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Delco Council ends Crozer Health disaster declaration
Delaware County Council has ensured that “ambulance coverage is intact and operational” following the collapse of Crozer Health.
Simulations shed light on how snowman-shaped body in Kuiper belt may have formed
Research adds weight to theory Arrokoth’s two lobes produced by gravitational collapse – and reveals process
Map the Earth’s Magnetic Shield with the Space Umbrella Project
Use data from NASA’s Magnetosphere Multiscale Mission to shed light on solar storms. For anyone with a laptop or cell.
Washtenaw Health Project reports sharp drop in healthcare marketplace enrollments
Executive Director Jeremy Lapedis says families are forced to choose between health insurance and basic necessities as costs increase.
Annoying: #17 St. John’s 76, Marquette 70
The Golden Eagles weathered the first half and made a big 2nd half run… before collapsing and losing.
Weekly entertainment report, Feb. 19-22: Live music and lively arts
Got cabin fever? Get out and enjoy some live music and entertainment this weekend.
Copilot spills the beans, summarizing emails it's not supposed to read
: Data Loss Prevention? Yeah, about that...
How a Tennessee Musician Built a Jewelry Business With Temu
When Shay Collins’ performance earnings dropped, her Temu-powered jewelry side hustle became a crucial income stream for her family.
Scientists warn! Gulf Stream collapse could trigger severe global disruption | - The Times of India
Science News: Scientists are again examining the strength of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation, the vast ocean system that moves warm water northwards.
Seven new Macs will launch this year, here’s everything coming
Here’s every new Mac rumored to be coming this year as part of Apple’s larger-than-usual batch of new Mac laptops and desktops.
Upcoming Low-Cost MacBook May Come in Yellow, Green, Blue, and Pink
Apple has tested a range of playful color options for its upcoming low-cost MacBook, going well beyond the muted tones available on its current laptop lineup, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Writing in his latest Power On newsletter, Gurman says the colors tested so far include light yellow, light green, blue, pink, classic silver, and dark gray, although he says it's unlikely all of them will ship.
What to Know About the Homeland Security Shutdown
Funding for the Department of Homeland Security lapsed on Saturday amid a standoff over restrictions that Democrats have demanded for federal immigration agents. But much of its work continues.
Universe may end in a “big crunch,” new dark energy data suggests
New data from major dark-energy observatories suggest the universe may not expand forever after all. A Cornell physicist calculates that the cosmos is heading toward a dramatic reversal: after reaching its maximum size in about 11 billion years, it could begin collapsing, ultimately ending in a “big crunch” roughly 20 billion years from now.
'The Big One' At Daytona 500 Involves 20 Cars In Huge Wreck Up Front
Sunday's Daytona 500 was relatively smooth-sailing through the first 123 laps, and then "The Big One" happened.
Apple’s New MacBook Can Checkmate Chromebooks In A Single Move
Apple’s $599 MacBook is expected this Spring. With the A18 Pro chipset and 24-hour battery, it’s a competitive budget laptop. But has Apple stripped it back too far?
Your Windows PC might stop booting in June 2026 — here’s why and how to fix it
Ensure your PC boots safely before Secure Boot changes.
Acer and ASUS are now banned from selling PCs and laptops in Germany following Nokia HEVC video codec patent ruling
Munich court orders Acer and ASUS to stop selling PCs in Germany over H.265 patents Even more reason to embrace open standards. A court ruling in Munich
Scientists get clearest view ever of star collapsing into a black hole. And they very nearly missed it | BBC Sky at Night Magazine
M31-2014-DS1 is a star in the Andromeda Galaxy that underwent a brightening in infrared. Astronomers say it was a star becoming a black hole.
Halifax Panthers collapse set to hit local businesses
Business owners are bracing for a drop in takings after the liquidation of the rugby league club.
Martin Moszkowicz: “The Entertainment Market Isn’t Collapsing; It’s Repricing Attention”
"We’re moving from an IP-led market to an attention-led one," says longtime Constantin CEO Martin Moskowicz in a Deadline guest column.
