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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

Putin in Delhi: Assessing the Stakeholders. A Comprehensive Examination of Defence, Energy, and Aspirations for Export Expansion."

With discussions spanning new S-400 regiments, cooperative Su-57 fighter and hypersonic technology, and long-term agreements on Russian crude, LNG, and nuclear initiatives, Putins visit to Delhi places defence and energy...

Asian Currencies Steady as Rupee Hits Record Low Amid Fed Rate Cut Bets

Most Asian currencies held steady on Thursday after modest gains, as markets continued to price in the possibility of a Federal Reserve rate cut next week. The US Dollar Index edged 0.1% higher following an overnight dip...

Asian Markets Mixed as Fed Rate Cut Bets Grow and Japan’s Nikkei Leads Gains

Asian stock markets traded mostly subdued on Thursday, mirroring the modest uptick seen on Wall Street as investors positioned themselves ahead of next weeks Federal Reserve meeting. Market sentiment remained cautiously...

China Urged to Prioritize Economy Over Territorial Ambitions, Says Taiwan’s President Lai

Taiwan President Lai Ching-te has urged Chinese President Xi Jinping to direct his focus toward revitalizing Chinas weakening economy rather than pursuing territorial expansion, highlighting widening economic contrasts...

IMF Deputy Dan Katz Visits China as Key Economic Review Nears

International Monetary Fund Deputy Managing Director Dan Katz is making his first trip to China since leaving his position as chief of staff to U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, marking a significant moment ahead of...

Politics

Cuba Reaffirms Anti-Drug Cooperation as Tensions Rise in the Caribbean

Cuban authorities announced that the island is intensifying its fight against narcotics trafficking in the Caribbean, emphasizing ongoing cooperation with the U.S. Coast Guard despite heightened political tensions and an...

Drones Spotted Near Zelenskiy’s Flight Path in Ireland Trigger Security Alert

An Irish naval vessel detected as many as five drones operating close to the flight path of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiys aircraft as he arrived in Ireland for a state visit, according to local media reports on...

Australia Progresses AUKUS Review as U.S. Affirms Strong Support

Australia is moving forward with the newly received United States review of the AUKUS nuclear-powered submarine partnership, signalling renewed confidence in the trilateral defence pact with the U.S. and the United...

Trump Administration Tightens H-1B Visa Vetting With New Focus on Free Speech and Censorship

The Trump administration has introduced stricter vetting measures for H-1B visa applicants, targeting professionals in highly skilled fields often recruited by major U.S. tech companies. According to an internal State...

California Launches Portal for Reporting Alleged Misconduct by Federal Immigration Agents

California has introduced a new online portal that enables the public to submit videos, photos, and other evidence of potential misconduct by federal immigration agents. The initiative comes as immigration enforcement...

Science

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...

Trump and Merck KGaA Partner to Slash IVF Drug Costs and Expand Fertility Coverage

U.S. President Donald Trump and German pharmaceutical company Merck KGaA have announced a groundbreaking deal aimed at lowering the cost of in-vitro fertilization (IVF) treatments while boosting access to fertility care in...

Technology

EU Prepares Antitrust Probe Into Meta’s AI Integration on WhatsApp

The European Commission is reportedly preparing to launch a new antitrust investigation into Meta Platforms Inc. (NASDAQ: META) over the companys recent rollout of artificial intelligence features within WhatsApp....

Sam Altman Reportedly Explored Funding for Rocket Venture in Potential Challenge to SpaceX

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman reportedly explored raising significant capital to acquire or partner with a rocket company, a move that could have created direct competition with Elon Musks SpaceX. According to a report from the...

Wikipedia Pushes for AI Licensing Deals as Jimmy Wales Calls for Fair Compensation

Wikipedia is seeking additional licensing deals with major technology companies to address the growing financial burden caused by artificial intelligence firms heavily scraping its platform, according to co-founder Jimmy...

Firelight Launches as First XRP Staking Platform on Flare, Introduces DeFi Cover Feature

Firelight reaches 25M XRP deposit cap within hours of launch; ushers in a new era for decentralized XRP staking. A new XRP staking platform, Firelight, has officially launched on the Flare blockchain, marking the first...

OpenAI Moves to Acquire Neptune as It Expands AI Training Capabilities

OpenAI has confirmed plans to acquire Neptune, a startup known for its advanced tools that help companies track, monitor, and optimize AI model training workflows. Although the company did not release the financial details...