken by Trump.
From pie to profit: How this Atlanta entrepreneur is baking real-world skills into the classroom
Meet Esco, who uses his world-famous apple cobbler pie—not just to delight taste buds, but to teach middle schoolers in Decatur the essentials of business, entrepreneurship, and self-confidence.
Liverpool to rival Man Utd for Wharton
Liverpool, Manchester United and Real Madrid eye Adam Wharton deal, Manchester United could move for Jean-Philippe Mateta and Sandro Tonali, Leeds keeper Illan Meslier looks to be heading to Turkey.
Political Realignment and the 2026 Japanese Election II | Council on Foreign Relations
This Sunday, Japanese voters will once again go to the polls. Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae has called this snap election in the hopes of attracting sufficient votes to put her party, the LDP, back in the majority.
GTA 6 Marketing Will Kick Off This Summer, as Take-Two Confidently Reaffirms November Release Date
Grand Theft Auto VI's November 19, 2026 release date is drawing nearer, and Take-Two Interactive is starting to sound more confident than ever that this time, it's really happening. So confident, in fact, it's announced that Rockstar will be spinning up its marketing beats this summer.
Watch your favorite reality TV, entertainment shows with Sling passes
Don't miss a must-see pop culture moment, get Sling's Entertainment Extra to keep up with all of you favorite shows.
As a Virtual Boy owner I can confirm the Switch 2's NSO offering is alarmingly accurate and an essential history lesson
Nintendo's Virtual Boy is coming to Switch, and we've tested it and compared to experience with the real thing.
Physicists push thousands of atoms to a 'Schrödinger's cat' state — bringing the quantum world closer to reality than ever before
Researchers have demonstrated that a nanoparticle of 7,000 sodium atoms can act as a wave, creating a record-setting superposition.
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.
American high school student stuns scientists by mapping 1.5 million previously unknown space objects - Futura-Sciences
A young mind builds an AI breakthrough Matteo Paz, a student at Pasadena High School, joined the Planet Finder Academy in the summer of 2022. The program immerses students in real world astronomy challenges. Under the mentorship of Caltech scientist Davy Kirkpatrick at the Infrared Processing and Analysis Center (IPAC),...
Real Madrid captain posts strong message after Rayo Vallecano omission
Dani Carvajal is going through one of the most testing phases of his long and successful career at Real Madrid. The club captain was once again left without a single minute on the pitch during the re...
Naderi wants to 'make most' of Rangers move
Rangers' new signing Ryan Naderi insists he wants to "make the most" of his move to Ibrox from 3. The German striker has scored eight goals this season and signed a "long-term contract" at the club, having previously played in Borussia Moenchengladbach's B team. "I am really pleased that this move has happened," Naderi told club media.
Maryland Companies Celebrate Global Collaborations, Industry Honors and Local Partnerships
The Maryland Marketing Partnership, which helps drive Maryland's branding and marketing efforts to attract businesses, create jobs, and grow the state's economy, today shared a summary of the latest news from companies and organizations that invest in the partnership. "Maryland's marketing partners are starting the year with major investments in our state's workforce and economy," said Harry Coker Jr., Secretary for the Maryland Department of Commerce. "From clean energy to biopharma to higher education to commercial real estate, these investments are helping us build a stronger and more competitive Maryland economy." BGE , Maryland's largest natural gas and electric utility, along with the Exelon Foundation , announced a $250,000 grant for Civic Works' Baltimore Shines solar initiative to support solar installations for 30 homes in Baltimore. According to Civic Works, homeowners will receive free rooftop solar installations, adding clean energy to the grid and generating more than
The SNL mom having second thoughts about Trump is very real. But how real?
“Saturday Night Live” this weekend featured one of its best political sketches in years. It’s about a mother who dramatically reveals to her children that she’s having sudden reservations about President Donald Trump.
UIL Realignment 2026: Here are the biggest moves for Texas high school sports
Monday was Realignment Day for high school sports in Texas as the University Interscholastic League released its list of division compositions that will govern matchups for the next two years.
Building Systems That Survive Real Life
Sara Nobrega on the transition from data science to AI engineering, using LLMs as a bridge to DevOps, and the one engineering skill junior data scientists need to stay competitive.
Here's what Cities: Skylines 2’s new developer is updating first
Visual upgrades include new UI, realistic snow cover, better lighting.