Supergiant Star Collapsed into Stellar-Mass Black Hole in Andromeda Galaxy
Using archival data from NASA’s NEOWISE mission along with data from other space and ground-based observatories, astronomers identified the clearest observational record yet of a massive star fading and vanishing into a black hole -- an event once theorized but rarely seen.
Astronomers watch a massive star collapse into a black hole without a supernova
A massive star 2.5 million light-years away simply vanished — and astronomers now know why. Instead of exploding in a supernova, it quietly collapsed into a black hole, shedding its outer layers in a slow-motion cosmic fade-out. The leftover debris continues to glow in infrared light, offering a long-lasting signal of the black hole’s birth. The finding reshapes our understanding of how some of the universe’s biggest stars meet their end.
The nation’s cartoonists on the week in politics
Every week political cartoonists throughout the country and across the political spectrum apply their ink-stained skills to capture the foibles, memes, hypocrisies and other head-slapping events in the world of politics. The fruits of these labors are hundreds of cartoons that entertain and enrage readers of all political stripes. Here's an offering of the best of this week's crop, picked fresh off the Toonosphere. Edited by Matt Wuerker.
Department of Homeland Security on track to shut down with lawmakers leaving Washington and an unresolved ICE fight
A bitterly divided Washington is headed for its third government funding lapse of President Donald Trump’s second term — this time, a partial shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security over the issue of federal immigration enforcement.
Archival Data From NASA’s NEOWISE Tracks Star Turning Into Black Hole
Massive stars are often known to go out with a bang: The core collapses, and a wave of subatomic particles called neutrinos erupt outward, causing the star to
HP ZBook Ultra G1a review: a business-class workstation that’s got game
Strix Halo for the straightlaced (and deep-pocketed).
Seahawks parade brings business to multiple Seattle neighborhoods
After the Seahawks took their victory lap through the heart of downtown as champions, a sea of navy and green flooded Seattle as fans continued to celebrate.
Celebrating Women in Science Day 2026 at CERN
Every year, on 11 February, CERN celebrates the International Day of Women and Girls in Science. In an effort to amplify diverse voices in STEM, six women scientists from CERN open up about their careers and the lessons they hope to pass on to the next generation. Francesca is an Italian biomedical engineer pursuing her PhD at CERN, working in the robotics team of the Beams Department. She’s currently working on the MARCHESE project, in affiliation with Campus Bio-Medico University of Rome, focusing on contactless monitoring of physiological parameters. Despite choosing a scientific career and often volunteering in scientific outreach initiatives, Francesca continues to nurture her passion for the humanities and arts. “I firmly believe that collaboration and inclusion are the right paths to improve the world together. I’m driven by a strong curiosity about everything around me.” Berare is a Turkish experimental physicist who worked with the ATLAS experiment during her MSc and PhD on searches for physics beyond the Standard Model. During her PhD, she became a Support Scientist for the Beamline for Schools (BL4S) competition, which marked the beginning of her journey combining research with science communication. She now works for both BL4S and ELISA, the mini proton accelerator at CERN’s Science Gateway. She fondly remembers the moment when the BL4S 2022 winners arrived at the experimental zone: “I felt incredibly lucky to share my passion with young, curious and really passionate people. We spent two weeks of beam time together watching their ideas turn into reality. All the intricate details of running an experiment, we accomplished them as a team.” Mia is a Canadian research fellow in the Accelerator Systems Department, working on beam developments for fundamental physics with radioactive molecules. Mia pursued a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering before moving to Vancouver for a master’s degree in engineering physics. Her interest in radioactive ion beam production brought her to