Breaking News, Business, Financial and Economic News, World News from EconoTimes

Become a contributor

Bookmark Econotimes

Fri, Jan 16, 2026 02:52 PM All times are UTC

Follow Series

©Econometrics LLC . All Rights Reserved.

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...

1 2 3

Economy

Australia Treasurer Backs RBA Governor’s Support for Fed Chair Jerome Powell Amid Independence Concerns

Australias Treasurer Jim Chalmers has publicly backed Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) Governor Michele Bullock after she joined a group of global central bank leaders in expressing solidarity with U.S. Federal Reserve...

Asian Currencies Trade Narrowly as US Dollar Holds Near Six-Week High on Strong Data

Most Asian currencies traded within tight ranges on Friday, while the U.S. dollar remained firm near a six-week high, supported by strong U.S. economic data and fading expectations for imminent Federal Reserve rate cuts....

Canada–China Strategic Partnership Signals Reset With Historic Economic Potential

Canada and China are moving toward a renewed strategic partnership that could deliver historic economic gains by building on the complementary strengths of both nations, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said during...

Malaysia Economy Posts Strong Q4 2025 Growth on Domestic Demand Boost

Malaysias economy recorded a solid expansion of 5.7% year-on-year in the fourth quarter of 2025, according to official advance estimates released on Friday, marking its fastest growth pace in more than a year. The robust...

Retail Investors Crowd Into Silver as Prices Surge to Record Highs

Individual investors are buying silver at an unprecedented pace, turning the metal into one of the most crowded commodity trades in global markets, according to a new report from Vanda Research. Over the past 30 days...

Politics

U.S. and Mexico Reaffirm Security Partnership Amid Calls for Stronger Border Action

Mexican Foreign Minister Juan Ramón de la Fuente and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio held a high-level call on Thursday focused on security cooperation and the future of the U.S.-Mexico partnership, according to...

Former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol Faces Historic Court Ruling Over Failed Martial Law Attempt

Former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol is set to face his first court ruling on Friday in a landmark criminal case tied to his failed attempt to impose martial law, a political crisis that stunned the nation and drew...

Schumer Urges Trump to Halt ICE Raids, Citing Fear in U.S. Cities

U.S. Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer sharply criticized Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations during a meeting with President Donald Trump on Thursday, warning that ongoing ICE raids in major U.S. cities...

U.S.–Taiwan Trade Deal Spurs $500 Billion Semiconductor Investment in America

A new U.S. trade deal with Taiwan is set to significantly reshape the global semiconductor landscape, with massive investments aimed at strengthening chip manufacturing in the United States. According to Commerce Secretary...

Trump Pushes Gaza Demilitarization Deal With Backing From Egypt, Turkey, and Qatar

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Thursday that Egypt, Turkey, and Qatar are backing his push for a comprehensive demilitarization agreement with Hamas, as Washington moves forward with the next phase of its plan to end...

Science

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...

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...

Technology

Anthropic Appoints Former Microsoft Executive Irina Ghose to Lead India Expansion

Artificial intelligence startup Anthropic has appointed former Microsoft executive Irina Ghose as its Managing Director of India, signaling a major push into one of the worlds fastest-growing AI markets. The appointment...

TSMC Shares Hit Record High as AI Chip Demand Fuels Strong Q4 Earnings

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) shares surged to a record high in Taipei trading on Friday, underscoring strong investor confidence driven by robust fourth-quarter earnings and sustained demand from the...

Federal Judge Clears Way for Jury Trial in Elon Musk’s Fraud Lawsuit Against OpenAI and Microsoft

A federal judge in Oakland, California, has rejected renewed attempts by OpenAI and Microsoft to dismiss a high-profile lawsuit filed by Elon Musk, allowing the case to proceed to a jury trial starting April 27. The ruling...

Publishers Seek to Join Lawsuit Against Google Over Alleged AI Copyright Infringement

Major publishing companies Hachette Book Group and Cengage Group have formally asked a California federal court for permission to intervene in a proposed class action lawsuit against Google, intensifying the ongoing legal...

China’s AI Models Narrow the Gap With the West, Says Google DeepMind CEO

Chinas artificial intelligence capabilities are rapidly catching up to those of the United States and other Western nations, according to Demis Hassabis, CEO of Google DeepMind. Speaking on a CNBC podcast, Hassabis said...