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Jennifer Mathers

Reader in International Politics, Aberystwyth University

I have a background in the study of Russian politics, history and security (MPhil in Slavonic and East European Studies from Oxford) as well as an undergraduate degree (BA Mount Holyoke College, US) and PhD (DPhil Oxford) in International Relations. In addition to my expertise in Russia and the former USSR, I also research and teach in the area of women/gender and conflict.

Thirty years ago Ukraine got rid of its nuclear arsenal – now the people regret that decision

Mar 18, 2025 15:13 pm UTC| Insights & Views Politics

Around 73% of Ukrainians now want their country to restore its nuclear weapons, according to a recent opinion poll. A majority of Ukrainians (58%) were in favour of Ukraine owning nuclear weapons, even if this meant losing...

Global Geopolitics Series

Ukraine war: religious leaders are playing an important (and unusual) role

Jul 29, 2024 11:58 am UTC| Insights & Views

The Russian Orthodox Church has approved a statement describing Russias special military operation as a holy war, arguing that all of Ukraine should be Russias exclusive zone of influence. Said Ismagilov, one of Ukraines...

Global Geopolitics Series

Ukraine war: Putin is using Russian children to promote his version of history on Victory Day

May 09, 2024 07:12 am UTC| Insights & Views

On May 9, Russia celebrates Victory Day, commemorating the Soviet Unions victory over Nazi Germany in 1945. Few people who watch international news coverage of Victory Day parades and events realise that Russias...

Ukraine war: Belarus is not yet committed to a closer military partnership with Russia – here's why

Oct 21, 2022 06:21 am UTC| Politics

Belarus could be edging closer towards more active participation in Russias war in Ukraine. Belarusian president Alexander Lukashenko recently announced that troops from Belarus and Russia would form a new joint...

Vladimir Putin has grown into a Russian hero – so where does he go from here?

Jan 23, 2020 10:57 am UTC| Insights & Views

Vladimir Putin has proposed a number of changes to Russias constitution that would pave the way for him to retain his grip on political power even after he is due to step down as president in 2024. These amendments would...

Women candidates break records in the 2018 US mid-term elections

Nov 08, 2018 16:49 pm UTC| Insights & Views Politics

The 2018 mid-terms broke the records on female candidates in US elections. More than 20 women were on the Senate ballot, while more than ten times that number stood for the House of Representatives. If we also consider...

Global Geopolitics Series

How the mothers of dead soldiers may be what reins in Vladimir Putin's ambitions

Jan 22, 2018 13:41 pm UTC| Insights & Views

Vladimir Putin seeks to present an image of Russia as a country that is strong, decisive, and able to reshape the world to its own ends. One of Moscows favourite tactics is to use military intervention even while Russian...

Economy

Goldman Sachs Raises ECB Rate Hike Forecast Amid Persistent Energy-Driven Inflation

Goldman Sachs has revised its euro area economic outlook, now anticipating two interest rate increases from the European Central Bank as stubbornly high energy-driven inflation continues to overshadow slowing regional...

European Stocks Tumble as Iran-Strait of Hormuz Crisis Rattles Global Markets

European equity markets opened sharply lower on Monday as investors reacted to escalating tensions between the United States and Iran over the Strait of Hormuz. The pan-European Stoxx 600 dropped 1.3%, Germanys Dax slid...

Asian Currencies Slide as U.S.-Iran Tensions and Rising Oil Prices Rattle Markets

Asian currencies faced widespread pressure on Monday as escalating U.S.-Iran tensions and surging oil prices rattled investor confidence across the region. The U.S. dollar steadied following modest losses last week, with...

Global Markets Reel as Middle East Tensions Escalate Energy Fears

Financial markets across the globe are experiencing significant turbulence as the ongoing Middle East conflict raises serious concerns about prolonged disruptions to energy supplies. Wall Street posted sharp losses on...

South Korean Stocks Tumble as Hawkish BOK Governor Appointment Rattles Markets

South Korean equities suffered steep losses on Monday after President Lee Jae Myung appointed Shin Hyun-song as the next Bank of Korea (BOK) governor, a move markets interpreted as a shift toward tighter monetary policy....

Politics

Palestinian Activist Leqaa Kordia Released from U.S. Immigration Detention After Judge's Order

Palestinian activist Leqaa Kordia, 33, has been released from a U.S. immigration detention facility in Texas following a federal judges ruling, marking the end of over a year in custody. Kordia, who grew up in the...

TSA Absences Surge During Government Shutdown as ICE Agents Prepare Airport Deployment

Airport security across the United States is facing a serious staffing crisis as the partial government shutdown enters its fifth week. The Department of Homeland Security reported that Transportation Security...

Iran Threatens Gulf Infrastructure as U.S.-Israel War Enters Critical 48-Hour Window

Tensions in the Middle East have reached a dangerous new flashpoint after Iran threatened to strike energy and water infrastructure across Gulf nations if the United States carries out President Donald Trumps warning to...

Trump Links DHS Funding to Voter ID Legislation

President Donald Trump declared Sunday that he would block any Department of Homeland Security funding agreement unless Congressional Democrats first pass the Save America Act a bill that would require Americans to show...

Ukraine-U.S. Peace Talks Continue in Florida as Zelenskiy Pushes for Diplomatic Progress

Ukrainian and American delegations wrapped up a second day of peace negotiations in Florida on Sunday, as President Volodymyr Zelenskiy signaled cautious optimism about ongoing diplomatic efforts to end Russias war on...

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

Elon Musk Announces Terafab: SpaceX and Tesla to Build Dual AI Chip Factories in Austin, Texas

Elon Musk revealed plans for a massive dual-chip manufacturing complex called Terafab in Austin, Texas, set to be jointly developed by SpaceX and Tesla. The announcement marks a significant step in Musks broader strategy...

NVIDIA's Feynman AI Chip May Face Redesign Amid TSMC Capacity Crunch

NVIDIA could be forced to redesign its next-generation Feynman artificial intelligence chip platform as contract manufacturing giant TSMC struggles to keep pace with surging global demand. According to a report from...

Elliott Investment Management Takes Multibillion-Dollar Stake in Synopsys

Activist hedge fund Elliott Investment Management has quietly built a multibillion-dollar position in Synopsys, the electronic design automation (EDA) giant, signaling a push for stronger financial performance from one of...

Palantir's Maven AI Earns Pentagon "Program of Record" Status, Reshaping Military AI Strategy

Palantir Technologies (NASDAQ: PLTR) is drawing renewed investor and industry attention after the U.S. Department of Defense officially designated its Maven Smart System as a program of record, a classification that...

Amazon's "Transformer" Phone: Can It Succeed Where Fire Phone Failed?

Amazon is quietly developing a new smartphone, codenamed Transformer, marking the companys return to mobile hardware more than a decade after its Fire Phone disaster. According to sources familiar with the initiative, the...