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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

How China is increasing its influence in central Asia as part of global plans to offer an alternative to the west

May 25, 2023 14:32 pm UTC| Insights & Views

As G7 leaders were preparing for their recent summit in Japan, Chinas president Xi Jinping hosted his central Asian counterparts from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. Central Asia is...

Zelensky's European tour has won critical support for Ukraine's counter-offensive

May 17, 2023 07:49 am UTC| Insights & Views Politics

As the war in Ukraine intensifies, President Volodymyr Zelensky has concluded a series of successful visits to Rome, Berlin, Paris and London to shore up support from key allies. The timing of Zelenskys visit is...

Global Geopolitics Series

Ukraine war: drone 'attack' on Kremlin – logic suggests a false flag to distract Russians ahead of Victory Day on May 9

May 05, 2023 12:38 pm UTC| Politics

Whether the alleged drone assassination attempt on the Russian president in the Kremlin was an audacious attack by Ukraine or a clumsy attempt at a false flag operation by Moscow may never be known. But from the Kremlins...

Global Geopolitics Series

Ukraine war: Pentagon leaks paint gloomy picture of long war that can’t be won but must not be lost

Apr 14, 2023 14:17 pm UTC| Politics

Classified Pentagon documents leaked last week paint a grim picture of the trajectory of the war in Ukraine. While it may well be the most significant national security breach since the Snowden leaks of US National...

Global Geopolitics Series

Ukraine war: the lessons from the Northern Ireland peace process

Apr 10, 2023 16:15 pm UTC| Insights & Views Politics

As the French and Chinese presidents, Emmanuel Macron and Xi Jinping, were discussing the need for more constructive international engagement to end the war in Ukraine, it emerged this week that Ukraine, too, was open to...

Global Geopolitics Series

Ukraine war: Kyiv summit with EU will bring the two sides closer, but fast-track membership is unlikely

Feb 05, 2023 04:23 am UTC| Politics

There are conflicting expectations ahead of a forthcoming summit between EU leaders and the president of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky. Kyiv has made it clear that it wants to join the fast track for EU membership in two...

Ukraine war: why Zelensky's corruption purge could be key to the outcome of the conflict

Jan 26, 2023 12:06 pm UTC| Insights & Views Politics

The Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelensky, has announced a sweeping clear-out of senior national and regional government officials and the appointment of a new supervisory board for the state-owned natural gas giant,...

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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...

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...

Bank of Korea Governor Nominee Warns of Action if Korean Won Weakens Further

South Koreas Bank of Korea governor nominee, Shin Hyun-song, signaled on Monday that policymakers stand ready to intervene should the Korean won experience excessive depreciation. In written statements submitted to...

U.S. Blockades Strait of Hormuz as Oil Prices Surge Past $100

Oil prices climbed sharply in early Asian trading on Monday, with Brent crude jumping 8% to $102.93 per barrel after President Donald Trump announced that the U.S. Navy would begin blockading the Strait of Hormuz. The move...

U.S. Futures Plunge as Iran Ceasefire Talks Collapse and Hormuz Blockade Looms

U.S. stock index futures dropped sharply Sunday evening after ceasefire negotiations between Washington and Tehran broke down, raising fears of prolonged conflict and further disruptions to global energy markets. The...

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...

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...

Taiwan Insists Government Must Lead Cross-Strait Engagement Amid China's New Incentives

Taiwans top security official has made clear that any response to Chinas latest proposed trade and tourism measures must be government-led, not driven by opposition party diplomacy. National Security Bureau chief Tsai...

Spain's Sanchez Urges China to Take Greater Global Leadership Role During Beijing Visit

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez called on China to assume a more meaningful role in addressing pressing global challenges, including climate change, international security, defense, and the fight against inequality....

Hungary's Orban Loses Power as Magyar Wins in Landslide; U.S. Reactions Divided

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, a close ally of U.S. President Donald Trump, was voted out of power after 16 years in office as Hungarians turned out in record numbers to elect center-right challenger Peter Magyar....

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...

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...

SanDisk Joins Nasdaq-100, Replacing Atlassian on April 20

Nasdaq Inc. confirmed late Friday that SanDisk Corporation will enter the Nasdaq-100 Index, taking the spot previously held by Atlassian Corp Plc when markets open on Monday, April 20, 2026. The change signals a broader...