CERN, where she studied actinide beams for three years as a PhD student in the Marie Curie European Training network “LISA” (Laser Ionisation and Spectroscopy of Actinides) at ISOLDE – a facility at CERN where scientists study the properties of atomic nuclei, with further applications in fundamental studies, astrophysics, and material and life sciences. Laura is a German mechanical engineer at CERN working on research and development to produce cavities for future accelerators. She studied mechanical and aerospace engineering at the Technical University of Munich. She joined CERN four years ago as a technical student for her master’s thesis and continued as a fellow working on collimators. Laura says that “as a child, I took part in girls’ day initiatives, which sparked my fascination for astrophysics and engineering. Later, it felt natural for me to give something back by organising workshops for young students to make STEM seem less intimidating and more accessible.” She particularly enjoys being close to the CERN Main Workshop and understanding how design ideas become real components. Paraskevi is a Greek physicist working at CERN’s HiRadMat (High-Radiation to Materials) facility, designed to deliver high-intensity beams to an irradiation area where material samples, as well as accelerator component assemblies, can be tested. She studied physics at NKUA, specialising in nuclear and particle physics, and is now pursuing her PhD at HiRadMat in collaboration with the University of Liverpool, studying novel materials for high-intensity beam diagnostics. “Continuous learning is one of my biggest motivators, and I am looking forward to exploring the limits of our knowledge on beam-material interactions,” says Paraskevi. Silvia is a Spanish physicist and deputy project manager for the Muon Drift Tube of the CMS detector, a general-purpose detector at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC). She started her career at CERN more than 20 years ago as a technical student, working on prototypes of the first dipoles for the LHC. “My first motivation came in high school, from my teacher,” says Silvia about what made her pursue a career in STEM. “My favourite part about my job is learning. You can learn something new every day.” In parallel to this initiative, like every year since 2017, from 2 to 6 February 66 women scientists and engineers visited schools in Geneva, Switzerland, and in the Haute-Savoie and Ain regions of France to meet with students. Organised in collaboration with CERN, the University of Geneva, EPFL, LAPP and LAPTh, this event allowed more than 4200 students between 6 and 17 years old to meet a woman scientist, discuss their profession and career path, ask questions and participate in classroom activities.
Purdue fans react to wild finish to win against Nebraska
Purdue scored a big win on the road on Tuesday after beating Nebraska despite nearly collapsing in the second half.
David Clapham: A Life in Science Chasing Ion Channels
Over a 50-year career, former HHMI scientist and leader David Clapham reshaped our understanding of ion channels by relentlessly pursuing experimental evidence across scientific disciplines.
Submit an abstract for the Social Science Research Symposium | CWRU Newsroom | Case Western Reserve University
Case Western Reserve University’s Department of Anthropology will host its first Social Science Symposium, which will highlight social science resea...
Best comedy shows coming to Memphis? Nate Bargatze, Katt Williams, more
From John Mulaney to Rickey Smiley, Katt Williams to Nate Bargatze, here is a look at some of the top comedy shows coming to Memphis.
Trump calls Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl performance ‘absolutely terrible’
President criticises Puerto Rican musician’s half-time show as a ‘slap in the face’ in lengthy tirade on social media
'Potters still in the frame but lacking belief'
BBC Radio Stoke's Mark Elliott feels Stoke City are lacking momentum and belief after their 0-0 draw at West Bromwich Albion.
Trump calls Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl halftime show performance ‘one of the worst, EVER’
President Donald Trump – who skipped the Super Bowl and instead attended a watch party in Florida – denounced Bad Bunny’s halftime performance as “a slap in the face” and said “nobody understands a word” the Puerto Rican rapper was saying.
