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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.

Ukraine summit fails to provide a path to peace for Kyiv and its allies

Jun 20, 2024 05:37 am UTC| Insights & Views

Was the the first so-called Summit on Peace in Ukraine, held in Switzerland on June 15 to 16, a failure? Certainly not, if you listen to the fairly upbeat reactions of Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky and his western...

Global Geopolitics Series

Ukraine war: $60 billion in US military aid a major morale boost but no certain path to victory

Apr 23, 2024 08:04 am UTC| Insights & Views

It took months of delays and desperate pleas from Ukraine, but the US House of Representatives has finally passed a bill authorising US$60 billion (50 billion) worth of military aid to Ukraine. The bill is still subject...

China Crisis Series

China’s new world order: looking for clues from Xi’s recent meetings with foreign leaders

Apr 22, 2024 03:31 am UTC| Insights & Views Economy

There is broad consensus that Chinese foreign policy has become more assertive and more centralised in the decade since Xi Jinping has ascended to the top of Chinas leadership. This has also meant that Chinese foreign...

Global Geopolitics Series

Ukraine is losing the war and the west faces a stark choice

Apr 18, 2024 06:24 am UTC| Insights & Views

Ukraine is now experiencing a level of existential threat comparable only to the situation immediately after the full-scale Russian invasion in February 2022. But in contrast to then, improvements are unlikely at least...

Global Geopolitics Series

Moldova: Russia continues its mischief-making in breakaway Transnistria

Apr 01, 2024 11:05 am UTC| Insights & Views

In mid-February, the leader of Moldovas breakaway region of Transnistria, Vadim Krasnoselsky, summoned deputies of all levels of the Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic. The purpose of their meeting, he announced, would be...

Ukraine war: ten years after Putin annexed Crimea, Russia’s grip on the peninsula looks shaky

Mar 18, 2024 09:03 am UTC| Insights & Views Politics

It is ten years since Russia illegally annexed Crimea on March 18 2014. Subsequent efforts to firmly integrate the peninsula into the Russian Federation, however, have been far from the success story that the Kremlin often...

Global Geopolitics Series

Ukraine war: stakes are high for EU and Ukraine ahead of crucial European summit

Dec 12, 2023 15:59 pm UTC| Insights & Views

When the EUs heads of state and government come together in Brussels for their final European Council meeting of the year on December 14 and 15, their agenda is likely to be dominated by the war in Ukraine. As youd...

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Economy

Gold Prices Slip as Dollar Strengthens Amid U.S.-Iran Tensions and Rising Inflation

Gold prices declined on Monday as a strengthening U.S. dollar and persistent inflation concerns weighed heavily on the precious metal. Spot gold dropped 0.6% to $4,720.67 per ounce, while gold futures slid 0.9% to...

Iran War Fallout: How Sri Lanka, Pakistan, and Egypt Are Struggling With Rising Energy Costs

Sri Lankas tourism industry was hoping 2025 would finally mark a full recovery from years of economic hardship. Instead, the outbreak of war involving Iran sent oil prices surging 40%, forcing the government to raise fuel...

Italy's Bond Market Under Pressure as Middle East Conflict Exposes Economic Fragility

Italys financial vulnerabilities have come into sharp focus amid ongoing conflict in the Middle East, with surging energy costs and mounting political uncertainty weighing heavily on Italian government bonds. In March,...

Asia FX Slides as Dollar Surges Amid U.S.-Iran Tensions and Inflation Fears

Asian currencies broadly declined on Monday as the U.S. dollar attracted safe-haven demand following the collapse of U.S.-Iran peace negotiations and mounting concerns over a potential American blockade of Iranian ports....

Oil Prices Surge as U.S. Imposes Blockade on Iranian Shipping Amid Ongoing Middle East Tensions

Global financial markets were rattled Monday after the United States announced a blockade on Iranian shipping following the breakdown of weekend peace negotiations. The decision has renewed fears over Middle East energy...

Politics

U.S. Blockades Strait of Hormuz Amid Escalating Iran Tensions

The U.S. military has announced a blockade of the Strait of Hormuz effective Monday at 10 a.m. Eastern, targeting vessels traveling to or from Iranian ports and coastal areas. Ships not bound for Iran will be permitted to...

Poll: Israelis Split on Iran Ceasefire as Netanyahu's Approval Declines

A new national poll from Hebrew University of Jerusalem reveals that nearly two-thirds of Israelis oppose the Iran ceasefire brokered by Pakistan between the United States and Iran. The survey, the first conducted after...

U.S. Blockade of Iran Begins as Nuclear Talks Collapse in Islamabad

Tensions between the United States and Iran have sharply escalated after weekend diplomatic talks in Islamabad ended without an agreement, prompting Washington to announce a full naval blockade of Iranian ports and coastal...

U.S., Australia, and Philippines Conduct Joint South China Sea Military Drills Amid Rising Tensions With China

The United States, Australia, and the Philippines wrapped up their second trilateral maritime exercises of 2025 in the South China Sea, reinforcing their collective commitment to freedom of navigation and regional security...

South Korea and Poland Forge Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Centered on Defence

South Korean President Lee Jae-myung and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk formally elevated bilateral ties to a comprehensive strategic partnership on Monday, placing defence cooperation at the heart of the upgraded...

Science

China vs. NASA: The New Moon Race and What's at Stake by 2030

The space race is back and this time, its a direct competition between the United States and China for dominance on the lunar surface. NASAs Artemis II mission recently made history when four astronauts flew farther into...

NASA Artemis II: First Crewed Moon Mission Since Apollo Takes Four Astronauts on 10-Day Lunar Journey

NASAs Artemis II mission launched Wednesday, marking humanitys return to crewed lunar exploration for the first time since the Apollo era. Carrying four astronauts aboard the Orion spacecraft, this historic 10-day mission...

NASA's Artemis II Mission: First Crewed Lunar Journey Since Apollo

NASA's Artemis II Crew Arrives in Florida for Historic Moon Mission

The four astronauts chosen for NASAs Artemis II mission have touched down at Kennedy Space Center in Florida, marking the beginning of final launch preparations for the first crewed lunar journey in over 50 years. NASA...

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...

Technology

AI Deradicalization Tools: How Chatbots Could Help Combat Violent Extremism Online

As artificial intelligence platforms become more deeply embedded in daily life, concerns about their role in enabling dangerous behavior continue to grow. A New Zealand startup is now developing a groundbreaking tool that...

Meta Is Building an AI Version of Mark Zuckerberg to Interact With Employees

Meta Platforms is reportedly developing a photorealistic artificial intelligence version of its CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, designed to engage directly with employees on his behalf. According to the Financial Times, which cited...

TSMC Posts Record Q1 2026 Profits Driven by Surging AI Chip Demand

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) is on track to deliver its fourth straight quarter of record-breaking earnings, with analysts forecasting a 50% jump in net profit for the first quarter of 2026. The surge is...

OpenAI Addresses Security Vulnerability in macOS App Certification Process

OpenAI disclosed a security concern on Friday involving a third-party developer tool known as Axios, which is connected to the process used to verify the authenticity of its macOS applications. The company confirmed it has...

San Francisco Suspect Arrested After Molotov Cocktail Attack on OpenAI CEO Sam Altman's Home

San Francisco police arrested a 20-year-old suspect Friday following a pre-dawn attack on OpenAI CEO Sam Altmans residence in the citys North Beach neighborhood. According to the San Francisco Police Department, an...