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Maine Democratic Senate primary grows increasingly bitter as party vies to unseat Susan Collins in key race
A bitter Democratic primary is unfolding in Maine as Gov. Janet Mills and Graham Platner battle for the chance to challenge GOP Sen. Susan Collins — pitting a governor with a long political resume against an anti-establishment oyster farmer.
Black women lead fastest-growing segment of US entrepreneurs
Black women are launching businesses at a faster rate than any other demographic in the U.S., driven in part by layoffs, stalled promotions and a corporate environment many say feels increasingly inhospitable, The Wall Street Journal writes. The number of Black women-owned businesses rose about 13% last year, according to research from Wells Fargo and […]
The Bannon Effect and Trumpism in European Politics
Europe is facing a layered far right and racist political movement that is becoming increasingly deeply rooted and expanding its networks.
Egypt’s Mixed Signals: Activist Releases Amid Crackdowns Signal Fragile Politics
2026 began uneasily for Syrians in Egypt. In Rehab City, an upscale suburb east of Cairo that became home to many Syrians fleeing civil war under the Assad regime, security officials entered a crowded restaurant and asked diners to produce their residency permits. Scenes like this have become increasingly common in Egypt, alongside a malicious…
Two weeks into war with Iran, Trump has been knocked back on his political heels
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — In the two weeks since the U.S. and Israel launched strikes on Iran, President Donald Trump increasingly has been knocked on his political heels. He'
Two weeks into war with Iran, Trump has been knocked back on his political heels
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — In the two weeks since the U.S. and Israel launched strikes on Iran, President Donald Trump increasingly has been knocked on his political heels.
Two weeks into war with Iran, Trump has been knocked back on his political heels
Two weeks of war in Iran has President Donald Trump increasingly knocked back on his political heels
How mixed messaging on Iran may have Trump reeling politically
Two weeks of war in Iran has President Donald Trump increasingly knocked back on his political heels.
Two Weeks Into War With Iran, Trump Has Been Knocked Back on His Political Heels
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — In the two weeks since the U.S. and Israel launched strikes on Iran, President Donald Trump increasingly has been knocked on his political heels. He's grown more agitated with news coverage and has failed to find a way to explain why he started the war — or how he will ...
Shifting police approach to enforcing psychiatric holds in Sonoma County can leave loved ones at a loss and those in crisis at risk, advocates say
Involuntary mental health holds have been one option to ensure someone in crisis, and deemed a danger to themselves, gets help. But increasingly, local police are refusing to carry out those holds.
Want to hack your body with peptides? If only the science agreed
Performance-enhancing peptides are increasingly popular among fitness enthusiasts and biohackers, despite limited human testing and potential health risks.
High schoolers are using AI to tackle cancer and build robotic surgeons
Finalists in the Society for Science and Regeneron $1.8 million science competition are increasingly turning to machine learning, and organizers are balancing innovation with misuse.
Americans are increasingly worried about voting, new poll shows
Americans’ confidence that their elections will be run fairly has dropped to its lowest point in years, according to a new PBS News/NPR/Marist poll.
Democrats Warn of ‘No Endgame’ after Classified Iran War Briefing
Several Democratic lawmakers in the United States Senate say they are increasingly concerned about the direction of the war with Iran.
Iran crisis: Three ways this could end
From one moment to the next, this Iran crisis appears to be cascading in ways that are increasingly uncertain for governments, investors and ordinary citizens alike. Much now turns on the individual decisions of unpredictable leaders, including President Donald Trump, and now perhaps Iran’s new and untested supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei.
Paying cash for healthcare could help cut your medical bills
With discounts of up to 80% on medical costs, it's becoming increasingly difficult not to consider cash-pay healthcare.
N.Y. congressman pushes back with election legislation
The announcement comes when President Donald Trump has increasingly focused on election reform.
Business for Good 2026
Maine companies are increasingly recognizing that success is measured by more than profit alone. Research shows that people value businesses that operate responsibly by protecting the environment, supporting their communities, and fostering workplaces built on shared purpose. Business for Good spotlights the Maine organizations, large and small, that are driving positive change through community involvement, responsible growth, and purpose-driven leadership.
Neel: Politics has become a product
Once, politics was about ideas, debate and action. Today, it increasingly feels like a marketplace. Candidates, causes and even movements are packaged, marketed and sold like consumer goods. Everything from slogans to social media posts is designed less to solve problems than to capture attention, gain followers and generate revenue. The thingification of politics, the...
