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Clintons have agreed to in-person depositions for House Epstein investigation
Clintons try to reach agreement for Epstein testimony with contempt of Congress vote looming
Rep. James Comer, the chair of the House Oversight Committee, was advancing criminal contempt of Congress charges against both Clintons Monday evening for defying a congressional subpoena when a spokesman for the Clintons, Angel Ureña, suggested they would testify, posting on social media that the pair “will be there.”
Maryland Moves to Give Democrats Extra House Seat, but Big Hurdles Remain
The state’s House of Delegates passed a new map that would be likely to eliminate Maryland’s lone remaining Republican seat in the U.S. House, but the State Senate may well block the measure.
Dramatic reductions proposed for US science agencies by Trump ...
Final 2026 budget figures, passed by Congress and signed into law, reject significant cuts that the White House had proposed
New catalyst turns carbon dioxide into clean fuel source
Researchers have found that manganese, an abundant and inexpensive metal, can be used to efficiently convert carbon dioxide into formate, a potential hydrogen source for fuel cells. The key was a clever redesign that made the catalyst last far longer than similar low-cost materials. Surprisingly, the improved manganese catalyst even beat many expensive precious-metal options. The discovery could help turn greenhouse gas into clean energy ingredients.
Democratic victory in deep-red Texas district casts a pall over GOP plans to keep the House
Democrat Taylor Rehmet won a Texas state Senate district by 14 points after Trump carried it by 17 points in 2024. The state is a key battleground in the midterms.
Here are all the businesses in this year’s Chicago Black Restaurant Week
There are nearly 40 restaurants participating in this year’s Chicago Black Restaurant Week, from fast casual and BBQ joints to steakhouses and fine dining establishments.
Deal to Reopen Government on Shaky Ground in the House
Some hard-line House Republicans have balked at the deal Senate Democrats struck with President Trump to fund the government, complicating its path to enactment.
Plan to end government shutdown survives key House hurdle after Trump quells GOP rebellion threats
The House is preparing for a crucial vote on a Senate compromise to end the partial government shutdown.
Carlos Giménez brings Rey Anthony back to the House, now as his Chief of Staff
The former Giménez staffer most recently worked for Ashley Moody in the Senate.
Can Peter Mandelson be stripped of his peerage over Epstein links?
Keir Starmer wants the Labour peer removed from the House of Lords but such a move is exceptionally complex
Here’s What to Know About the Partial Government Shutdown
A bipartisan spending deal couldn’t clear Congress in time to prevent a lapse in federal funding for some departments. The House must pass it to fully reopen the government.
Bowdoin Hosts Girls & Women in Sports Day on Sunday, February 1
BRUNSWICK, Maine - Continuing a beloved annual tradition, Bowdoin women's teams welcomed more than 150 local girls to Farley Field House on Sunday, February 1, for Girls and Women in Sports Day, featuring 17 hands-on sports stations. Thanks to all of the participants and athletes.
All eyes on Johnson as House returns amid partial government shutdown
The speaker faces tough days ahead trying to pass a federal funding package and prevent a prolonged partial government shutdown
House of Lords should strip Mandelson of peerage, says Starmer
PM believes ex-Labour minister should not be member of House of Lords or use title, No 10 spokesperson says
The 3 Big Unknowns About the EPA’s Biggest Climate Science Rollback Ever
What to watch for when the agency releases its final decision on the greenhouse gas endangerment finding.
Alabama House votes to amend contract language for math, science teacher incentives
The amendment would allow veteran educators who have been teaching in for over 20 years to sign contracts up to three years in length.
Speaker Johnson must sell conservatives on funding deal Democrats pushed for — or risk lengthy government shutdown
House Speaker Mike Johnson is back in Washington this week with a tough ask for his fellow Republicans: accept a funding deal that Democrats pushed for or risk another painful, prolonged government shutdown.
Cuba denies security threat accusations as US raises pressure
Havana says it is ready for 'constructive engagement' with Washington as White House moves to choke off oil supplies.