Making science more visible
As he enters a laboratory with saltwater pools full of fish, Luka Žuvić explains how climate change is affecting the feeding ecology and reproductive biology of Atlantic bluefin tuna, and how the species is adapting.It is a topic that may seem remote to many people. But in a country where fishing and aquaculture are important to the economy and national identity, Žuvić’s research is at the intersection of science and society. “In Croatia, marine and environmental science are closely connected to people’s lives because fisheries, aquaculture, tourism and coastal development are a big part of our lives,” explains Žuvić, a doctoral student working at the Croatian Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries in the Adriatic coastal city of Split. He also serves as one of Croatia’s ambassadors to Science Comes to Town (SCTT), a European Commission-funded project that aims to make scientific research more accessible, while inspiring young people to study the sciences. The project kicked off in Spilt on 20 January with a conference attended by partner institutions, community representatives, policymakers and scientists. Along with Split, Brest (in France) and Kiel (in Germany) will host a year of activities connecting scientists with the public.Žuvić, 31, is part of the Young Researchers' Career Development Project, a doctoral programme funded by the Croatian Science Foundation. His research on Atlantic bluefin tuna builds on a foundation-backed project focusing on the reproductive potential of farmed tuna, including their sexual maturation and spontaneous spawning in captivity, which has implications for the restoration of the Adriatic Sea's natural tuna populations. He also studies the tuna's feeding ecology through stomach-content analysis, using DNA metabarcoding and morphological approaches, and employs geometric morphometrics to improve the identification of juvenile tuna and related species. The research aims to enhance understanding of the tuna farming ecology, improve fish farm management and contribute to sustainable aquaculture and fisheries research.Engaging with local communitiesConnecting with the community is crucial for Žuvić’s research. Conversations with fishermen help him better understand the bluefin tuna's habits and how marine pollution affects the fish. “They are also curious about the biology and ecology of bluefin tuna,” he says of local fishermen, adding that sharing research with non-scientists benefits everyone. “Sometimes scientific research is invisible,” he explains. “That's why we as researchers need to go out from our institutions and labs to the public so that we can show them what we are working on. This helps create more trust in the scientists and their research.”Engaging the public also raises awareness about the anthropogenic changes to the marine environment resulting from human activities and pollution. Žuvić helps remove plastic and other rubbish from the Adriatic Sea that pose a direct threat to marine species. Predators, such as bluefin tuna, are especially vulnerable to ingesting waste churned up by fishing trawlers. “They are very opportunistic fish that follow trawlers and ingest everything,” he notes. To illustrate the impact, he has shown students the contents of bluefin tuna stomachs. “Finding a plastic bottle cap in the stomach of a bluefin tuna is concerning,” he says. "Science can be a powerful way to turn curiosity into practical solutions,” Žuvić adds, and sharing research outcomes “helps increase public awareness and improve understanding of human impacts on the marine environment.”The research also has implications for Croatia's economy. The Atlantic bluefin tuna’s rich, flavourful meat is highly valued for sushi and other raw fish dishes. However, overfishing nearly brought its population to collapse by the early 2000s. Although the species has made a comeback in the Atlantic and Mediterranean regions, catches continue to be managed through agreements with the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas. Croatia was a pioneer in developing commercial aquaculture as an alternative to open-sea fishing and accounts for about 10% of the EU’s farmed production of the bluefin tuna, with Japan being a key export market.A history of European collaborationCroatia has participated in Europe’s framework programmes for research and innovation since 2007, six years before officially joining the EU. Žuvić believes that EU funding and collaboration with other European researchers is vital for Croatian science. As part of the SCTT opening conference, the Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries, the University of Split and other local institutions were part of a science fair to showcase research on topics, such as robotics and an EU LIFE project on the protection of sharks and rays in the Mediterranean. “I hope that Science Comes to Town will help increase scientific literacy and curiosity among citizens, particularly students, and show that science is not something that is distant or abstract, but something that directly affects everyday life,” Žuvić concludes. “Ultimately, I hope that projects like it contribute to building a society that values knowledge and critical thinking, and that we can think about long-term sustainability using knowledge from science.”Science|Business, which connects policymakers, academics and industry through its news reporting, analysis and events, is an SCTT partner.
Victory Lap with Jessica Lapachinski: What happened to the three-sport athlete?
Years ago, I had the opportunity to speak with an Olympic athlete. She earned 12 varsity letters throughout her highly decorated high school career as a multi-sport athlete and then proceeded to win two conference championships in her main collegiate sport. She was also voted a three-year captain of her college team, which is beyond […]
Move over, MacBook: The new Dell XPS 14 is now the longest-lasting laptop we’ve ever tested
Intel wasn't just boasting!