How Usable Is Windows 98 In 2026?
With the RAM and storage crisis hitting personal computing very hard – along with new software increasingly suffering the effects of metastasizing ‘AI’ – more people than ev…
Ahead of Colombia’s Elections, Violence on the Campaign Trail Rattles Politicians
Politicians in Colombia have increasingly become targets of violence. A rise in kidnappings, death threats and assassinations has shaken the country ahead of the vote.
Satellites are exposing weak bridges in America and around the world
Satellites are giving scientists a powerful new way to watch over the world’s bridges. Using radar imaging, researchers can detect millimeter-scale movements that may signal early structural problems long before inspectors notice them. The study found many bridges—especially in North America—are aging and increasingly vulnerable, but satellite monitoring could sharply reduce the number classified as high-risk. The approach could be especially valuable in regions where traditional monitoring barely exists.
Satellites are exposing weak bridges in America and around the world
Satellites are giving scientists a powerful new way to watch over the world’s bridges. Using radar imaging, researchers can detect millimeter-scale movements that may signal early structural problems long before inspectors notice them. The study found many bridges—especially in North America—are aging and increasingly vulnerable, but satellite monitoring could sharply reduce the number classified as high-risk. The approach could be especially valuable in regions where traditional monitoring barely exists.
‘JUST POLITICS’: Bopp accuses Election Commission of favoritism, expects GOP candidate to be ousted
By Marilyn Odendahl The Indiana Citizen March 6, 2026 In the increasingly bitter Republican fight over who can be on the May primary ballot for the Senate District 38 seat, a nearly 20-year-old opinion from former Indiana Attorney General Steve Carter has new relevance in the attempt to get one candidate tossed from the race.
Exclusive | ‘Send Us More’: Anthropic’s Claude Sniffs Out Bevy of Bugs
New AI-powered tools are increasingly adept at spotting flaws. Hacking experts worry they will be good at exploiting them, too.
Civility, Federalism, and the Future of American Politics
In a week that could easily have been defined by division, the penultimate session of the 2026 NGA Winter Meeting offered something increasingly rare in American public life: two politicians, from opposite ends of the political spectrum speaking candidly about friendship, shared purpose, and the urgent need to rebuild trust in democratic institutions. Moderated by Laura Collins, Director of the […]
Policy Brief: Outdoor Recreation and Public Health
States are increasingly exploring the intersection of health policy and outdoor recreation to better understand how these policy areas could be leveraged for the positive benefit of their constituents. While formal partnerships are still relatively novel, Governors have a variety of opportunities to engage with outdoor recreation and health agencies to create long-term benefits. This […]
Showdown over datacenter politics at heart of North Carolina primary
Democratic rematch in Durham-area district draws focus to fight over AI datacenters increasingly shaping US elections
Gasperini has dinner with Francesco Totti
Francesco Totti is reportedly increasingly close to returning to Roma, with a role within the club yet to be determined. He himself confirmed ongoing discussions regarding a possible return to Trigori...
Taryn Sabia joins increasingly crowded Tampa mayoral race
'Design matters. Planning matters. And Tampa needs leadership that understands how all these issues connect.'
Five Testy Moments From the Acrimonious Texas Senate Primaries
Ahead of Tuesday’s vote, the Democratic and Republican races have become increasingly personal and contentious.
Ken Paxton’s daughter defends him after a John Cornyn ad accuses him of ‘dirty deeds’
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton deployed his daughter to vouch for him Thursday after a scathing attack ad released by Sen. John Cornyn in their increasingly contentious Republican Senate primary race.
Trump defends immigration crackdown at State of Union as approval ratings plummet
To defend an increasingly unpopular immigration crackdown during his State of the Union speech, President Trump highlighted the victims of crimes perpetuated by undocumented immigrants.
Colorado is turning its back on agriculture
Colorado’s farmers and ranchers already face significant challenges, including volatile commodity prices, rising input costs, labor shortages and unpredictable weather. They should not also have to contend with a state legislature that increasingly seeks to regulate how they protect crops and livestock. Yet that is precisely what Senate Bills 26-062 and 26-065 represent: a top-down […]
State of the Union offers Trump a chance to make the case for his foreign policy approach
President Donald Trump's State of the Union address is expected to tilt heavily on domestic issues, but it's also a chance for the Republican to make the case for his foreign policy efforts to Americans who are increasingly demonstrating uneasiness about his priorities.
The State of the Union brings a big audience for Trump. But does it matter?
