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Stefan Wolff

Professor of International Security, University of Birmingham
The author of eighteen books and over fifty journal articles and book chapters, Stefan Wolff is Professor of International Security at the University of Birmingham, England, UK. He is also A political scientist by background, he specialises in the management of contemporary security challenges, especially in the prevention and settlement of ethnic conflicts and civil wars, and in post-conflict reconstruction, peace-building and state-building in deeply divided and war-torn societies. He has extensive expertise in Northern Ireland, the Balkans, Central and Eastern Europe, and the former Soviet Union, and has also worked on a wide range of other conflicts elsewhere, including the Middle East, Africa, and Central, South and Southeast Asia. Bridging the divide between academia and policy-making, he has been, and is, involved in various phases of conflict settlement processes, including in Iraq, Sudan, Moldova, Sri Lanka, the Philippines, and Kosovo.

Global Geopolitics Series

Germany steps up to replace ‘unreliable’ US as guarantor of European security

May 30, 2025 12:08 pm UTC| Insights & Views Politics

Two statements from world leaders this week bear closer examination. On May 27, the US president Donald Trump took to his Truth Social social media channel to proclaim that if it wasnt for him, lots of really bad things...

Ukraine war: Trump is not trying to appease Putin – he has a vision of a new US-China-Russia order

Feb 25, 2025 07:49 am UTC| Economy Insights & Views Politics

There has been much and justified focus on the implications of a likely deal between US president Donald Trump and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin and the overwhelmingly negative consequences this will have for...

Global Geopolitics Series

Trump wants China’s help in making peace in Ukraine. He’s unlikely to get it

Dec 16, 2024 05:00 am UTC| Insights & Views

US president-elect Donald Trump has invited Chinas president Xi Jinping to his inauguration on January 20 in a surprise move which appears to be part of a plan to involve Beijing in ceasefire negotiations in...

Global Geopolitics Series

Russia and Ukraine face off at European security conference as all sides wait for Trump presidency

Dec 12, 2024 02:46 am UTC| Insights & Views

The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) marks the 50th anniversary of its foundation next year. Last week, after months of wrangling, its 57 members meeting in Malta managed to agree on a new...

Global Geopolitics Series

Ukraine war: polls show more than half of Ukrainians would support a negotiated peace as Russian advances continue

Nov 26, 2024 13:27 pm UTC| Insights & Views

The war in Ukraine is at a critical juncture. Kyiv has been given permission to use western-supplied Atacms and Storm Shadow missiles against targets inside Russia. It did so as soon as that permission was granted, with...

Ukraine: after 1,000 days of war, Europe must prepare for a Trump-brokered peace deal by asserting its own interests

Nov 20, 2024 23:14 pm UTC| Insights & Views Politics

Since Donald Trump was reelected on November 5, speculation about what his presidency will mean for the war in Ukraine, which has now entered its 1,000th day, has become frenzied. It is easy to be sceptical of Trumps...

Ukraine war: Kyiv rejects Orbán ceasefire plan but global security deals offer hope

Jul 04, 2024 06:25 am UTC| Insights & Views

Ukraine has firmly ruled out any compromises in its war with Russia, according to a senior aide to President Volodymyr Zelensky. Andriy Yermak, the Ukrainian presidents chief of staff, said that while Kyiv welcomed advice...

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Economy

Global Markets React as Dollar Surges, Swiss Franc Rallies After U.S.-Israel Strike on Iran

Global currency markets swung sharply on Monday as investors rushed toward safe-haven assets following U.S. and Israeli airstrikes on Iran that reportedly killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The escalating Middle...

PBOC Scraps Forex Risk Reserve as Yuan Rally Pressures Chinese Exporters

Chinas central bank has stepped in to curb the rapid rise of the yuan, signaling growing concern over the currencys sharp appreciation against the U.S. dollar. The Peoples Bank of China (PBOC) announced it will remove the...

ASX CEO Exit Signals Turbulent Transition Amid Lawsuit and Regulatory Scrutiny

The Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) is preparing for a leadership transition at a critical time, as outgoing CEO Helen Lofthouse announces her departure in May after 11 years with the company, including four as chief...

Argentina Tax Reform 2026: President Javier Milei Pushes Lower Taxes and Structural Changes

Argentine President Javier Milei has called for a sweeping overhaul of Argentinas tax system, emphasizing the need for lower taxes to stimulate economic growth. Speaking during the opening of the new congressional session...