Media Recap: Rural Health Transformation Project Fund Distribution
The Detroit News published a story Jan. 29 on two recent House Appropriations Committee hearings on the distribution of Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP) funds.
Are western New Yorkers spending more on digital entertainment as winter sets in?
As winter settles across Genesee County, colder evenings and shorter days are reshaping how households in Batavia and nearby communities spend their discretionary dollars. With outdoor options limited and heating
Broncos interview in-house favorite for offensive coordinator job
The Broncos have interviewed Davis Webb for their offensive coordinator position.
Speaker Mike Johnson says he's 'confident' shutdown will end by Tuesday
Despite his one-vote majority in the House and weather-related challenges, the GOP speaker said the partial shutdown won't last long.
House Speaker Johnson says he has votes to end partial shutdown by Tuesday
The deal approved by the Senate would separate the Department of Homeland Security from the broader spending package.
As politics roil the nation, Oregon students compete to make sense of the U.S. Constitution and find solutions
Nearly 200 high schoolers participated in the civic championship at Multnomah County Courthouse with federal judges among those evaluating their constitutional knowledge.
Wes Moore confronts the limits of his own power in a fight with Maryland Democrats
Wes Moore can barely describe how he’d feel if he falls short in his push to gerrymander another Democratic seat in his state and the US House of Representatives ends up staying Republican.
Meet the un-Gavin. Kentucky’s governor sees a different way to the White House
Andy Beshear says voters want a healer in 2028, not someone who'll match President Trump insult for insult. His focus on nuts and bolts makes him a popular blue governor in a very red state.
Food and football from the campaign trail (Politics+) : The NPR Politics Podcast
In today's bonus episode, Don Gonyea (national political correspondent) and Deepa Shivaram (White House correspondent) each share the "most" fun politics story they've worked on. Deepa talks about working on her "dream" assignment during the 2024 presidential race. Don recalls a reporting trip during the 2012 presidential campaign where he ended up at a high school football game. He says it was "one of the best nights of his life." 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!
Politics: Bill restricting eminent domain undergoes changes in Iowa Senate
After similar legislation passed through the Iowa House of Representatives with relative ease last week, the Senate is considering a bill to distinctly limit the government’s authority to issue eminent
'SNL' takes on Minneapolis as Pete Davidson plays border czar
Pete Davidson is back on "SNL," returning in the latest cold open to play White House border czar Tom Homan.
Prep Sports Recap: Jan. 31, 2026
PEORIA, Ill. (WMBD) – The winter high school sports postseason is officially underway as IHSA boys wrestling regionals were held around Illinois on Saturday. 2A powerhouse Washington won their tournament at Metamora with eight separate wrestlers winning weight class titles. In 1A, Olympia cruised to a regional title at Dee-Mack with seven weight class titles. […]
Democrats narrow GOP House majority as Menefee wins Texas special election
After Menefee is sworn in, Democrats will have 214 House seats. Republicans currently hold 218, giving House Speaker Mike Johnson a razor-thin majority.
Melvin Council, Bryson Tiller come up big in Kansas' win vs. BYU
Kansas jumped out to a big lead vs. BYU and held on to secure an important victory in a top-15 clash at Phog Allen Fieldhouse
Gov. shutdown, ICE warehouses and 3 millon Epstein files
Carmella gives the top headlines of the day, including a judge ordering the release of a 5-year-old detained by ICE.
'The party left me': Longtime Indiana lawmaker is leaving the GOP
Rep. Ed Clere said he won't run for re-election and will campaign for New Albany mayor as an independent.
Local business owner honors brother with fundraiser for The Shepherd’s House
A local business owner honored her brother with a fundraiser on Saturday.
House minority leader says Republicans can’t rely on Democrats to pass funding bill, raising fears of longer shutdown
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries told Speaker Mike Johnson on Saturday that Democrats won’t help Republicans pass a funding bill to reopen the government if they attempt to fast-track the measure Monday, according to two sources familiar with a call between the leaders.
