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Ian Shields

Associate Lecturer in International Relations, Anglia Ruskin University

In the RAF Ian was a navigator, initially on the Vulcan bomber but later on the Hercules transport aircraft. He commanded a front-line squadron and saw service in the Falklands, Iraq and Afghanistan among other places. He entered an academic stream towards the end of his career, gaining two master’s degrees, and ended his career in an MoD think-tank looking forward 40 years to gauge security threats broadly, and the roles of air and space power in particular.

Since leaving the RAF he has lectured at a number of UK Universities in the fields of International Relations and Security, and presently is the coordinator for the MA in International Relations at Anglia Ruskin University, where he also lectures in Criminology and Working in the Public Services. He maintains his MoD links, and has written for both MoD and wider, defence publications.

Ian’s prime research area is the relationship between the Government and the Media over the use of military force, but he is also researching the International Order and challenges it is facing, as well as broader issues within the International Relations and Security fields.

Having helped establish the MA in International Relations at ARU, Ian continues to deliver modules on Conflict and Communication and on War, Peacekeeping and Military Intervention, as well as continuing to help develop the degree. He also delivers modules on Leadership and on Terror as a Crime.

Global Geopolitics Series

Trump NATO strategy awaited with increasingly frayed nerves in eastern Europe

Jan 18, 2017 16:14 pm UTC| Insights & Views

While America celebrates the inauguration of its 45th president, there is widespread concern about his potential approach towards NATO, his relations with Russia and whether Russian president Vladimir Putin will try to...

Global Geopolitics Series

Special forces should be at the heart of Britain's military planning

Oct 21, 2016 09:52 am UTC| Insights & Views

What sort of military does the UK need to deal with a rapidly changing set of potential threats? Conventional military thinking still holds that the UK needs to retain what the Americans would describe as full-spectrum...

Global Geopolitics Series

Cool heads needed as investigation into downing of MH17 points blame at Russia

Sep 29, 2016 14:42 pm UTC| Insights & Views

The findings from the Dutch-led investigation into the downing of Malaysian Airways flight MH17 over eastern Ukraine in 2014 offer a compelling case that the missile used was fired from territory controlled by pro-Russian...

Briferendum Aftermath Series

Brexit is not the beginning of a global security crisis

Jul 03, 2016 02:48 am UTC| Insights & Views

Now its people have decided to back out of the EU, Britains future place in the world order is more unclear than it has been for decades but that still doesnt mean that the world is less safe because of the British...

Economy

India's 2025 Trade Push: Major FTAs & Global Partnerships Secured

Indias 2025 trade drive: Large FTAs international cooperation negotiated Signing many high-impact free trade and comprehensive economic cooperation pacts in 2025, India sped its trade diplomacy and showed a strategic...

Asian Currencies Slip as Dollar Rebounds Ahead of Fed Rate Decision

Most Asian currencies edged lower on Wednesday as the U.S. dollar rebounded from a near four-year low, with global markets focused on the Federal Reserves highly anticipated interest rate decision. Despite the mild...

China to Boost Brazilian Soybean Imports in Early 2026 Amid Price Advantage

China is set to significantly increase imports of Brazilian soybeans in the first half of 2026 as record harvests and competitive pricing in South America outweigh renewed purchases from the United States. Trade sources...

RBA Expected to Raise Interest Rates by 25 Basis Points in February, ANZ Forecast Says

The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) is now expected to raise interest rates by 25 basis points at its February 3 policy meeting, according to a new forecast from ANZ, marking a shift in expectations after a brief easing...

Indonesian Stocks Slide After MSCI Flags Investability Risks and Downgrade Threat

Indonesian stocks suffered a sharp sell-off on Wednesday, plunging around 7%, after global index provider MSCI Inc. raised serious concerns about the investability of Indonesias equity market and warned of a possible...

Politics

U.S. and Taiwan Strengthen AI, Semiconductor, and Drone Cooperation at High-Level Economic Talks

Senior officials from Taiwan and the United States have reinforced bilateral cooperation in artificial intelligence, advanced technology, and drone development during the sixth round of the U.S.-Taiwan Economic Prosperity...

ICE Blocked From Entering Ecuador Consulate in Minneapolis During Immigration Operation

A U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent attempted to enter Ecuadors consulate in Minneapolis earlier this week but was stopped by consulate staff, prompting a diplomatic protest from Ecuadors government and...

Sam Altman Criticizes ICE Enforcement as Corporate Leaders Call for De-Escalation

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has voiced strong concerns over U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) actions, telling employees that the agency is going too far amid an aggressive immigration crackdown in Minneapolis. His...

Trump Claims Breakthrough in Syria Talks After Call With President al-Sharaa

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that he and Secretary of State Marco Rubio had resolved what he described as a tremendous problem related to Syria, signaling potential progress in long-running diplomatic...

Kim Jong Un Signals Expanded Nuclear Plans Ahead of Workers’ Party Congress

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has indicated that the upcoming congress of the ruling Workers Party will outline new, next-stage plans aimed at further strengthening the countrys nuclear war deterrent, according to a...

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

Meta Faces Lawsuit Over Alleged Approval of AI Chatbots Allowing Sexual Interactions With Minors

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg is facing renewed scrutiny after internal company documents revealed he approved policies that allowed minors to access AI chatbot companions, despite warnings from Metas own safety teams. The...

China Approves First Import Batch of Nvidia H200 AI Chips Amid Strategic Shift

China has approved its first batch of Nvidias H200 artificial intelligence chips for import, signaling a notable adjustment in the countrys approach to balancing advanced AI development with support for domestic technology...

C3.ai in Merger Talks With Automation Anywhere as AI Software Industry Sees Consolidation

Enterprise artificial intelligence software provider C3.ai is reportedly in merger discussions with privately held automation startup Automation Anywhere, according to a recent report by The Information, which cited people...

Anthropic Raises 2026 Revenue Outlook by 20% but Delays Path to Profitability

Artificial intelligence startup Anthropic has significantly increased its long-term revenue projections, highlighting strong demand for advanced AI technologies, while also acknowledging that profitability will take longer...

SoftBank Shares Surge as It Eyes Up to $30 Billion New Investment in OpenAI

SoftBank Group Corp (TYO:9984) shares jumped sharply in early Tokyo trading after reports emerged that the Japanese conglomerate is in discussions to invest as much as $30 billion more in OpenAI, the company behind...