Bank of Japan Signals Further Interest Rate Hikes as Inflation Trends Toward 2% Target

Bank of Japan (BOJ) Deputy Governor Ryozo Himino indicated that the central bank is likely to continue raising interest rates as it gradually transitions toward a more neutral monetary policy stance. Speaking at a meeting...

Politics

Suspected Drone Strike Hits RAF Akrotiri Base in Cyprus, Causing Limited Damage

Britains Royal Air Force (RAF) base at Akrotiri in Cyprus was struck overnight in what authorities believe was a suspected drone attack, prompting heightened security measures but resulting in no reported casualties....

Marco Rubio to Brief Congress After U.S.-Israeli Strikes on Iran

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio will brief leaders of the U.S. Senate and the House of Representatives at 4:00 p.m. ET on Monday, according to his public schedule. The congressional briefing comes after joint...

Israel Strikes Hezbollah Targets in Lebanon After Missile and Drone Attacks

Israel launched airstrikes across Lebanon on Monday, targeting positions linked to the Iran-backed Hezbollah group after the militant organization fired missiles and drones toward Israeli territory. The escalation marks...

U.S. Deploys Tomahawks, B-2 Bombers, F-35 Jets and AI Tools in Operation Epic Fury Against Iran

The United States launched a sweeping military operation against Iranian targets under Operation Epic Fury, deploying advanced weaponry that included Tomahawk cruise missiles, B-2 stealth bombers, F-35 and F/A-18 fighter...

Australia Rules Out Military Involvement in Iran Conflict as Middle East Tensions Escalate

Australia has confirmed it will not participate in any military operations in Iran, even if the escalating Middle East conflict intensifies. The announcement came after Israel launched new airstrikes on Tehran and Iran...

Science

SpaceX Pivots Toward Moon City as Musk Reframes Long-Term Space Vision

SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has revealed a significant shift in the companys near-term space exploration strategy, announcing that SpaceX is now prioritizing the development of a self-growing city on the Moon rather than focusing...

SpaceX Prioritizes Moon Mission Before Mars as Starship Development Accelerates

Elon Musks SpaceX is shifting its near-term space exploration strategy, choosing to prioritize a return to the Moon before pursuing missions to Mars, according to a recent Wall Street Journal report citing sources familiar...

NASA and SpaceX Target Crew-11 Undocking From ISS Amid Medical Concern

NASA has confirmed that the agency, in coordination with SpaceX, is targeting no earlier than 5 p.m. Eastern Time (2200 GMT) on Wednesday, January 14, for the undocking of the SpaceX Crew-11 mission from the International...

Neuralink Plans High-Volume Brain Implant Production and Fully Automated Surgery by 2026

Elon Musks brain-computer interface company Neuralink is preparing for a major expansion, announcing plans to begin high-volume production of its brain implant devices and transition to a fully automated surgical procedure...

Jared Isaacman Confirmed as NASA Administrator, Becomes 15th Leader of U.S. Space Agency

The U.S. Senate has officially confirmed billionaire private astronaut Jared Isaacman as the new NASA administrator, making him the 15th leader in the agencys history. The confirmation, which took place on Wednesday, marks...

Technology

Nvidia to Launch New AI Inference Processor to Boost OpenAI Performance

Nvidia is preparing to introduce a new processor aimed at accelerating AI inference computing, a critical component in delivering faster and more efficient artificial intelligence systems for companies like OpenAI....

OpenAI Secures $110 Billion Funding Round at $840 Billion Valuation Ahead of IPO

OpenAI has raised a record-breaking $110 billion in fresh funding, pushing the ChatGPT makers valuation to an impressive $840 billion. The massive investment round, backed by SoftBank, Nvidia, and Amazon, highlights the...

Australia Targets AI Platforms With Strict Age Verification Rules

Australias internet regulator has warned that search engines and app stores could be required to block artificial intelligence services that fail to implement age verification systems by an upcoming compliance deadline....

AWS Data Center in UAE Hit by Fire After Objects Strike Facility Amid Regional Tensions

Amazon Web Services (AWS) confirmed that one of its data centers in the United Arab Emirates experienced a temporary power shutdown after objects struck the facility, causing sparks and a fire. The incident occurred at...

OpenAI Pentagon AI Contract Adds Safeguards Amid Anthropic Dispute

OpenAI has confirmed that its newly signed contract with the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) includes expanded safeguards designed to tightly regulate how artificial intelligence is deployed on classified government...