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House Oversight Committee subpoenas Attorney General Pam Bondi
Bondi has faced criticism from Democrats, and some Republicans, over the Justice Department’s handling of the Epstein files.
House Oversight panel votes to subpoena AG Pam Bondi in Epstein probe
The Republican-led House Oversight Committee voted to subpoena US Attorney General Pam Bondi for testimony about her role in the release of the Jeffrey Epstein files as part of the committee’s probe into the late convicted sex offender.
Pam Bondi rescinds policy banning politically appointed DOJ employees from attending partisan events
Forever Chemicals May Not Be So “Forever” After All, Scientists Say - Futura-Sciences
Known as PFAS – per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances – these synthetic molecules have been used since the 1940s for their water-resistant and greaseproof properties. They can be found in clothing, upholstered furniture, nonstick pans, food packaging, and even firefighting foams. The problem? Their carbon-fluorine bond is so stable that it...
Kasey Bond, MPH
Kasey Bond is executive chief of staff to the dean and CEO at NYU Langone Health. Learn more.
30 more people indicted over anti-ICE protest at Minnesota church, Bondi says
Attorney General Pam Bondi announced federal charges Friday against 30 more people who are accused of civil rights violations in a January protest inside a Minnesota church where a pastor works for Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
$2B entertainment and retail venue planned for Glen Carbon near I-270 and I-255 intersection
Glen Carbon’s Board of Trustees voted unanimously this week to establish the boundaries for a sales tax and revenue bond district for the development. The goal is creating “a premier entertainment, tourism and mixed-use destination,” according to the developer.
One Nation, an Anti-Immigration Party in Australia, Rises in Polls After Bondi Massacre
The foreign roots of the men accused of killing 15 at a Jewish event have helped make Pauline Hanson and her One Nation party more palatable for some Australians.
Mental health is declining globally. Where in Europe suffers the most?
Young adults are facing worse mental health and daily life challenges, driven by weak family bonds, low spirituality, early smartphone use, and high ultra-processed food consumption.
Indonesia Raises $4.5 Billion to Rebuff Credit Outlook Concerns
Indonesia pulled off its biggest global bond sale since at least 2017, overcoming the threat of a credit rating and signaling easing investor concerns about fiscal woes in Southeast Asia’s largest economy.
"Microsoft wants a turnaround and is worried about losing Xbox" - Insider report paints a different picture of Phil Spencer's retirement and Sarah Bond's sudden departure
Could this be a genuine reset and potential comeback?
Olaplex links with ‘SNL’ star to blend science, style and humor in new ads
Chloe Fineman serves as Chief Hair Officer for “Science Never Looked So Good,” a campaign that promotes the hair care brand’s bond repair treatment.
Mortgage rates are back below 6%, the lowest since 2022
A stock-market sell-off sent investors into bonds, lowering Treasury yields and dragging mortgage rates down.
‘Angel Families’ Return to Washington to Back Up Trump Ahead of State of the Union
The families of people killed by undocumented immigrants have forged a bond with the president, who has invited some of them to his address on Tuesday.
Xbox's Sarah Bond Issues Statement On Her Departure From Microsoft
"This is the right time for me to take my next step"
Entertainment Listing: Feb. 18
Wednesday Feb. 18 Hangar 9 • Carbondale Harry Potter trivia, 8 p.m. PK’s • Carbondale Trivia, 8 p.m. Project Human X • Carbondale Advertisement Open studio, 4 p.m. Little Nashville • Marion Trivia, 6 p.m. Thursday Feb. 19 Booby’s • Carbondale Karaoke, 8:30 p.m. Hangar 9 • Carbondale Mardi Gras Mayhem: The Grand Finale...