In the age of algorithm-driven social media feeds, the audience for the speech is increasingly fragmented and entrenched in their political positions.
Girding against Keytruda cliff, Merck splits oncology into standalone business unit
The patent cliff for Keytruda is fast approaching in the U.S. Now, as Merck & Co. | The patent cliff for Keytruda is fast approaching in the U.S. Now, as Merck & Co. increasingly looks to life after its oncology megablockbuster, the company is honing its focus on new and upcoming medicines by splitting its core pharmaceutical business in two.
AMC Entertainment Narrows Loss, Anticipates Stronger 2026
AMC Entertainment narrowed its loss in the fourth quarter and said it feels increasingly optimistic about the year ahead, citing a strong slate of upcoming films.
Trump’s approval rating with independents hits a new low ahead of the State of the Union
When President Donald Trump gives his State of the Union address Tuesday, he will face a public that increasingly questions his priorities and expresses broad doubts about whether his proposed policies are helping the nation, according to a new CNN poll conducted by SSRS.
Tech companies are making their robots cute to try and win over humans
Whether they’re delivering food or folding your laundry, consumer-facing robots are increasingly being designed to be more palatable to the humans who interact with them.
Curling faces identity crisis as cheating controversy forces rethink of regulations
After being shaken by claims of cheating at the Winter Olympics, curling finds itself between a rock and a hard place as it looks to regulate an increasingly competitive sport while keeping alive the long-standing honour-based system it so cherishes.
‘GRWM’ to meet the governor: How Mass. politicians are turning to friendly influencers to spread their messages
Massachusetts politicians are increasingly embracing online creators to expand their reach beyond traditional press, including offering them one-on-one interviews or inviting them to events.
WTF? Is political discourse becoming coarser or par for the course?
The country's political debate is increasingly peppered with profanity but subjects such as immigration have been flashpoints for centuries.
Nation-State Hackers Hit Businesses For Commercial Edge
With all eyes on safeguarding U.S. infrastructure, the nation’s top cyber adversaries are increasingly targeting companies to pinch trade secrets, aiming to give their own industries a competitive edge in global markets.
Walmart's sales are increasingly driven by higher-income shoppers
Families making less than $50,000 are stretched, though. "In some cases, people are managing spending paycheck to paycheck," the discount chain's CEO said.
DAV announces new partnership with Solace Health supporting veterans’ care
ERLANGER, Ky. – DAV (Disabled American Veterans) is proud to announce a new partnership with Solace Health as its first new partner in 2026. The partnership is supported by a donation from Solace Health to advance DAV’s mission of empowering veterans to lead high-quality lives. The collaboration brings together two organizations focused on helping veterans receive timely, coordinated, high-quality care, regardless of where they receive it. While many veterans receive care through the VA, which offers an integrated and coordinated whole-health model, others receive some or all of their care through private health systems using Medicare or other insurance benefits. These veterans often need help to understand health insurance rules, manage their treatment, and navigate between multiple health care systems. “Disabled veterans often have complex health challenges, and DAV’s advocacy work strives to minimize barriers to timely, high-quality care, primarily within VA., but increasingly between VA and private providers,” said DAV CEO and National Adjutant Barry Jesinoski. “Our partnership with Solace Health can offer support for veterans who are eligible for VA care and Medicare, particularly those who split their care between the VA and private health systems. Veterans who don’t use VA at all can also benefit from the care coordination services that Solace Health provides, usually with little or no out-of-pocket cost to them.” Solace Health provides professional health care advocacy services, connecting patients with experienced advocates who help schedule appointments, explain benefits, coordinate care among providers, and manage administrative burdens with private health care systems, thereby allowing veterans and their families to focus on health and recovery. “For many veterans, the fight doesn’t end when service does,” said Jeremy Gurewitz, CEO and co-founder of Solace Health. “Veterans living with serious medical conditions often encounter a private health care system outside of the VA that is fragmented and difficult to navigate. Through this partnership with DAV, Solace Health advocates can help cut through red tape, improve care coordination, and simplify scheduling of medical appointments. We’re proud to support DAV in helping veterans to successfully navigate health care systems so that veterans, particularly disabled veterans, receive the care they have earned.” DAV provides a lifetime of support for veterans of all generations, their families, caregivers, and survivors. Each year, DAV’s no-cost programs and services help more than 1 million veterans access the benefits and health care they have earned, connect with meaningful employment, and ensure their voices are heard on Capitol Hill. About DAV DAV is dedicated to ensuring our promise is kept to America’s veterans. DAV does this by helping veterans and their families access the full range of benefits available to them, fighting for the interests of America’s injured heroes on Capitol Hill, providing employment resources to veterans and their families, offering programs and services to empower them, and educating the public about the great sacrifices and needs of veterans transitioning back to civilian life. A nonprofit organization with nearly 1 million members, DAV was founded in 1920 and chartered by the U.S. Congress in 1932. About Solace Health Veterans face complex health challenges, and the path to care is far harder than it should be. They deal with fragmented services and providers, each with unique requirements and paperwork. Solace Health advocates—healthcare experts with 16 years’ experience on average—help veterans navigate this landscape when they need it most. Advocates schedule appointments, explain benefits and keep doctors aligned. They take the lead on calls and documentation, and their no-homework ethos eases burdens on veterans and their families. Solace Health is covered by Medicare and Medicare Advantage, and most veterans pay little or nothing out of pocket. We’re honored to support DAV members.