Winter dessert series begins this weekend
After two weeks of dealing with Old Man Winter, Stokes folks looking to get out of the house will have three entertainment opportunities this coming weekend, as Stokes Arts Community
‘House of the Dragon’ Ending With Season 4
HBO exec Casey Bloys confirmed the plan — and weighed in on George R.R. Martin’s drama with ‘House of the Dragon’ showrunner Ryan Condal.
LaRussell joins Super Bowl 60 entertainment lineup with game-day performance
Rapper LaRussell will perform during Super Bowl 60 festivities, taking part in the NFL Tailgate and later serving as the game's in-house band.
ENTERTAINMENT: Singer pays tribute to ‘Divas’; conductor comes ‘home’
Singer CeCe Teneal takes audiences on a musical journey through 50 years of chart-topping hits, “from the powerhouse anthems of Aretha Franklin and Tina Turner to the disco grooves of Donna Summer and the pop perfection of Whitney Houston,” in “Divas of Soul,” 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Center for Humanities and Arts Theatre, University of Arkansas-Pulaski Technical College.
CVS Health Faces Antitrust Scrutiny As Valuation Flags Undervaluation Risk
U.S. House Judiciary Committee alleges CVS Health restricted independent pharmacies from using competing digital pharmacy hubs. The investigation cites cease and desist letters and network rule changes as potential antitrust issues. CVS Health disputes the findings and says some policies have been revised. For investors watching CVS Health (NYSE:CVS), the focus is shifting to regulatory risk around how its pharmacy network operates. The company’s shares closed at $74.52, with a return of...
Senate passes Trump-backed government funding deal, sending to House
An important step.
Businesses fear blowback from Saudi-UAE rift
Emirates workers have had visas to the kingdom rejected since tensions erupted between the Gulf powerhouses
At Washington Mardi Gras, Gov. Jeff Landry and Howard Lutnick see bright future for Louisiana
U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said the pieces are in place for Louisiana to become the next generation’s economic powerhouse.
Live results: Texas House 18 special election runoff
Follow live results from the Texas House 18 special election runoff.
A US House special election in Texas will narrow the GOP majority even further
Voters on Saturday will select one of two Democrats in a runoff election to fill a vacant US House seat, further narrowing Speaker Mike Johnson’s already razor-thin Republican majority.
Louisiana’s members of Congress grapple with budget fallout from Minnesota protester killing
President Donald Trump worked out a short-term deal with Democrats. It’s not clear how it will go over in the House.
Democrats Menefee and Edwards compete for a House seat that will narrow GOP's slim majority
Democrats Christian Menefee and Amanda Edwards are competing for a vacant U.S. House seat from Houston
Lapse of health care contract for Milwaukee County employees angers officials
Milwaukee County officials are calling for an "emergency action" after learning that the contract covering healthcare for thousands of county employees has lapsed.
Why doing household chores may be better for your health than you think
Those tedious household chores might be doing more than just keeping your home clean; they could be improving your health, according to medical experts.
Health care costs top concern in new poll
Americans are more worried about affording health care than any other household necessity, according to a Kaiser Family Foundation poll published Thursday. The poll, conducted with 1,426 adul…
Another government shutdown looms -- what you need to know : The NPR Politics Podcast
After immigration officials killed two people in Minneapolis this month, congressional Democrats demanded funding for immigration action be separated from other government funding. That's leading to a potential, partial, government shutdown. We unpack the latest from Capitol Hill.Then, why did the FBI raid Fulton County, Ga.'s election center this week, and what does it have to do with President Trump's continued false claims that the 2020 presidential election was stolen?And, we bid a fond farewell to one of our podcast stalwarts.This episode: senior White House correspondent Tamara Keith, congressional reporter Sam Gringlas, immigration policy correspondent Ximena Bustillo, political reporter Stephen Fowler, senior political editor & correspondent Domenico Montanaro, and political correspondent Sarah McCammon.This podcast was produced and edited by Casey Morell & Bria Suggs.Our executive producer is Muthoni Muturi.Listen to every episode of the NPR Politics Podcast sponsor-free, unlock access to bonus episodes with more from the NPR Politics team, and support public media when you sign up for The NPR Politics Podcast+ at plus.npr.org/politics.