Former Xbox president Sarah Bond bids farewell to Xbox staff
Former Xbox president Sarah Bond thanked former CEO Phil Spencer and congratulated his successor, Asha Sharma, in a let…
Business Lookahead: Nvidia earnings take center stage
STORY: As global markets react to the U.S. Supreme Court ruling on President Trump's tariffs, Nvidia earnings head for center stage. These are the stories to watch in business and finance in the coming week. :: Nvidia's momentMarkets will be watching for Nvidia's quarterly results Wednesday...as investors worry about returns on AI spending and industry disruptions caused by the emerging tech.Nvidia shares have soared following the launch of ChatGPT in late 2022.But shares of the company and others in the "Magnificent Seven" have stalled so far in 2026.:: Anniversary angstTuesday marks the four-year anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.While the push for a ceasefire continues, getting one over the line remains difficult.Ukraine has faced sustained pressure to agree to a deal that could mean painful concessions, as Russian forces pound its power grid and slowly advance on the battlefield.The International Monetary Fund looks set to rubberstamp extended support, meaning Kyiv's bonds are flying high.:: Key Australia dataAustralia's consumer price reading Wednesday will be closely watched by investors, who are betting the central bank will hike rates at least once more this year.Earlier this month, Australia's central bank became the only one in the G10 outside Japan to tighten policy, as it struggles to bring inflation under control in a supply-constrained economy.:: British uneaseBritish Prime Minister Keir Starmer faces a reckoning Thursday in a Manchester special election.Investors will be watching the results closely. Friday could be another volatile day for British markets and Westminster.British gilts and the pound wobbled earlier this month as a crisis engulfed Starmer over what he knew of Peter Mandelson's links to late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein when he appointed the former as U.S. ambassador.
Xbox chief Phil Spencer is leaving Microsoft
Xbox president Sarah Bond is also leaving Microsoft.
Chicago Bears take key step in proposed Indiana stadium move
The Chicago Bears on Thursday hailed the "most meaningful step" yet toward building a new stadium in Indiana, as the neighboring state passed a key measure to entice the NFL franchise to make a divisive cross-border move.Bears president and chief executive Kevin Warren warned in December that Indiana had become a serious option, and on Thursday the state unanimously passed a bill allowing it to issue bonds for the financing and construction of a new stadium.
LIVE NATION ENTERTAINMENT FULL YEAR AND FOURTH QUARTER 2025 RESULTS
/PRNewswire/ -- "In 2025, the bond between artists and their global fan bases reached new heights, fueling another year of double-digit growth. As artists...
Live Nation Entertainment Full Year And Fourth Quarter 2025 Results
In 2025, the bond between artists and their global fan bases reached new heights, fueling another year of double-digit growth. As artists continue to unlock untapped markets and headline the world’s most iconic stadiums, we’ve built momentum that carries us into a record-breaking 2026. We’re not just building venues; we’re crafting world-class stages designed to elevate the artist’s vision and their connection to fans. By strategically expanding our global footprint and investing in premium, upgraded infrastructure, we provide the canvas for career-defining performances. This investment doesn’t just drive ticket sales—it revitalizes local economies and cements our venues as cultural anchors. With a deep pipeline of large-scale shows and ticket demand continuing its ascent, we are positioned for another year of double-digit operating income and AOI growth in 2026. Our commitment to being the ultimate partner for artists ensures we are set to compound this double-digit growth for years to come. – Michael Rapino, President and CEO
How a snow drought helped set the stage for deadly California avalanche
Several feet of new snow did not have time to bond to the earlier layer before the avalanche near Lake Tahoe killed at least eight backcountry skiers, said Craig Clements, a meteorology professor at San Jose State University
Commentary: The missing quality that defines the flaws in our business and government leadership
We used to expect our business and government leaders to have strength of character. Today that's been replaced by a moral vacuum
Jeffrey Epstein's ties to politicians, business titans and other figures
Here are some of the prominent people whose ties to Epstein were revealed in the newly released material.