Comcast Resets Connectivity Business As Legal And Sports Stakes Rise
Comcast (NasdaqGS:CMCSA) is overhauling its connectivity business, appointing Steve Croney as CEO of Connectivity & Platforms. The company is shifting its broadband and wireless approach, including simplified pricing and new partnership models. A recent patent ruling resulted in a US$240 million judgment against Comcast. Comcast is rolling out RealTime4K streaming and other products ahead of major sports broadcasts such as the Olympics and the Super Bowl. For you as an investor, the story...
The Grammys riled Donald Trump – but the big winners were chosen for their music, not politics
The president called the ceremony ‘garbage’, but in reality it was a celebration of artists whose commercial success was matched by boundary-pushing boldness
PLAC Announces Entertainment Line Up
(Okoboji)– The Pearson Lakes Art Center has released their 2026 season lineup. Bob Kirschbaum, Executive Director of the Pearson Lakes Art Center, says they are looking forward to the upcoming season… “We are really excited again about a fabulous summer coming up. Last summer we sold out every show and can’t believe we won’t do […]
I tried a Claude Code alternative that's local, open source, and completely free
I was curious if Block's Goose agent, paired with Ollama and the Qwen3-coder model, could really replace Claude Code. Here's how I got started.
Las Vegas project manager talks challenges in developing commerical real estate
Las Vegas is a high-velocity market with strong demand drivers, but it rewards disciplined execution and punishes uncertainty, said Art Zargaryan, CEO of Pegasus Development.
Stephen Ross and Ken Griffin Think Florida Is the Future for Business
Stephen Ross, the real estate developer, and Ken Griffin, the billionaire financier, are trying to attract businesses to their new base, South Florida.
8 Mistakes Cardiologists Say Could Be Wrecking Your Heart Health
For American Heart Month, four cardiologists share the biggest mistakes they see people make for their hearts—and provide simple, realistic fixes.
Did artificial intelligence really drive layoffs at Amazon and other firms? It can be hard to tell
When Amazon announced it was cutting 16,000 corporate jobs, many assumed it was the latest phase of CEO Andy Jassy’s push to reduce the corporate workforce as AI brings more efficiency gains.
"Kel’el gave us really solid minutes tonight. I was …
"Kel’el gave us really solid minutes tonight. I was …
Grammys Newcomer Gets Real Cheeky With Red Carpet Look
Addison Rae is a first-time nominee.
I didn't realize how rare my grandparents were until now
A mom shares what it's like raising kids with deeply involved great-grandparents and why she now realizes how rare that bond is.
The real story behind Kenneth Walker's resurgence
The Seahawks run game turned a corner down the stretch- right when Justin Outten and Michael Byrne took over the duties of coaching the running backs.
Sunday Standings: Time to believe?
Over the summer, a respected voice like Elliotte Friedman really drove home a lot of feelings about the Pittsburgh Penguins in a podcast: “It’s really hard to make deals right now because there are 31 teams in the NHL attempting to get better….then there is Pittsburgh” Turns out the signings of players like Anthony Mantha, […]
Bellingham suffers injury on Real duty
England midfielder Jude Bellingham is substituted with what appears to be a hamstring injury early in Real Madrid's La Liga match against Rayo Vallecano.
Local Columnist Floats Wild Matthew Stafford–Detroit Lions Reunion Scenario
A Detroit Free Press columnist suggests a bold Matthew Stafford return to the Lions via a double trade — but how realistic is it? A full breakdown and reality check.
UND Nistler College of Business of Public Administration to introduce new real estate major
Also, Department of Economics and Finance has been renamed the Fransen Department of Real Estate, Economics and Finance in honor of Robert "Bob" Fransen, who helped the real estate major come to be.
Meet Dispatch trending business, real estate reporter Emma Wozniak
Get to know Emma Wozniak, who joined The Columbus Dispatch as a reporter last year.
If We Care About Learning, We Must Care About Kids’ Oral Health
Izvernari: We must start treating children’s oral health as what it really is: a foundation for academic success, not an afterthought.
Is it really possible to 'bank' sleep for later?
From helping you to focus more to improving sports performance, some scientists believe 'depositing' sleep for later use can bring a range of benefits.
Can Google's Project Genie really 'make Mario and Zelda games' from text prompts?
Nintendo isn't going to be happy.
AND NEW! Stevenson Dominates Lopez To Become Four-Division Champion
If there was ever any doubt as to how good Shaker Stevenson really is he put it all to rest last night (Sat., Jan. 31, 2026) in New York City against Teofimo Lopez, dominating “The Takeover” for pretty much the whole fight inside Madison Square Garden. From the jump Stevenson made it clear to Lopez […]
How Thoughtful Experience Design Leads to Better Business Outcomes
See how CG Infinity’s Salesforce Practice delivers scalable, integrated Marketing Cloud solutions that turn platform capabilities into real business outcomes.