Lapsed Milwaukee County health care contract poses 'catastrophic risk'
Milwaukee County is scrambling to address a lapse in one of its largest contracts, covering employee health care , after it expired in 2025.
Colorado House launches ethics review of Republican Rep. Ron Weinberg
The Colorado House will convene an ethics committee to review a complaint filed by Rep. Brandi Bradley, R-Roxborough Park, against fellow Republican Rep. Ron Weinberg, R-Loveland. It will be the first time since 2012 that the House has formed an ethics committee. The contents of Bradley’s complaint are confidential under House rules. Bradley has filed […]
Dallas County grapples with mixed signals on federal mental health funding
The White House administration notified mental health and substance abuse and addiction provider organizations nationwide that by executive order, $2 billion in already awarded federal funding would be taken back.
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…
Johnson says government will 'inevitably' shut down despite Senate deal
House Speaker Mike Johnson said that "logistics" for House members may force the federal government into a brief shutdown, despite a funding deal made in the Senate.
Rep. Morelle calls for lawmakers to extend ACA tax credits
The House of Representatives recently approved a bill that would extend those tax credits for three years. It has yet to be voted on in the Senate.
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.
BHS 25th Anniversary; Dave DeBaker
Airdate: January 29th, 2026 BHS 25th Anniversary; Karen HawleyJanuary 29, 2026BHS 25th Anniversary; Dave DeBaker – Entertainment CorrespondentJanuary 29, 2026BHS 25th Anniversary; House Drummer Owen WoodJanuary 29, 2026BHS 25th Anniversary; Clay & Leslie McAndrews – Bright WallsJanuary 29, 2026BHS 25th Anniversary; Ryan Tarrant – Jackson Co. Chamber of Commerce & Experience JacksonJanuary 29, 2026BHS 25th…
Minnesota shooting blurs political lines around guns : The NPR Politics Podcast
Alex Pretti was carrying a permitted gun when he had a confrontation with federal agents who ultimately shot and killed him. While the Trump administration pointed to his gun as a reason for agents to fear for their safety, pro-gun groups argued Pretti had a right to carry. We discuss the rhetoric around guns and how marginalized communities in Minneapolis have been increasingly turning toward gun ownership.This episode: senior White House correspondent Tamara Keith, domestic extremism correspondent Odette Yousef, and senior political editor and correspondent Mara Liasson.This podcast was produced and edited by Lexie Schapitl and Bria Suggs.Our executive producer is Muthoni Muturi.Listen to every episode of the NPR Politics Podcast sponsor-free, unlock access to bonus episodes with more from the NPR Politics team, and support public media when you sign up for The NPR Politics Podcast+ at plus.npr.org/politics.
ICYMI: Rep. Smucker Questions Health CEOs on Rising Health Care Costs
Rep. Smucker: "You would expect if a marketplace is working properly, that perhaps under consolidation, we would see lower or at least slower growing premiums in highly concentrated markets. But that's just simply not happening today."
House Republicans propose stricter voting requirements as Trump administration eyes the midterms
House Republicans are proposing sweeping changes to the nation’s voting laws
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.
UNC Health Pardee Open House Hiring Event on Wednesday, Feb. 4
UNC Health Pardee Open House Hiring Event on Wednesday, Feb. 4
Health Care Costs Tops the Public’s Economic Worries as the Runup to the Midterms Begins; Independent Voters Are More Likely to Trust Democrats than Republicans on the Issue
Heading into this midterm election year, the cost of health care tops the public’s economic anxieties and more than 4 in 10 voters say the issue will have a major impact on their vote, this KFF Health Tracking poll finds.
KFF Health Tracking Poll: Health Care Costs, Expiring ACA Tax Credits, and the 2026 Midterms
Looking ahead to the midterm elections, health care costs are the public’s top economic concern, and many voters say the issue will have a major impact on their vote. On health care issues, including the cost of health care, voters currently trust Democrats more than Republicans, though neither party has an advantage on addressing the overall cost of living. Following the expiration of the ACA enhanced tax credits, two-thirds of the public say Congress did the “wrong thing” by not extending them.
