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Scott Lucas

Professor of International Politics, University of Birmingham
Scott Lucas became Professor of International Politics in 2014, having been on the staff of the University of Birmingham since 1989 and a Professor of American Studies since 1997.

He began his career as a specialist in US and British foreign policy, but his research interests now also cover current international affairs – especially North Africa, the Middle East, and Iran – New Media, and Intelligence Services.

A professional journalist since 1979, Professor Lucas is the founder and editor of EA WorldView, a leading website in daily news and analysis of Iran, Turkey, Syria, and the wider Middle East, as well as US foreign policy.

Global Geopolitics Series

How will the Iran war change the Middle East? We asked 5 experts

Apr 06, 2026 03:04 am UTC| Insights & Views Politics

On February 28, the US and Israel launched a war against Iran following weeks of US military build-up in the region and threats from US President Donald Trump. In the ensuing weeks, Iran has retaliated by striking US...

Global Geopolitics Series

Why are the US and Israel not on the same page over how to deal with Iran? Expert Q&A

May 30, 2025 12:04 pm UTC| Insights & Views Politics

The US president, Donald Trump, claimed on May 28 to have personally stopped Israel from attacking Irans nuclear facilities. When asked if hed intervened during a phone call with the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin...

Gaza deal: what it means for peace in the Middle East – expert Q&A

Jan 17, 2025 14:31 pm UTC| Insights & Views Politics

After 15 months of bitter conflict on the Gaza Strip, a ceasefire deal has been agreed which promises an end to the fighting and will allow for the access of food and other desperately needed humanitarian aid to the...

Who is Syria’s new prime minister – and what will he do?

Dec 16, 2024 05:06 am UTC| Insights & Views Politics

Dressed in a modest grey suit and tie with a light blue shirt, bald and bearded, 41-year-old Mohammed al-Bashir addressed his fellow Syrians on Tuesday from behind a desk in an empty conference room. Asking for stability...

Global Geopolitics Series

October 7 marks 12 months of escalation into the ‘forever war’ now engulfing the Middle East

Oct 08, 2024 12:02 pm UTC| Insights & Views

One year after Hamass mass killing of nearly 1,200 Israelis and foreign nationals and abduction of 251 others, and almost a year into the Israeli retribution that has so far slain almost 42,000 in Gaza, there seems no...

How Israel-Gaza will affect the US election campaign

Aug 22, 2024 23:22 pm UTC| Insights & Views

As delegates assembled in Chicago for the start of the Democratic National Convention on August 19, something surreal was happening 6,000 miles away in Israel. In Tel Aviv, the US secretary of state, Antony Blinken,...

Iran: meet the men – and women – lining up to contest the early presidential election

Jun 06, 2024 11:33 am UTC| Insights & Views Politics

The death in a helicopter crash of the Iranian president, Ebrahim Raisi, on May 19 has triggered a presidential election one year earlier than expected. Its a consequential moment in Iranian politics as many believed that...

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Economy

Asia Stocks Rise on AI Demand as Oil Eases

Asian stock markets edged higher on Monday as strong demand for artificial intelligence infrastructure supported semiconductor shares, while oil prices eased despite heightened Middle East tensions following a Houthi...

UK Home Asking Prices Rise for First Time Since May

British home sellers raised their asking prices in September for the first time since May, offering a modest sign of improvement in the UK property market after a subdued summer, according to property website Rightmove....

U.S. Stock Futures Rise Ahead of Trump-Xi Summit, Middle East Risks Weigh

U.S. stock futures moved higher Sunday evening as investors looked ahead to a closely watched summit between President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping, while escalating Middle East tensions limited gains. SP...

Europe Jet Fuel Deficit Drives South Korean Imports to Four-Year High

Europe is heading toward a significant jet fuel shortage in the fourth quarter, prompting buyers to source supplies from distant markets such as South Korea, the United States, Canada and Nigeria as Middle East disruptions...

India's Economic Tightrope: Navigating US Tariffs and Russian Oil

Though not directly aimed at Indias Russian crude imports, a possible American tariff action presents major hazards for the Indian economy. The planned taxes might significantly raise the price of Indian goods in the US...

Politics

ICE Officer Shoots Man in Austin, Sparking Calls for Independent Probe

An Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer shot and wounded a man in Austin, Texas, on Sunday, prompting local officials to demand an independent investigation into the incident. The man was shot in the torso shortly...

AfD Wins German State Election as Merz’s CDU Hits Historic Low

Germanys Alternative for Germany (AfD) finished first in the Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania state election on Sunday, while Chancellor Friedrich Merzs conservative Christian Democratic Union (CDU) suffered a historic...

Russian Drone Attacks Kill Four in Kyiv Region, Including Three Children

An overnight Russian drone attack on Ukraines Kyiv region killed four people, including three children, as strikes continued across the capital and other parts of the country on Sunday, according to Ukrainian authorities....

Trump Sets High-Stakes UN Meetings With Zelenskiy, Gulf Leaders

U.S. President Donald Trump is preparing for a packed two-day visit to the United Nations General Assembly in New York, with meetings scheduled or expected with several world leaders as conflicts in Iran and Ukraine...

United Russia Leads Russia Election as Ukraine Drones Hit Moscow

Russias ruling United Russia party was headed for a comfortable victory in the countrys parliamentary election, with partial official results showing it securing about 57.5% of the vote. President Vladimir Putin has framed...

Science

Blue Origin New Glenn Explosion Could Delay Launch Operations Until 2028

Blue Origin is facing a significant setback after a dramatic explosion involving its New Glenn rocket severely damaged a launch pad at Cape Canaveral, Florida. According to NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman, repairs to the...

Blue Origin New Glenn Rocket Explodes During Launch Pad Test, Delaying Space Ambitions

Blue Origin suffered a major setback after its uncrewed New Glenn rocket exploded during a launch pad test in Florida on Thursday, raising new challenges for Jeff Bezos space company as it competes with Elon Musks SpaceX...

SpaceX Delays Starship V3 Launch Ahead of Potential Record IPO

SpaceX on Thursday postponed the highly anticipated launch of its 12th Starship rocket test from Texas after technical issues interrupted the final countdown. The company now plans to attempt the Starship V3 launch again...

Trump Administration Releases New UFO Files and Apollo Mission Records

The U.S. Defense Department has released dozens of previously classified UFO-related files following an order from President Donald Trump, sparking renewed debate over unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAP) and government...

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...

Technology

Trump Plans Federal AI Force and AI Czar

U.S. President Donald Trump said Saturday that he plans to create a federal AI Force and appoint an artificial intelligence czar, outlining an effort to accelerate U.S. AI development while using existing laws to address...

SpaceX Nasdaq 100 Weight to More Than Double in Rebalance

SpaceX is set to gain significantly more influence in the Nasdaq 100 Index when the benchmark completes its quarterly rebalance on Monday, with the companys weighting expected to more than double. According to Bloomberg,...

Westinghouse Targets $50 Billion Valuation in U.S. IPO

Westinghouse Electric Co. is seeking a valuation of more than $50 billion for its planned U.S. initial public offering, as the nuclear technology company moves closer to a public market debut amid growing interest in...

NASA, Boeing Discuss Expanding Starliner Missions

NASA is holding discussions with Boeing about expanding the use of its Starliner spacecraft for future missions, potentially giving the troubled vehicle a larger role in U.S. human spaceflight plans. The space agency and...

Apple Pay Set for India Launch With Axis Bank

Apple is preparing to launch Apple Pay in India next month, initially partnering with Axis Bank to support the lenders credit cards, according to three people familiar with the plans. The rollout would bring Apples digital...