Living in the US for decades changed me more than I realized
After living in the US for decades, returning to Australia brought unexpected culture shock and forced me to rebuild a sense of home.
Canadiens warned against trading away talented 1st-round pick
Montreal has to decide on a direction.
Don’t Think You Have Time to Learn a New Language? This App Says You Do—Save 50% Off a Lifetime Subscription
Babbel forgoes flashcards and memorization in favor of real-world conversations.
Netflix may be turning into an ‘entertainment giant,’ but its stock looks like ‘dead money’ to investors
"They had this really great profitability story," S&P's Melissa Otto says. But when that feels priced in, "that's probably going to spoil the market."
Netflix may be turning into an 'entertainment giant,' but its stock looks like 'dead money' to investors
"They had this really great profitability story," S&P's Melissa Otto says. But when that feels priced in, "that's probably going to spoil the market."
The dismaying response to a new Alex Pretti video
The new footage of Pretti clashing with ICE is real — and irrelevant.
Bengals take top defensive tackle in latest NFL Mock Draft
This could be a really good first round pick for the Bengals.
Sardine fasting: a fad or does eating only fish really boost health and weight loss?
Once a diet fad hits social media, it kind of takes on a life of its own, like sardine fasting -- eating nothing but sardines to get the body to burn fat.
'View' star Sara Haines breaks down in tears over covering grim news: 'Why get out of bed?'
'The View' cohost Sara Haines broke down in tears over covering grim news on the talk show, admitting she doesn't 'really have a safe space' amid headlines: 'Why get out of bed?'
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.”
Habs' New Defensive Pairing of Hutson and Dobson Delivers Results
Here are the Montreal Canadiens news items, stories, and content you may have missed on Thursday. Montreal Canadiens News Don’t […]
Lancaster County public sales: Jan. 30, 2026
Martin & Rutt Auctioneers LLC, of New Holland, conducted a public auction of real estate Jan. 21 at 181 Eastbrook Road, Smoketown. A three-bedroom brick rancher with one-car garage on
Sources: Main Street Sports facing real possibility of liquidation
Unless 11th-hour financing can coerce its nine MLB teams to stay put, Main Street Sports Group could have little choice but to file for Chapter 7 and immediately liquidate its business next week
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
The 10 most profitable sports teams in the world right now
Winning championships is the goal, but for the front office, the real scoreboard is the balance sheet. In an era where media rights, luxury suites, and global branding have turned franchises into financial powerhouses, some teams are simply playing in…
Sean Hannity: Democrats’ anti-ICE outrage is pure political theater
Fox News host Sean Hannity dissects how Democrats’ anti-I.C.E. ‘outrage’ is detached from reality on ‘Hannity.’
Should the Rams really go ‘all in’ again?
The Rams going “all in” for one final year with Matthew Stafford makes more sense on the surface than after a deep dive
How scientists are making the power of invisibility a reality
“In my opinion, invisibility is no longer a science fiction concept.”
UND Nistler College of Business & Public Administration announces newly named Fransen Department of Real Estate, Economics & Finance
UND alum Bob Fransen's gift establishes real estate major, renames department
Joint Commission partners with STS, ACC on new cardiac care certification
The new certification is intended to focus on the importance of high-quality care and real-world patient outcomes. It will be based on the same data care teams already submit if they participate in the STS Adult Cardiac Surgery Database, ACC CathPCI Registry or STS/ACC TVT Registry.
Former reality TV father of 8 reveals major health scare: ‘I could have died’
It happened just weeks before his marriage to his second wife.
SkyLake Adventures teams with Butler Institute for Sports and Entertainment
Under the partnership, Butler University students will receive real-life experience in hospitality and entertainment, and real-life experiences and practical skills in marketing, social media and communications.
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?
Glow Golf, Blind Boxes, and DIY Crafts Bring New Entertainment and Retail to South Shore Plaza - Boston Real Estate Times
Braintree, Mass.— South Shore Plaza, the premier shopping and dining destination south of Boston, has unveiled three new additions aimed at expanding its interactive and creative offerings: Aloha Mini Glow […]
Xevant Named a 2025 Modern Healthcare Best in Business Company for AI
Xevant, a leader in real-time pharmacy benefits intelligence, today announced it has been named a 2025 Modern Healthcare Best in Business company in the Artificial Intelligence (AI) category. The recognition honors healthcare suppliers and technology partners whose innovations delivered measurable impact across the healthcare ecosystem in 2025.