Donald Trump promised to make the US the world’s crypto capital. His businesses are seizing on it.
The president's business empire — once known for its hotels and golf courses — has aggressively expanded into the world of cryptocurrencies during his first year back in the White House.
Inside Maryland’s High-Stakes Bid for Trump’s $50 Billion Rural Health Fund
The White House asked states to compete for a rare pot of new money dedicated to transforming health care across rural America.
SF changes method to count unhoused; advocate believes it's political, will lead to undercount
For the first time in more than two decades, San Francisco is changing the way it counts the number of unhoused individuals on its streets.
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.
Plain Talk: 'Politics is noise'
On this Plain Talk, we were joined by outgoing North Dakota House Majority Leader Mike Lefor and Democratic-NPL U.S. House candidate Trygve Hammer.
Big businesses back Trump accounts
Companies will match government contributions to investment accounts for newborns after a push from the White House.
Internal review contradicts Trump administration on Alex Pretti shooting : The NPR Politics Podcast
An initial internal review into federal immigration officers’ fatal shooting of Alex Pretti in Minneapolis last weekend contradicts the description of the incident by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. We discuss President Trump’s shifting messages on immigration policy and how his administration’s efforts to restrict legal immigration pathways are changing the political environment. This episode: senior White House correspondent Tamara Keith, immigration policy correspondent Ximena Bustillo, and senior political editor and correspondent Domenico Montanaro.This podcast was produced by Bria Suggs and Lexie Schapitl, and edited by Rachel Baye.Our executive producer is Muthoni Muturi.Listen to every episode of the NPR Politics Podcast sponsor-free, unlock access to bonus episodes with more from the NPR Politics team, and support public media when you sign up for The NPR Politics Podcast+ at plus.npr.org/politics.
Sacramento Bee adds political reporting firepower at California Capitol
Ben Paviour will join The Bee next month as California Political Power Reporter, delivering exclusive storytelling on Statehouse politics.
Baton Rouge Republican joins race for Julia Letlow's U.S. House seat
After U.S. Rep. Julia Letlow entered the U.S. Senate race following an endorsement from President Donald Trump, candidates are lining up to to run for her seat.
Wilmington basketball tournament puts focus on raising funds for mental health
The two-day SL24 Basketball Classic returns to the Chase Fieldhouse to honor Sean Locke, raise funds for mental health programs and encourage open conversations.
The Unsettling Experience of Reporting on Trump’s Health
Chatting with Intelligencer’s Ben Terris about presidential hand bruises and White House sycophancy.
The White House’s shocking lies about Minneapolis
Never forget how this administration misled you.
Top Five Moments: Budget Committee Hearing on Skyrocketing Health Care Costs
The Official U.S. Congressional website of The Republican Budget Committee
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
Radiologists urge HHS secretary to overhaul US Preventive Services Task Force
Over 45 physicians, scientists and public health leaders believe a “fundamental shift” is needed to address how USPSTF develops and implements recommendations.
‘AI is the future’: UK launches state’s 1st Bachelor of Science in AI
From smartphones to self-driving cars, artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping how the world works — and now, Kentucky students can be trained at the forefront of that transformation. The Stanley and Karen Pigman College of Engineering at the University of Kentucky has launched the Commonwealth’s first Bachelor of Science in AI. The undergraduate degree program, housed in the Department of Computer Science, will welcome its first class in Fall 2026.
Puma's long slide: the rise and fall of a German sports icon
Germany's Puma and fierce rival Adidas have their roots in the very same house where brothers Rudolf and Adolf Dassler launched their shoe business a century ago, before a major fall-out between the siblings split the company in two.