Business Restructuring Review
In This Issue: The Year in Bankruptcy: 2025 A brief chronicle of the year's notable developments in corporate bankruptcy and restructuring, including business bankruptcy filings, significant court rulings, and legislative developments. [read more …] U.S. Bankruptcy Court Denies Chapter 15 Recognition of Maltese Liquidation Absent Evidence of Meaningful Activities Supporting Finding of COMI or Establishment in Malta In In re Geden Holdings, Ltd., No. 25-90138, 2025 WL 2484883 (Bankr. S.D. Tex. Aug. 28, 2025), stay pending appeal denied, No. 25-90138, 2026 WL 97993 (Bankr. S.D. Tex. Jan. 13, 2026), the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas ruled that, for purposes of recognition under chapter 15 of the Bankruptcy Code, although a foreign debtor may have had its center of main interests ("COMI") or an establishment in Malta when a liquidation proceeding was commenced for it in a Maltese court in 2017, the absence of any meaningful activity by the debtor's liquidator from that time until the liquidator filed a chapter 15 petition in the United States more than five years later meant that the debtor had neither a COMI nor an establishment in Malta on the chapter 15 petition date. The court accordingly denied the petition for recognition. [read more …] The Ninth Circuit's Expansive Reading of "Financial Accommodations" that Cannot Be Assumed or Assigned in Bankruptcy It is generally well understood that agreements to extend credit or provide financing to a debtor cannot be assumed or assigned in bankruptcy. Even so, the provision of the Bankruptcy Code that precludes assumption or assignment—section 365(c)(2)—also extends to "financial accommodations," a term that is not defined in the Bankruptcy Code and has been the subject of relatively few bankruptcy and appellate court rulings. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit examined the meaning of the term in In re Svenhard's Swedish Bakery, 154 F.4th 1100 (9th Cir. 2025). The court of appeals ruled that a deeply discounted settlement of pension plan withdrawal liability is a "financial accommodation" that cannot be assumed or assigned, thereby extending the reach of section 365(c)(2) well beyond conventional lending arrangements. [read more …] Pennsylvania District Court Applies "Hypothetical Test" in Determining that Patent License Agreement Is Assignable in Bankruptcy In Crivella Holdings Ltd. v. Mesearch Media Technologies Ltd., No. 2:25-cv-333, 2025 WL 2443400 (W.D. Pa. Aug. 25, 2025), the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania affirmed a bankruptcy court ruling denying a software licensor's motion for relief from the automatic stay to terminate the license agreement. The court found the license was assumable in bankruptcy under the Third Circuit's hypothetical test as a result of language in the agreement stating that it could be assigned to a "successor in interest" of the debtor without the licensor's further consent, thereby overriding federal patent law's general prohibition against the assignment of patents. [read more …] New York Bankruptcy Court Denies Motion to Terminate Chapter 15 Recognition and Dismiss Chapter 15 Case In In re Oi S.A., No. 23-10193 (LGB), 2025 WL 2806591 (Bankr. S.D.N.Y. Oct. 1, 2025), the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York considered whether chapter 15 recognition of a debtor's Brazilian restructuring proceeding should be terminated and the case dismissed due to the debtors' financial deterioration and inability to satisfy its restructuring plan obligations after entry of the recognition order. The court denied the motion, concluding that recognition of the Brazilian proceeding and a court-approved restructuring plan for the debtors should not be terminated under section 1519(d) of the Bankruptcy Code—according to the court, the sole authority for revocation of chapter 15 recognition—because, among other things, the restructuring proceeding was still pending, the debtors might still need relief authorized under chapter 15, and the debtors' prospects for reorganizing under a hypothetical chapter 11 case were uncertain at best. It also found that no provision of the Bankruptcy Code authorizes the dismissal of a chapter 15 case. [read more …] Newsworthy Effective January 1, 2026, Jones Day welcomed Isel M. Perez (Miami), Andrew M. Butler (New York), Sid Pepels (Amsterdam), and Anna C. Bretting (Munich) to the partnership in the Business Restructuring & Reorganization Practice. Sid Pepels (Amsterdam) has been nominated for the Future Leader Award by the Global