Pre-Snap Reads 1/29: The Seahawks are for real
In the words of Linda Ronstadt: for a long, long time.
AI Real Estate Business Taps $100 Million Private Credit Loan
Propy, a real estate technology company, tapped the private credit market for the first time, securing $100 million to support the startup’s acquisition strategy.
Are These Unprecedented Times for Science, Really?
A science historian looks to the past to understand our current moment, and how ghostwriting in scientific papers is harming public trust.
Opinion: Colorado’s plan to cut sexual health education funding would erase real gains for rural students
The statewide program is a key element in Colorado’s commitment to support the mental health and well-being of our young people.
Prosecution requests July 1 state trial for Mangione in health care executive's killing
Defense attorneys for Luigi Mangione, charged with fatally shooting UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in 2024, said the date is unrealistic with a federal case also pending.
US ski resorts devastated as worsening crisis impacts business: 'It's been really slow'
"You lose people, employees."
Everyone Really Needs to Pump the Brakes on That Viral Moltbot AI Agent
It's all fun and games until every aspect of your life is splashed all over the dark web.
Tom Brady, Robert Kraft respond on Bill Belichick's reported HOF snub: 'If he's not a first-ballot Hall of Famer, there's really no coach that should ever be'
Fact check: Trump says Democrats don’t talk about affordability anymore (they do) because inflation is over (it isn’t)
President Donald Trump tried Tuesday to concoct an alternative reality on the subject of “affordability” – piling lie on top of lie to try to convince Americans that the issue has vanished.
Snap is Spinning Out Its Specs AR Glasses Business
The subsidiary, Specs Inc., will keep focusing on products that build on the company's Spectacles, which create mixed-reality experiences for wearers.
Tory peer’s punishment for fiddling expenses criticised as too lenient
Campaigners demand ‘real consequences’ for peer who claimed expenses for car journeys he did not take
Beyond testosterone: The real crisis in men’s health
Increasing testosterone in men ignores deeply rooted cultural and social factors at the center of this health emergency.
Snap is spinning off its AR glasses into a separate business
Snap’s augmented reality glasses business will now be its own entity, with the company establishing Specs Inc. as a wholly-owned subsidiary.
The unique sports collectibles that landed The Realest a $12 million investment round
The sports world is taking notice of The Realest's efforts to expand the definition of collectibles.
Nervous Allies and Fox News: How Trump Realized He Had a Big Problem in Minneapolis
President Trump often blusters his way through a crisis, refusing to back down. Minneapolis tested the limits of that strategy.
OpenAI digs in on a fundamental disconnect in new research: AI is ready for primetime, many businesses aren't
The real challenge isn't building better AI—it's actually using it.
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
Historic $300-billion wave of business acquisitions set to reshape Canada’s economy: BDC study
Key findings: 61% of small- and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) are led by owners aged 50+; nearly one in five plan to exit within five yearsCompanies that acquire other businesses earn four times the profits of non-acquirersFor every 10 buyers, only seven are sellers—competition for strong businesses is fierce MONTREAL, Jan. 28, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Canada’s business landscape is on the brink of a major transformation. A new study by the Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC) reveals thou
Yes, romance & fantasy novels are political. : It's Been a Minute
How do romantic tropes and fantasies impact how you understand politics?You might be a fan of Romantic Fantasy, or as the internet calls it: Romantasy. Even if you're not, you would recognize the tradwives or fascism. Romantasies combine supernatural characters and plotlines with the rush of a whirlwind romance novel, and, in this episode, we're exploring how the politics of some of these books have an effect on politics in the real world.Brittany is joined by Netta Baker, Advanced Instructor of English at Virginia Tech, and Princess Weekes, video essayist and online pop culture critic. They get into how this genre demolishes misogyny while reinforcing conservative politics.Support Public Media. Join NPR Plus.Follow Brittany Luse on Instagram: @bmluseFor handpicked podcast recommendations every week, subscribe to NPR’s Pod Club newsletter at npr.org/podclub.
Benfica vs Real Madrid – Match preview and team news
Real Madrid travel to Lisbon for the final matchday of the Champions League league phase to face Jose Mourinho’s Benfica on Wednesday evening.Real Madrid currently sit in third position in the table...