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Peter Lee

Professor of Applied Ethics and Director, Security and Risk Research, University of Portsmouth
Professor Peter Lee, Professor of Applied Ethics, is the Director, Security and Risk Research and Innovation at the University of Portsmouth. His research spans the ethical and other human aspects of drone operations in military, policing and wider security contexts, and the ethics of autonomous weapon systems. His latest research project examines screen-mediated visual trauma, entitled ‘Understanding moral injury and belief change in the experiences of police investigators in child exploitation units.’

In 2016 Peter was granted unprecedented research access to the two RAF Reaper (drone) squadrons for his latest book, Reaper Force: Inside Britain’s Drone Wars (October 2018). He is currently an Expert Adviser to the UK All Party Parliamentary Group on Drones. From 2008 to 2017 he taught ethics and also air power studies at Royal Air Force College Cranwell for Kings College London and the University of Portsmouth respectively. Peter holds a PhD in War Studies from Kings College London which explores the emergence of Western war ethics. From 2001 to 2008 he served as a Royal Air Force chaplain.

Iran attack: how Reaper drones really carry out airstrikes

Jan 08, 2020 11:58 am UTC| Insights & Views

The recent killing of senior Iranian general Qassem Soleimani has been widely reported as conducted by an MQ-9 Reaper drone. But what does such an operation actually involve? While the ultimate decision to carry out the...

Economy

Gold Prices Surge for Fourth Day as Middle East Tensions and Strong U.S. Dollar Shape Market

Gold prices extended gains in Asian trading on Tuesday, marking a fourth consecutive session of advances as investors reacted to escalating geopolitical tensions in the Middle East. Safe-haven demand remained strong,...

S&P Global Warns of Potential Downgrade for Berkshire’s PacifiCorp Over Oregon Wildfire Liabilities

SP Global has warned that it may downgrade PacifiCorp, the Berkshire Hathaway-owned utility, to junk status as mounting liabilities from Oregon wildfire lawsuits threaten its financial stability. The credit rating agency...

South Korea Manufacturing PMI Rises for Third Month on Strong Semiconductor Demand

South Koreas manufacturing sector continued its upward momentum in February, marking a third consecutive month of expansion as semiconductor demand fueled faster factory output. According to the latest SP Global survey,...

RBA Signals Possible March Rate Hike as Energy Risks Threaten Inflation Outlook

Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) Governor Michele Bullock has signaled that the central bank could raise interest rates again as soon as its March 1718 meeting, even without waiting for first-quarter inflation data....

U.S.-Israel War on Iran Escalates as Gulf Conflict Disrupts Oil, Air Travel and Regional Security

The U.S.-Israel war against Iran intensified Monday, expanding across the Middle East with no immediate end in sight. Israel launched strikes on Lebanon after Hezbollah fired missiles and drones, while Iran continued...

Politics

Trump’s Iran Strikes Spark War Powers Clash in Congress

U.S. President Donald Trumps decision to authorize military strikes on Iran has ignited a heated debate in Congress over presidential war powers and constitutional authority. Republican lawmakers argue that the attack was...

Rubio Says U.S. Would Not Target School After Deadly Iran Strike Reports

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the United States would not deliberately target a school after Iranian state media reported that more than 160 people were killed in an alleged airstrike on a girls elementary school in...

Iran Detains U.S. Citizens Amid Escalating Conflict With the United States and Israel

Iran is currently detaining at least six U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents, according to detainee advocacy groups, sparking renewed concerns that Americans in Iran could be used as bargaining chips as tensions...

Pentagon Downplays ‘Endless War’ Fears After U.S. Strikes on Iran Escalate Conflict

The Pentagon on Monday sought to ease concerns that the recent U.S. attack on Iran could spiral into a prolonged Middle East conflict, even as officials declined to provide a clear timeline and acknowledged more American...

Melania Trump Chairs Historic U.N. Security Council Meeting on Children Amid Iran Conflict

U.S. First Lady Melania Trump chaired a United Nations Security Council meeting on children and education in conflict on Monday, marking a historic first for the 15-member body responsible for maintaining international...

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

OpenAI and U.S. Defense Department Update Agreement to Clarify AI Usage Terms

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman announced that the company is working with the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) to update their existing agreement, reinforcing clear boundaries around how OpenAIs technology, including ChatGPT, can...

OpenAI Secures $110 Billion Funding Round at $840 Billion Valuation Ahead of IPO

OpenAI has raised a record-breaking $110 billion in fresh funding, pushing the ChatGPT makers valuation to an impressive $840 billion. The massive investment round, backed by SoftBank, Nvidia, and Amazon, highlights the...

U.S. Deploys Tomahawks, B-2 Bombers, F-35 Jets and AI Tools in Operation Epic Fury Against Iran

The United States launched a sweeping military operation against Iranian targets under Operation Epic Fury, deploying advanced weaponry that included Tomahawk cruise missiles, B-2 stealth bombers, F-35 and F/A-18 fighter...

Australia Targets AI Platforms With Strict Age Verification Rules

Australias internet regulator has warned that search engines and app stores could be required to block artificial intelligence services that fail to implement age verification systems by an upcoming compliance deadline....

AWS Data Center in UAE Hit by Fire After Objects Strike Facility Amid Regional Tensions

Amazon Web Services (AWS) confirmed that one of its data centers in the United Arab Emirates experienced a temporary power shutdown after objects struck the facility, causing sparks and a fire. The incident occurred at...