Restructuring Review, an organization that acknowledges and honors excellence within the global restructuring and insolvency sector. This award is designed to recognize exceptional contributions made by both individuals and firms in the field. The 2026 edition of Chambers UK recognized Ben Larkin (London) in the practice area Restructuring/Insolvency and Adam R. Brown (London) in the practice area Restructuring/Insolvency: Litigation. The 2026 edition of Chambers Asia-Pacific ranked Roger Dobson (Sydney) in the practice area Restructuring/Insolvency. An article written by Corinne Ball (New York) titled "Backstop Fees for Lenders in Chapter 11 Plans: Absent Market Test, Equality of Treatment Now Required in Fifth Circuit After 'ConvergeOne'" was published on November 12, 2025, in the New York Law Journal. An article written by Oliver S. Zeltner (Houston) titled "Delaware Bankruptcy Court: No Legal Authority for Chapter 11 Plan Gatekeeping Provision" was published on November 20, 2025, by Lexis Practical Guidance. An article written by Daniel J. Merrett (Atlanta) titled "First Impressions: Eleventh Circuit Rules that Annulment of Automatic Stay Does Not Violate U.S. Supreme Court's Prohibition of Nunc Pro Tunc Orders" was published on November 21, 2025, by Lexis Practical Guidance. An article written by Genna Ghaul (New York) titled "Iowa District Court: Avoidance Claims Cannot Be Encumbered by Pre-Bankruptcy Liens" was published on November 20, 2025, by Lexis Practical Guidance. An article written by Dan T. Moss (Washington/New York), Corinne Ball (New York), David S. Torborg (Washington), and Ben Rosenblum (New York) titled "New York Bankruptcy Court Rejects Challenge to Barnet Rule Permitting Foreign Debtors to Obtain Chapter 15 Recognition With Only Minimal U.S. Assets" was published on November 21, 2025, by Lexis Practical Guidance. The M&A Advisor has recognized the Silvergate Capital Corporation Bankruptcy case as the Chapter 11 Reorganization of the Year (over $5 billion) during its 20th Annual Turnaround Awards. Jones Day is listed among the professionals for the representation of Exploration Capital, which was led by Joshua M. Mester (Los Angeles). Lawyer Spotlight: Sid Pepels Sid Pepels, a partner in Jones Day's Amsterdam Office, litigates and advises clients on commercial and international insolvency matters, with a focus on complex restructurings and insolvencies. He has advised and litigated high-profile cases, including: the cross-border WHOA (Wet Homologatie Onderhands Akkoord) proceedings concerning Vroon Group and Diebold Nixdorf; proceedings on behalf of expropriated SNS Reaal bond holders against the Dutch State; the bankruptcy of Intertoys, the leading Dutch toys retailer; the restructuring of Oi, the Dutch finance vehicle of the Brazilian telecom giant; and Blokker, the leading Dutch home appliances retailer. Sid holds a Ph.D. in European insolvency law and regularly publishes in academic journals on topics of cross-border insolvency. He has been recognized in The Legal 500 Netherlands and was noted by his peers for being client-minded and a creative thinker with a "strong grasp of the law and strong interpersonal skills." Sid was also nominated for the "Future Leader" award at the Global Restructuring Review Awards 2025. He is a board member for the Netherlands Association for Comparative and International Insolvency Law and a NextGen member of the International Insolvency Institute.
The surprising science of fireside connection
Modern Flames reports that gathering around fire fosters social bonds, relaxation, and mindfulness, continuing a tradition vital to human connection.
Two goalies share time in Rummel-Holy Cross quarterfinal shutout. ‘A bond between us.’
Rummel goalkeepers Ryan McDonald and Sebastian O’Brien came into the game knowing they each would play one half of soccer.
Chicago treasurer employee alleges political staff pushed office on US bonds boycott
Mauricio Banuelos, a treasurer’s office portfolio manager, sent a complaint to the public integrity units of both the Illinois attorney general and U.S. Department of Justice.
Goldman Says Gilts to Look Past Political Risk in Strong 2026
UK bonds will rally in 2026 to send government borrowing costs to the lowest since 2024, driven by Bank of England interest-rate cuts, according to a Goldman Sachs Group Inc. strategist.
Opinion | Pam Bondi and the MAGA Brand of Insult Politics
Insult everyone. Answer for nothing.
Bradley defeats Southern Illinois 70-60
CARBONDALE, Ill. (AP) Jaquan Johnson's 24 points helped Bradley defeat Southern Illinois 70-60 on Sunday.