Taking Magnesium? Avoid These 5 Drugs and Other Supplements, Expert Says
Magnesium is an increasingly popular supplement to help with sleep and more. Here's how to take it as effectively as possible.
Survey: Small business owners show cautious optimism about economic health in 2026
Small business owners are expressing cautious optimism about 2026, with new survey data revealing companies are increasingly investing in equipment and facilities at levels not seen since late 2023.
Urban Planners Explore The Science Of Walkable Cities
The urban environment's impact on mental health is increasingly the subject of scrutiny, with many urban planners urging cities adopt more pedestrian-centric design.
Kennedy says he'll act on legal challenge to ultra-processed foods
Kennedy and his MAHA allies are increasingly focused on food issues as the midterms approach.
Rural Minnesotans of color skipping medical care out of fear of ICE
Medical providers are increasingly concerned that some of their rural patients who need to drive long distances to see specialists are missing appointments because they fear being picked up by federal immigration agents. They're especially worried about children who need treatment for chronic illnesses or conditions that could turn critical if they skip vital treatments.
When Carnival ends, Louisiana gets its own version of dry January — with real health benefits
After Mardi Gras, many turn to Lent for a reset, and doctors say the health benefits of cutting alcohol are increasingly clear.
A bipartisan effort to save health subsidies failed. Will ICE reform be different?
A bipartisan effort in Congress to restrain immigration enforcement tactics is flailing despite a Friday deadline to fund the Department of Homeland Security. The pattern is increasingly familiar.
A bipartisan effort to save health subsidies failed. Will ICE reform be different?
A bipartisan effort in Congress to restrain immigration enforcement tactics is flailing despite a Friday deadline to fund the Department of Homeland Security. The pattern is increasingly familiar.
CRISPR Therapeutics Provides Business Update and Reports Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2025 Financial Results
ZUG, Switzerland and BOSTON, Feb. 12, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- CRISPR Therapeutics (Nasdaq: CRSP) today reported financial results for the fourth quarter and full year ended December 31, 2025. “As we close out the fourth quarter, CRISPR Therapeutics continues to make steady progress across a broad and increasingly mature pipeline,” said Samarth Kulkarni, Ph.D., Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of CRISPR Therapeutics. “We made meaningful advances across multiple clinical and preclinical progr
Egan-Jones Explores How Sovereign Strategies Are Reshaping Global Business Centers
Egan-Jones released an analysis examining how differing sovereign strategies in places such as Singapore, New York, Switzerland, and Monaco are influencing where businesses locate talent, capital, and legal domicile in an increasingly digital and globalized economy.
Watch Brands Increasingly Turn to Sports for Spark
In a cooling market, makers have been putting more emphasis on sponsorships and famous athletic ambassadors, especially in the United States.
Argentine markets swayed by politics and new fiscal regularization scheme
Argentine financial markets traded cautiously on Monday as political developments increasingly weighed on short- and medium-term investment decisions.
Forests are changing fast and scientists are deeply concerned
Forests around the world are quietly transforming, and not for the better. A massive global analysis of more than 31,000 tree species reveals that forests are becoming more uniform, increasingly dominated by fast-growing “sprinter” trees, while slow-growing, long-lived species are disappearing. These slower species act as the backbone of forest ecosystems, storing carbon, stabilizing environments, and supporting rich webs of life—especially in tropical regions where biodiversity is highest.
