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Rhys ap Gwilym

Senior Lecturer in Economics, Bangor University
Dr Rhys ap Gwilym is a Senior Lecturer in Economics at Bangor University’s Business School. He trained as a macroeconomist at Cardiff University, gaining his PhD on the “Macroeconomic Implications of Behavioural Finance Models” in 2009. His academic research has involved developing models which introduce behavioural factors into macroeconomic analysis (including DSGE models) and the analysis of financial instruments in a general equilibrium setting. He has published in journals including the Journal of Banking and Finance, Economics Letters and the Southern Economic Journal.

More recently, his research interests have evolved to cover spatial economics and public finance. He is currently working on a project examining how geographical differences in access to finance influence regional economic disparities; in particular the links between the financialization of land and regional economic development.

Rhys has a strong interest in regional development policy and its role in Wales in particular. He has been a principal investigator on two grant-funded research projects for the Welsh Government relating to land value tax and tourism taxes. He is a member of the Institute of Welsh Affairs’ Economic Policy Group, where he has been involved in the development of discussion papers on the Welsh economy. He recently contributed to the “expert roundtable on the Welsh tax base & implications for public policy”.

Why you should expect to pay more tourist taxes – even though the evidence for them is unclear

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

In April 2024, Venice began its controversial experiment to charge day trippers 5 (4.30) to visit the city on some of the busiest days of the year. But its not just the lagoon city, with its 30 million visitors a year...

Economy

Iran Closes Strait of Hormuz Again After Brief Reopening, Rattling Global Energy Markets

Hopes for a restoration of normal energy shipping through the Strait of Hormuz collapsed within hours on Saturday after Iran reimposed tight restrictions on the vital maritime corridor, just a day after declaring it open....

Uranium Bull Market Gains Momentum Amid Supply Deficits and Geopolitical Tensions

The uranium market is entering a powerful new phase, with structural supply shortfalls and rising energy security concerns driving long-term bullish momentum. A recent special report from BCA Research confirms that the...

Energy Price Spike Won't Trigger Lasting Inflation, Analysts Say

A new report from BCA Research suggests that the recent surge in energy prices, driven by ongoing Middle East tensions, is unlikely to spark a prolonged period of runaway inflation in major global economies. According to...

Australia Extends Fuel Sulphur Relaxation Amid Iran War Supply Disruptions

Australia has extended its temporary easing of fuel-quality standards through September, as ongoing disruptions from the Iran war continue to strain the countrys fuel supply chains. Energy Minister Chris Bowen confirmed...

IMF Warns Middle East War to Deepen Economic Divide Across Latin America and Caribbean

The ongoing Middle East conflict is expected to widen economic inequality across Latin America and the Caribbean, according to the International Monetary Fund. While oil-exporting nations stand to gain short-term...

Politics

North Korea Fires Ballistic Missile Eastward Amid Rising Global Tensions

South Koreas Yonhap news agency reported on Saturday that North Korea launched an unidentified ballistic missile in an easterly direction. Military officials in Seoul are still analyzing the missiles type and flight...

U.S.-Iran Tensions Escalate as Hormuz Crisis Deepens Amid Ceasefire Strains

Fragile ceasefire negotiations between the United States and Iran are facing serious pressure after a dramatic weekend of escalating confrontations in and around the Strait of Hormuz. New reporting from the Wall Street...

Brazil, Spain, and Mexico Unite to Support Cuba Amid U.S. Blockade

During a high-profile international summit held in Barcelona, the leaders of Brazil, Spain, and Mexico came together to announce a strengthened commitment to providing coordinated humanitarian aid to Cuba. The meeting,...

UNICEF Condemns Killing of Aid Workers Delivering Water in Gaza

The United Nations childrens agency UNICEF has expressed outrage following the fatal shooting of two contracted truck drivers who were delivering clean water to families in the Gaza Strip. The deadly incident occurred on...

Iran Reopens Strait of Hormuz Amid Fragile Ceasefire and Ongoing Nuclear Tensions

Iran has temporarily reopened the Strait of Hormuz to commercial shipping following a U.S.-brokered ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon, sparking cautious optimism in global markets. However, Tehran issued a stark warning...

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

Iran’s AI memes are reaching people who don’t follow the news – and winning the propaganda war

A Lego-style Iranian military commander raps over a gangster beat: Our inbox is flooded with Americans saying they dont watch the news. They listen to our songs instead since your media is full of shit. This is the opening...

OpenAI's $20 Billion Cerebras Deal Signals Massive AI Infrastructure Push

OpenAI is reportedly set to spend over $20 billion with AI chip startup Cerebras over the next three years, marking a significant expansion of an already substantial computing partnership. According to The Information, the...

Tesla's Terafab: AI Chip Factory Eyes Taiwan's Semiconductor Talent

Tesla is actively recruiting semiconductor engineers in Taiwan for its ambitious Terafab project a fully vertically integrated AI chip manufacturing facility that aims to consolidate logic, memory, packaging, testing, and...

Japan to Subsidize Sony's Image Sensor Plant in Kumamoto with $380 Million

The Japanese government has announced plans to provide Sony with subsidies of up to 60 billion yen, equivalent to approximately $380 million, to support the construction of an image sensor manufacturing facility in...

NiSource Signs Long-Term Energy Deals with Alphabet and Amazon to Power Indiana Data Centers

NiSource, a U.S. utility company, has secured a long-term energy supply agreement with an Alphabet subsidiary to power a major data center in northern Indiana. The announcement also included an expanded partnership with...