Joe Heller: Cartoonist on news - Pam Bondi, Epstein, Olympic politics, Valentine's Day
Joe Heller was the editorial cartoonist for the Green Bay Press-Gazette in Green Bay, Wis., from 1985 until being laid off in July 2013. He still draws several cartoons a week and distributes them through his own syndicate. Through Heller Syndication, his cartoons regularly appear in more than 400 newspapers, making him the most successful...
Pam Bondi Crashed Out for a Bizarre Reason. She’s Not Alone.
Pam Bondi is a captive to the “audience of one.” The nation is too.
Under oath and unredacted: The top political stories on Epstein this week
Attorney General Pam Bondi faced pointed questions on Capitol Hill, and lawmakers continued to press the Justice Department about its decision to redact certain information.
Republican calls Bondi a triple threat: ‘inept, incompetent and incapable’
Republican: Bondi a triple threat: ‘inept, incompetent and incapable’
February 13, 2026
An evolutionary biologist weighs in on mating and dating in the age of apps. Is pair bonding passé? Is single the new married? Plus, the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider, or RHIC, has ceased operation. What’s next for particle physics? Add, researchers are homing in on how kids reap long-term health benefits from getting dirty, whether cuddling furry pets or playing with friends.
Reporter's Notebook: Bondi’s binder strategy turns House hearing into political firestorm
Attorney General Pam Bondi faced rapid-fire questions about Epstein files before her explosive House Judiciary Committee hearing earlier this week.
The Science of Love (Episode 3)
Guest host Geena Davis guides us through the research on love that stretches beyond romance and friendship, showing up in our bonds with objects, nature, grief, and the collective moments that connect us to something larger than ourselves.
Culver City, a crime haven? Bondi's jab falls flat with locals
Responding to Atty. Gen. Pam Bondi's jab, people who live or work in Culver City posted photos of clean streets, manicured parks and humming community events.
Did Bondi Spy on Lawmakers’ Epstein Search History?
At her congressional hearing, the attorney general was seen with a document listing a Democrat’s searches of the DOJ’s Epstein files.
Gavin Newsom, the Traveling Trump Troll, Heads to Germany
Plus, Bondi’s pugilistic testimony and the U.S. prepares to add more military assets to the Middle East
Think online dating is a ‘numbers game’? You’re playing it all wrong, says this researcher
Men want hot women, and women want rich men. Or do they? Relationship scientist and UC Davis psychology professor Paul Eastwick isn't convinced.
Bondi, Massie spar over Epstein files redactions
Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Crescent Springs, told Bondi that her department’s compliance with his bipartisan Epstein Files Transparency Act was a “massive failure."
DC Wrap: Bondi hearing gets heated; Pentagon-FAA dispute closes airspace
A look at the day's biggest stories in national politics
5 takeaways from Pam Bondi’s fiery testimony
Attorney General Pam Bondi’s testimony in front of the House Judiciary Committee on Wednesday was some of the tensest and most combative testimony we’ve seen to date from a Trump Cabinet official.
Bondi pressed on Epstein files, political retribution by Justice Department
Bondi's testimony on the Epstein files was mostly punctuated by dramatic clashes with lawmakers — exchanges that happened as eight Epstein survivors attended the hearing.
Live updates: Attorney General Pam Bondi testifies before House Judiciary Committee
Live updates: Pam Bondi expected to face questions about Epstein files at House hearing
Get live updates and the latest news as Pam Bondi faces questions from Congress about the Epstein files and Trump meets with Benjamin Netanyahu on Iran's nuclear program.
U.K. Government Bonds Enter Period of Political Risk
The rise in yields reflects worries among that a successor to Starmer would would be tempted to spend more heavily on public services than currently planned, pushing government debt higher.
The Science of Connection
Breaking new ground in understanding human bonds is the mission of a diverse cadre of UCLA researchers.
Sterling Stays Weaker Even as U.K. Government Bond Yields Fall Amid Political Uncertainty
Pressure has mounted on the government over the appointment of Peter Mandelson, former British ambassador to Washington.