After loss of tax credits, Washington state sees a drop in health insurance coverage
The dip wasn’t as significant as state officials worried, but more people are likely to lose coverage in the coming months due to increased premiums.
A century of hair shows how lead exposure collapsed
For decades, Americans were surrounded by lead from car exhaust, factories, paint, and even drinking water, often without realizing the damage it caused. By analyzing hair samples preserved across generations, scientists uncovered a striking record of how exposure soared before environmental rules and then collapsed after leaded gasoline and other sources were phased out.
LAPS Announces 2026 Los Alamos County Science Fair Results
Science Fair participants in the junior division with their awards. Photo Courtesy LAPS Los Alamos High School students Linus Plohr, Lilia Viteva and Tate Plohr won first place awards for their pro…
As Olympics Open, Pope Leo Warns Against Using Sports for ‘Propaganda or National Supremacy’
The Milan-Cortina Games are overlapping with a moment of geopolitical turbulence as conflicts rage, national leaders issue threats and alliances are strained.
Milwaukee County approves new contract after health insurance flap
Since the contract lapse arose, supervisors have been eager to resolve it and reassure employees. But many still hold disdain and frustrations.
Farmington mayor resigns after City Council meeting flap, citing mental health
Man reportedly armed with gun shot, killed by LAPD near California Science Center
Los Angeles police shot a man after receiving reports of someone with a firearm in the parking lot of the California Science Center in Exposition Park Thursday morning. Fire officials said the man was pronounced dead at the scene.
Suspect killed in police shooting near California Science Center
LAPD officers shot and killed a suspect at the California Science Center in Exposition Park Thursday after reports of a man with a rifle.
LAPD shoots suspect outside California Science Center after report of armed man in Exposition Park
Police shot and killed a suspect outside the California Science Center in Exposition Park after a report of a man armed with a rifle.
Officers respond to report of man with gun at California Science Center parking lot
Officers responded Thursday morning to a report of a man with a gun at the California Science Center parking lot south of downtown Los Angeles. LAPD received a call to the museum at about 9:30 a.m. NBCLA has reached out to authorities for more information, including whether shots were fired and whether anyone is in custody. Video posted to the…
Memphis People in Business for Feb. 5, 2026
A look at promotions, hirings, movers and newsmakers in the Memphis area business scene.
Bondi Junction stabbings: Doctor of killer referred to health regulators
A coroner has found Joel Cauchi's doctor failed to heed warnings he was having a relapse of schizophrenia.
How Capital Region companies are managing the health insurance squeeze
A sharp increase in health care costs felt more like a slap than a wake-up call for many Louisiana business owners in 2026. The sizable but necessary expense began cutting dangerously deep into their profit margins. As Business Report reports in its latest cover story, the current insurance year that began Jan. 1 saw the […]
Quantum wonders enthral science enthusiasts
Experience the wonders of quantum science at the Quantum Century exhibition in Malappuram, attracting thousands of enthusiasts and students.
Here's what we know about the Milwaukee County health benefits lapse
What we know and don't know about the Milwaukee County health benefits lapse that's going to a County Board vote on Feb. 5.
Junior scientists face a quandary when starting their own labs: How far to stray from the hive
A new study argues that overlap between advisers and advisees on research topics helps rather than hinders young life scientists.
Braves' TV future unclear after FanDuel Sports Network deal collapses
The Atlanta Braves are heading into the season with a major question still unanswered: where and how fans will be able to watch their games.
Former Farming Leaders Warn U.S. Agriculture Could Face ‘Widespread Collapse’
A group of past government officials and the former heads of farming associations issued a dire warning to members of Congress.
Dwight McNeil partner criticises Crystal Palace over mental health
Dwight McNeil's partner criticises Crystal Palace for "messing" with his mental health after the collapse of his transfer from Everton.