Sustain CFO Develops Financial Resilience Framework for Maryland Businesses Experiencing “Growth-Induced Cash Crunch”
Ellicott City, MD, Feb. 08, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Many Maryland business owners are seeing revenue rise while feeling increasingly constrained by cash. To address the disconnect, Sustain CFO, a fractional CFO in Maryland, has developed a financial resilience framework to help growth-stage companies that want to scale without undermining liquidity. Fractional CFO Team Delivers Financial Clarity The framework is designed to help founders and executives understand a common but often misunderstoo
Bad Bunny has the Super Bowl stage. What will he do with it?
With Super Bowl half-time shows becoming increasingly polarised, how will the Puerto Rican superstar quiet his detractors?
Business Lookahead: Near, far, wherever markets are
STORY: From Japan's snap election to key U.S. data, these are the stories to watch in business and finance in the coming week. :: Japan votesJapan's Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is hoping for a stronger mandate as voters head to the polls on Sunday.The closely-watched lower house election is shaping up to be one of the most unpredictable in years.A strong showing by Takaichi's Liberal Democratic Party would allow her to expand stimulus.That could heighten concerns about Japan's finances and push up government bond yields further in a selloff that could ripple out overseas.:: AI winners and losersCisco Systems and Germany's Siemens Energy report earnings on Wednesday.They've benefited from the AI boom in different ways, but now Barclays says that trade is "seeing extreme dispersion."That’s been evident in sliding software and data analytics stocks, which have plunged as traders focus on the existential threat posed by increasingly powerful AI models.AI enablers, companies contributing to the global AI data center build-out, meanwhile, have fared better. :: Delayed data dumpA double dose of major U.S. economic reports should give investors a critical view of the economy, following a delay by the recently ended three-day government shutdown.The January non-farm payrolls report, now due on Wednesday, is expected to show an increase of 70,000 jobs, according to a Reuters poll. Then, on Friday, the Bureau of Labor Statistics is set to release the January consumer price index, one of the most closely watched measures of inflation.
Trump's aggressive tactics force a reckoning between local leaders and Washington
Local leaders across the U.S. describe an increasingly hostile relationship with Washington, driven by President Donald Trump’s immigration policies
How does brain rot shape our politics?
Absurdist internet slang and content dubbed “brain rot” has become increasingly prevalent online in recent years, shaping public interactions and modern politics.
Public Health Workers Are Quitting Over Assignments to Guantánamo
Doctors, nurses, and other officers are increasingly being deployed to ICE detention centers. Some have resigned in protest, while others offer a rare look into bleak conditions.
Elizabeth Warren launches probe into booming car repossessions
The car repo business is booming as Americans fall behind on their increasingly expensive car payments.
Timing of Sorensen axe 'a surprise'
The timing of Everton's decision to sack Brian Sorensen came as a surprise, just hours after the transfer deadline closed and the addition of Roma midfielder Zara Kramzar to their ranks. Supporters have grown increasingly frustrated by their performances with Sorensen seemingly still unsure on his best XI and often using players out of position.
Elon Musk is betting the future of his business empire on AI
The fates of xAI, SpaceX and Tesla are increasingly intertwined
Exposure to low-credibility online health content is limited and is concentrated among older adults
Nature Aging - Concerns over health misinformation online are becoming increasingly important. Here the authors show that older adults are more likely than younger people to encounter...
Move Fast, but Obey the Rules: China’s Vision for Dominating A.I.
Beijing wants to lead the world in developing cutting-edge artificial intelligence, but it also wants companies to adhere to an increasingly complex set of rules.
Youth Sports Training: Why Some Preteens Are Turning to Private Coaches
As youth sports become increasingly competitive, more preteen athletes are working with private coaches to level up.
All the ways Elon Inc. is already intertwined
The five companies led by Elon Musk have increasingly become intertwined, even before Tesla's $2 billion investment in xAI or merger chatter.
'A pretty clear shift': Local law enforcement increasingly focusing on mental health
It’s no secret that law enforcement is a stressful profession. Compartmentalization is crucial, but one can only compartmentalize so much.
I Treat Pregnant Moms. I’ve Never Seen So Much Anxiety.
As our government abandons science, pregnant women are increasingly turning to unvetted online resources to soothe their worries.
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.
Escape from Washington? Senators look to start new chapters as governors
U.S. senators are increasingly looking to leave Washington for leadership roles in their home states
Escape from Washington? Senators look to start new chapters as governors
U.S. senators are increasingly looking to leave Washington for leadership roles in their home states.
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.
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
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