Telehealth Nurse honored for lifesaving bond with Veteran | VA Central Alabama health care
For most patients, a telehealth nurse is a reassuring voice on the phone or a face on a screen, a distant guide navigating the complexities of health care. For Veteran Jacqueline, however, that voice became a lifeline that transcended the digital divide and pulled her back from the brink of death.
China has reportedly told banks to scale back Treasury holdings
A report on Monday said regulators told banks in China to dial back Treasury holdings. Bond yields edged higher and the dollar dropped.
Why this rust-like mineral is one of Earth’s best carbon vaults
A common iron mineral hiding in soil turns out to be far better at trapping carbon than scientists realized. Its surface isn’t uniform — it’s a nanoscale patchwork of positive and negative charges that can grab many different organic molecules. Instead of relying on a single weak attraction, the mineral uses several bonding strategies to hold carbon tightly in place. This helps explain how soils store enormous amounts of carbon for the long term.
Yankees Social Media Spotlight: Team Bonding
The Yankees catch some hockey as the countdown to spring training reaches single digits.
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.
Bondi dismisses concerns over Gabbard's role in FBI search of Georgia election hub
Attorney General Pam Bondi says she’s not worried about the involvement of Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard in an FBI search of a Georgia election office
Commentary: Your stocks are slumping, but you probably can't blame Trump
Stocks, bonds and cryptocurrencies have all taken a hit in recent trading. Is it politics or economics driving the downdraft?
Health officials discuss the effects of carbon monoxide poisoning
You can’t see it, smell it, or taste it, but carbon monoxide can be deadly especially during the winter months when heating systems are in constant use.
White House Offers Shifting Story on Gabbard’s Presence at Georgia Raid
President Trump said Thursday that Attorney General Pam Bondi had directed Tulsi Gabbard to be present for an operation at an election center. It was the administration’s fourth explanation for her presence.
The Science of Love, with Geena Davis (Episode 1)
In a culture that often reduces love to romance, we explore the science of love across the lifespan—revealing how our bonds with parents, friends, partners, and communities shape our health, happiness, and survival.
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.
Dad’s Early Bond May Affect a Child’s Health Years Later, Study Finds
By I. Edwards HealthDay ReporterWEDNESDAY, Feb. 4, 2026 (HealthDay News) — For decades, researchers mostly blamed moms when children developed long-term mental or physical health problems. Now, a new study suggests someone else may play a bigger role than once thought: Dad. By age 7, children whose fathers were less attentive to ...
At science fair, UC Berkeley researchers lobby for $23B bond to offset Trump’s cuts
California scientists left their labs last week to defend their work studying disease treatments, resilience to extreme heat and more
Florida State Became College Sports’ Debt King in FY25
FSU saw athletics related debt balloon to $437 million in a fiscal cycle after issuing bonds to cover stadium renovations and a new football center.
12 Useful Mini Tools That Every Homeowner Should Have Around The Home
Some solid mini tools for homeowners include the Husky Stubby Ratchet and Socket Set, the Leatherman Bond multitool, and the Kobalt Portable Mini Toolbox.
I didn't realize how rare my grandparents were until now
A mom shares what it's like raising kids with deeply involved great-grandparents and why she now realizes how rare that bond is.
‘They ruined that for me’: How sports gambling addiction and recovery affects men’s bonds with friends, family and fandom
CNN Sports reports on the way gambling addictions prey on fandom, the convenience of online sportsbooks, and masculine culture of competitiveness to corrupt the role of sports in their lives.
Don Lemon Arrested in Connection with ICE Protest Coverage
Attorney General Pam Bondi confirmed that the former CNN anchor and three others — including another journalist — were taken into custody.
Unified sports programs bring together athletes for more than wins and losses
At Minnesota schools, special needs students and those in general education bond in the arena of competition
An AI Toy Exposed 50,000 Logs of Its Chats With Kids to Anyone With a Gmail Account
AI chat toy company Bondu left its web console almost entirely unprotected. Researchers who accessed it found nearly all the conversations children had had with the company's stuffed animals.
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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