Tuesday’s Everton News: George signs, McNeil deal collapses
Your daily dose of Everton news and rumours
In the face of aid cuts, Gates Foundation narrows its priorities and defends global health funding
The CEO of the Gates Foundation said it will not change course in the face of the collapse of the foreign aid system but instead continue focusing on its main priorities.
Musheinesh: Trump ignores the devastating toll tariffs have on Michigan businesses
No person — not even the President of the United States — has the unilateral power to slap taxes on the entire nation whenever they feel like it.
Jersey Shore mayor announces reelection bid despite business collapse and millions in debt
The mayor is running for a fifth term while addressing his Chapter 11 bankruptcy case and the closure of his family's Wonderland Pier.
Democratic rival Rodriguez criticizes Crowley over health care flap
Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez criticized Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley over the county's failure to renew a health benefits contract.
Milwaukee County HR director fired following lapse in health insurance contract
Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley announced an "employee" who let the county's health insurance contract with UnitedHealthcare lapse last year has been fired.
Intel Panther Lake Core Ultra review: Intel's best laptop CPU in a very long time
Intel manages big boosts to CPU and GPU speed without blowing up battery life.
County Exec David Crowley fires official tied to health benefits lapse
County Executive David Crowley announced the employee whose error lapsed a county health care contract has been terminated.
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.
Intel sets a 7467 MT/s+ memory requirement for Panther Lake Arc B-series iGPU branding, slower configs show up as “Intel Graphics”
Intel Arc Xe3 B-Series won't appear with its full marketing name, unless laptop has memory meeting the standard Intel appears to be tying Panther Lake
Alzheimer’s scrambles memories while the brain rests
When the brain rests, it usually replays recent experiences to strengthen memory. Scientists found that in Alzheimer’s-like mice, this replay still occurs — but the signals are jumbled and poorly coordinated. As a result, memory-supporting brain cells lose their stability, and the animals struggle to remember where they’ve been.
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.
Sharks strive to shake off collapse against lowly Flames
San Jose's playoff push hit a snag in Edmonton on Thursday, but the Sharks get another shot in Alberta when they visit the Calgary Flames on Saturday afternoon.
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.
Science Quiz: Weird ice and quantum collapse
Put your science knowledge to the test with this week’s news quiz. Play now.
Bill Nye takes Orlando victory lap for science after NASA budget win
Bill Nye was in Orlando to tout The Planetary Society’s efforts to save NASA science after pressuring Congress to defy President Trump’s proposed budget.
Leon Goretzka move collapses: Atletico Madrid move onto other options
Atletico Madrid have been forced to look at other alternatives to Leon Goreztka with just four days left in the transfer window, after the Bayern Munich midfielder turned down a move to the Metropolit...
Trump-appointed judges are letting his immigration enforcement blitz continue
As President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown has whisked through major US cities, trial-level judges attempting to restrain the frenzied actions of federal agents have been repeatedly slapped down by higher courts – sometimes with the help of judges the president put on the bench in his first term.
The nation’s cartoonists on the week in politics
Every week political cartoonists throughout the country and across the political spectrum apply their ink-stained skills to capture the foibles, memes, hypocrisies and other head-slapping events in the world of politics. The fruits of these labors are hundreds of cartoons that entertain and enrage readers of all political stripes. Here's an offering of the best of this week's crop, picked fresh off the Toonosphere. Edited by Matt Wuerker.
Ice and snow bring down downtown Benton business, CJ'z Downtown Billiards
A longtime downtown Benton business was destroyed after its building collapsed under the weight of ice and snow from last week’s winter storm, county officials
Memphis People in Business for Jan. 29, 2026
A look at promotions, hirings, movers and newsmakers in the Memphis area business scene.
Convicted sex offender tried to rape a woman in a business, police said. They're searching for other victims
Convicted sex offender arrested for attempted rape inside DTLA business, captured in Skid Row
Windows 11 will support resuming Spotify, web browsing, and other apps from Android
Microsoft might’ve ditched Android apps in Windows 11 a couple of years ago, but that doesn’t mean it’s abandoned cross-platform...
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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