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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.

Libya floods: the drowning of Derna was a man-made disaster decades in the making

Sep 20, 2023 23:47 pm UTC| Insights & Views Life

In the early hours of September 11, residents of Derna in north-east Libya woke to the sound of loud explosions. After more than a decade of conflict initially between the Gaddafi regime and local factions, then among...

Ukraine war: EU parliament names Russia a 'state sponsor of terrorism' – but it won't stop the missiles

Nov 25, 2022 14:39 pm UTC| Politics

The EU parliament has declared Russia to be a state sponsor of terrorism. The largely symbolic resolution, which passed by a 494-58 vote on November 23, has no particular real-world consequences, but reflects MEPs...

Global Geopolitics Series

Russia and Iran's growing friendship shows their weakness not their strength

Jul 23, 2022 16:14 pm UTC| Politics

Facing economic and military difficulties in his invasion of Ukraine, the Russian president Vladimir Putin popped up this week in Irans capital Tehran. His plan was to show the world that, despite sanctions on Moscow and...

Saudi Arabia's crown prince, backed by the king, moves for absolute power

Mar 16, 2020 06:00 am UTC| Politics

The news seeped out of Saudi Arabia into international outlets late on March 6. King Salmans brother, Prince Ahmad bin Abdul Aziz, had been detained along with the kings nephew Prince Mohammad bin Nayef, former crown...

Is a war coming between the US and Iran?

May 16, 2019 03:34 am UTC| Insights & Views

You cant say the world wasnt warned. In February, US National Security Adviser John Bolton a leading proponent of the disastrous 2003 Iraq War sent a video message to Irans supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, 40...

Pakistan forges closer ties with Saudi Arabia – and Iran isn't happy

Mar 09, 2019 06:02 am UTC| Insights & Views

New relationships are being forged within Pakistan and between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia. These relationships and their importance were captured in a single, compelling moment during Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin...

US mid-term results: seven key issues and what they mean for the country's uncertain future

Nov 08, 2018 17:21 pm UTC| Insights & Views Politics

America has voted, the results are in, but the countrys future remains uncertain for now. Tuesdays Congressional mid-term elections were billed rightly as among the most important in US history. Decades of widening...

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Economy

India’s Investment Upgrade: A Historic Milestone for the "High-Quality EM" Narrative

SP Global has raised Indias sovereign credit rating to BBB from BBB-, with a Stable outlook, indicating the agencys first upward change for the country in 18 years. This major step increases Indias long-term rating one...

Asian Markets Rally as Oil Prices Tumble and Middle East Peace Hopes Emerge

Asian stock markets posted strong gains on Wednesday, driven by a sharp decline in oil prices and growing optimism over a potential diplomatic resolution in the Middle East. The broad-based rally swept across the region,...

Australia's Inflation Eases in February but Core Pressures Persist

Australias consumer inflation dipped slightly in February, though stubborn underlying price pressures are keeping the Reserve Bank of Australia cautious about cutting interest rates anytime soon. According to the latest...

Oil Prices Plunge Over 6% as Middle East Ceasefire Hopes Ease Supply Fears

Global oil prices dropped sharply on Wednesday during Asian trading hours, with Brent crude falling below the $100 per barrel mark for the first time in recent sessions. The steep selloff came after emerging signs of a...

Currency Markets Show Caution Amid U.S.-Iran Negotiations

Global currency markets displayed muted movement during early Asian trading on Wednesday, as investors remained cautious following conflicting signals surrounding U.S.-Iran peace negotiations. President Donald Trump...

Politics

Trump's Overhaul of American History: Museums, Monuments, and Cultural Institutions

Since returning to the White House, President Donald Trump has launched a sweeping campaign to reshape how American history is presented across cultural institutions, national parks, and public monuments. Framing his...

Pakistan's Diplomatic Rise: Mediating U.S.-Iran Peace Talks

Pakistan is emerging as a key global mediator in efforts to end the ongoing U.S.-Iran conflict, leveraging its unique position as a trusted contact for both Washington and Tehran. This diplomatic role could elevate...

US Accelerates Taiwan Arms Deliveries Amid Rising China Threat

Taiwans Defense Minister Wellington Koo confirmed Wednesday that the United States has expressed a strong sense of urgency in bolstering Taiwans military capabilities, with active efforts underway to resolve long-standing...

Trump Administration Settles Lawsuit Barring Federal Agencies from Pressuring Social Media Censorship

The Trump administration has reached a landmark settlement that prohibits three major federal agencies from coercing social media platforms into removing or suppressing constitutionally protected speech. The agreement,...

Cuba Receives Humanitarian Aid Convoy Amid U.S. Sanctions

Cuba welcomed a long-awaited shipment of international humanitarian aid on Tuesday, as activists from the global Nuestra America Convoy successfully delivered essential supplies to the island nation despite ongoing U.S....

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

SK Hynix Eyes Up to $14 Billion U.S. IPO to Fund AI Chip Expansion

South Korean memory chip giant SK Hynix has submitted a confidential filing for a U.S. stock market listing in 2026, with sources indicating the move could raise as much as $14 billion. The company intends to offer...

Meta Ties Executive Pay to Aggressive Stock Price Targets in Major Retention Push

Meta Platforms made a significant move this week by granting restricted stock units and stock options to several of its most senior leaders, including Chief Financial Officer Susan Li and Chief Technology Officer Andrew...

SpaceX IPO Filing Expected This Week as Valuation Could Surpass $75 Billion

Elon Musks SpaceX is reportedly moving closer to going public, with plans to submit its initial public offering prospectus to regulators as early as this week or next, according to a report by The Information citing a...

OpenAI Pulls the Plug on Sora, Ending $1 Billion Disney Partnership

OpenAI has officially shut down Sora, its AI-powered video generation tool, in a move that blindsided partners and staff alike and effectively ended a landmark deal with Walt Disney Co. The decision marks a major...

Golden Dome Missile Defense: Anduril and Palantir Join Forces on Trump's $185B Space Shield

Tech-forward defense companies Anduril Industries and Palantir Technologies are reportedly joining forces to develop critical software for the United States most ambitious missile defense initiative to date the Golden...