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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 war: Russia's hard line at European security meeting ratchets up tensions another notch

Dec 06, 2023 07:55 am UTC| Politics

After many months of diplomatic wrangling, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) was granted another lease of life at the annual ministerial council meeting last week in a messy compromise between...

Global Geopolitics Series

Ukraine war: stalemate on the battlefield and shaky international support putting pressure on Zelensky

Nov 07, 2023 09:05 am UTC| Politics

More than 20 months into the war in Ukraine and over five months into Ukraines latest counteroffensive, the situation on the front is bleak and no breakthrough imminent, the countrys commander-in-chief admitted in a recent...

Global Geopolitics Series

Xi-Putin meeting: here's what it says about their current, and future, relationship

Oct 15, 2023 04:13 am UTC| Insights & Views

Vladimir Putin is expected to travel outside the borders of the former Soviet Union for the first time in 20 months to meet Chinas Xi Jinping on October 17. The visit, if it happens, is likely to entrench a relationship in...

Ukraine war: mixed signals among Kyiv's allies hint at growing conflict fatigue

Sep 26, 2023 03:54 am UTC| Politics

It is now almost 600 days since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, and the war that has followed has tested the resilience of both countries. But it has also tested those in the west that have supported...

Nagorno-Karabakh: longest war in post-Soviet space flares yet again as Russia distracted in Ukraine

Sep 21, 2023 00:02 am UTC| Politics

A 24-hour anti-terrorist operation launched by Azerbaijan to restore the countrys constitutional order threatened briefly to escalate into a full-scale war with Armenia over the contested territory of Nagorno-Karabakh. But...

Moscow drone attacks are a morale booster for Ukraine and a warning for Russia – here's why

Jun 03, 2023 03:28 am UTC| Politics

A wave of approximately 30 drones appeared in skies around the Russian capital, Moscow, on May 30. Though widely sensationalised as a major attack against the heart of the Russian government, they caused only minor damage,...

Global Geopolitics Series

Ukraine war: Zelensky's diplomatic tour has improved the ground for a fresh military offensive – but it needs to come soon

May 26, 2023 14:57 pm UTC| Politics

Ukraines offensive is in full swing at least diplomatically. President Volodymyr Zelensky has been touring capitals and summits over the past several weeks, trying to keep Ukraine on top of the international agenda while...

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Economy

Oil Prices Climb on Venezuela Blockade, Russia Sanctions Fears, and Supply Risks

Oil prices extended their gains during Asian trading on Thursday as geopolitical tensions involving Venezuela and Russia heightened concerns over global crude supply. Market sentiment was boosted after U.S. President...

Asian Stocks Slide as AI Spending Fears and Global Central Bank Decisions Weigh on Markets

Asian shares fell sharply on Thursday as technology stocks came under renewed pressure, driven by growing investor concerns over heavy artificial intelligence spending and its impact on corporate balance sheets. Market...

Dollar Holds Firm Ahead of Global Central Bank Decisions as Yen, Sterling and Euro React

The U.S. dollar remained steady against major global currencies on Thursday as investors positioned themselves ahead of key central bank decisions in the United Kingdom, Europe and Japan. Currency markets showed cautious...

BoE Set to Cut Rates as UK Inflation Slows, but Further Easing Likely Limited

The Bank of England is widely expected to cut interest rates on Thursday as signs mount that UK inflation is easing and economic growth is weakening. Financial markets anticipate a 25-basis-point reduction, bringing the...

U.S. Stock Futures Edge Higher as Micron Earnings Boost AI Sentiment Ahead of CPI Data

U.S. stock index futures inched higher on Wednesday evening, supported by blowout earnings and strong guidance from Micron Technology, although broader gains remained limited as investors stayed cautious ahead of key U.S....

Politics

Trump Announces $1,776 Cash Bonus for U.S. Military Personnel Ahead of Christmas

U.S. President Donald Trump announced Wednesday evening that eligible U.S. military personnel will receive a one-time cash payment of $1,776, a move he described as a special warrior dividend timed ahead of Christmas. The...

U.S. House Advances GOP Healthcare Bill as ACA Subsidies Near Expiration

A major U.S. federal healthcare subsidy expanded during the COVID-19 pandemic is set to expire at the end of the year after the House of Representatives narrowly advanced a Republican healthcare bill that does not renew...

U.S. Initiates $11.1 Billion Arms Sale to Taiwan Amid Rising China Tensions

Taiwans defence ministry announced on Thursday that the United States government has formally initiated the congressional notification process for a proposed $11.1 billion arms sale to Taiwan, underscoring Washingtons...

Union-Aligned Investors Question Amazon, Walmart and Alphabet on Trump Immigration Policies

A union-aligned investment group has urged major U.S. corporations including Amazon, Walmart and Google-parent Alphabet to explain how President Donald Trumps immigration policies are affecting their finances, workforce...

Venezuela Seeks UN Security Council Meeting Over U.S. Oil Tanker Blockade

Venezuela has formally requested an urgent meeting of the United Nations Security Council to address what it described as ongoing U.S. aggression against the country, according to a letter seen by Reuters. The request...

Science

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...

Senate Sets December 8 Vote on Trump’s NASA Nominee Jared Isaacman

The U.S. Senate Commerce Committee announced it will vote on December 8 on President Donald Trumps renewed nomination of private astronaut and tech entrepreneur Jared Isaacman to lead NASA. Isaacman, known for his...

NASA Cuts Boeing Starliner Missions as SpaceX Pulls Ahead

NASA has significantly scaled back Boeings Starliner program after years of technical issues and delays, announcing that the next Starliner mission to the International Space Station (ISS) will fly without astronauts. The...

Blue Origin’s New Glenn Achieves Breakthrough Success With First NASA Mission

Blue Origins massive New Glenn rocket marked a major milestone as it completed its first mission for paying customers, sending two NASA satellites toward Mars and successfully landing its reusable booster at sea. The...

Cogent Biosciences Soars 120% on Breakthrough Phase 3 Results for Bezuclastinib in GIST Treatment

Cogent Biosciences (NASDAQ: COGT) shares skyrocketed over 120% after the biotech company announced groundbreaking results from its Phase 3 PEAK trial evaluating bezuclastinib in combination with sunitinib for patients with...

Technology

Apple Opens iPhone to Alternative App Stores in Japan Under New Competition Law

Apple has announced a major shift in its App Store policies in Japan, opening iPhones and other Apple devices to alternative app stores in order to comply with new competition laws aimed at reshaping the countrys...

Micron Technology Forecasts Surge in Revenue and Earnings on AI-Driven Memory Demand

Micron Technology delivered record first-quarter results and issued a bullish forecast for the current quarter, driven by rising memory prices and strong demand linked to artificial intelligence workloads. The upbeat...

Oracle Stock Slides After Blue Owl Exit Report, Company Says Michigan Data Center Talks Remain on Track

Oracle shares fell more than 4% on Wednesday after a Financial Times report claimed that Blue Owl Capital, Oracles largest U.S. data center partner, decided not to support a planned $10 billion data center project in...

OpenAI Explores Massive Funding Round at $750 Billion Valuation

OpenAI, the company behind the widely used AI chatbot ChatGPT, has reportedly entered preliminary discussions with investors about a potential new funding round that could value the company at approximately $750 billion....

Republicans Raise National Security Concerns Over Intel’s Testing of China-Linked Chipmaking Tools

Republican lawmakers are raising alarms over potential U.S. national security risks after a Reuters report revealed that Intel evaluated advanced chipmaking equipment from ACM Research, a company with significant ties to...