'Ready to get out of the house': Businesses reopen after ice storm forces closures
As the ice over Central Texas continued to melt on Tuesday, Austin's small businesses slowly started to open back up.At Sour Duck Market in East Austin, the fre
Top White House aide Stephen Miller acknowledges possible breach of protocol before Alex Pretti’s shooting
White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller said Tuesday that officials were evaluating why Customs and Border Protection agents in Minneapolis “may not have been following” proper protocol before the fatal shooting of VA nurse Alex Pretti – a remarkable acknowledgment of possible wrongdoing from one of the Trump administration’s most influential and hardline operators on immigration enforcement.
House Health Panel Member Kevin Hern Sold UnitedHealth Amid Stock-Trading Ban Push
Disclosures show the Oklahoma Republican sold up to $500,000 in UnitedHealth stock while serving on a committee that oversees payments for health care.
Being a White House VIP Thrusts Tim Cook into the Political Fray
The furor over Minneapolis has tested the Apple CEO’s strategy for navigating Washington.
Senate Dems demand immigration enforcement reforms before funding DHS : The NPR Politics Podcast
Congress may be headed toward a partial government shutdown. After a federal immigration officer fatally shot Alex Pretti last weekend in Minneapolis, Senate Democrats say they won’t vote to fund the Department of Homeland Security without changes to how the federal government enforces immigration laws. We discuss what Democrats want, what Republicans are offering, and the political risks of another government shutdown. This episode: senior White House correspondent Tamara Keith, congressional reporter Sam Gringlas, and senior political editor and correspondent Domenico Montanaro.This podcast was produced by Casey Morell and Bria Suggs, and edited by Rachel Baye.Our executive producer is Muthoni Muturi.Listen to every episode of the NPR Politics Podcast sponsor-free, unlock access to bonus episodes with more from the NPR Politics team, and support public media when you sign up for The NPR Politics Podcast+ at plus.npr.org/politics.
Trump has a new problem in Minneapolis — a GOP-appointed judge
The Trump administration on Monday bowed to increasing pressure to change up its immigration crackdown in Minneapolis, after a second person was killed by federal agents. The White House replaced Greg Bovino with Tom Homan on the ground and signaled a more cooperative tone with local Democrats.
Killing of Alex Pretti scrambles Second Amendment politics for Trump
The blowback against the administration from core Trump supporters comes as Republicans are trying to protect their threadbare majority in the U.S. House and face several competitive Senate races.
OpenAI’s latest product let’s you vibe code science
OpenAI just revealed what its new in-house team, OpenAI for Science, has been up to. The firm has released a free LLM-powered tool for scientists called Prism, which embeds ChatGPT in a text editor for writing scientific papers. The idea is to put ChatGPT front and center inside software that scientists use to write up…
Killing of Alex Pretti in Minneapolis scrambles Second Amendment politics for Trump and Republicans
Prominent Republicans and gun rights advocates helped elicit a White House turnabout this week after bristling over the administration's characterization of Alex Pretti, the second person killed in January by ...
How Tennessee’s Speaker of the House Helped Keep a Payday Lender’s Struggling Sports Gambling Company Alive
Cameron Sexton took steps that allowed the owners of a payday lending company, Advance Financial, to keep using their stores to boost a now-defunct online sports betting enterprise.
Bovino’s future in doubt as White House walks back initial claims about Alex Pretti
Trump strikes conciliatory tone with Minnesota Governor Tim Walz after pair speak last night as Bovino is reportedly stripped of ‘commander at large’ title
Who really pays for business tax cuts in New Hampshire?
Earlier this month, the New Hampshire House passed what looks like a tiny change: a 0.05 percentage point cut to the Business Enterprise Tax. But this small number masks big consequences.
Fiscal Policy Institute: BET tax cut would fail to spur business growth
A cut in the Business Enterprise Tax (BET) that recently won approval in the Republican-led House of Representatives would cost the state treasury $26 million a year and do little
White House shows first signs of retreat as backlash grows over Minnesota killing
President Donald Trump on Monday showed his first signs of retreat since surging federal immigration agents in Minnesota late last year — replacing the leader of the crackdown on the ground and signaling new willingness to cooperate with the state’s Democratic elected officials.