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Scott Lucas

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.

US under Trump Series

Three big problems with Trump's new NAFTA plan

Jul 25, 2017 14:24 pm UTC| Insights & Views

The Trump administration has outlined its plans to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). It says the US will seek a much better agreement that reduces the trade deficit between the US and its...

Global Geopolitics Series

Theresa May meets Donald Trump: talking up a special relationship to hide problems beneath

Jan 28, 2017 05:07 am UTC| Insights & Views

British Prime minister Theresa May faces economic shock if London departs the European Unions single market after Brexit. She needs the salvation even if its distant and illusory of a US-UK trade deal. She also needs to...

Global Geopolitics Series

Syria is on the brink of partition – here's how it got there

Jan 12, 2017 00:09 am UTC| Insights & Views

After nearly six years of uprising, conflict and chaos, the partition of Syria is imminent. President Bashar al-Assad will of course rail against it; his crucial ally Iran will probably resist too, and the marginalised US...

Global Geopolitics Series

Obama's legacy will be forever tarnished by his inaction in Syria

Nov 26, 2016 16:00 pm UTC| Insights & Views Politics

As his administration winds down, Barack Obama has plenty to be proud of. He can point to international breakthroughs that seemed unthinkable when he took office, from the nuclear agreement with Iran to the reopening of...

Islamic State strikes in Assad territory expose his and Russia's weaknesses

May 24, 2016 14:12 pm UTC| Insights & Views

Months after Russia spectacularly entered the Syrian conflict, Islamic State (IS) is still thumbing its nose at both Moscow and the Assad regime in murderous fashion. On May 23, the group detonated between seven and nine...

Russian Syria withdrawal: Vladimir Putin is the consummate political gambler

Mar 15, 2016 11:49 am UTC| Insights & Views

Russian president, Vladimir Putin, is not an easy politician to read. He is willing to say one thing while his diplomats and military do another as the long-running conflict in Ukraine has demonstrated. His statements are...

Explainer: what's at stake in Iran's parliamentary elections

Feb 26, 2016 04:50 am UTC| Insights & Views Politics

Iranians will vote on February 26 to elect both the 290-seat parliament and the 88 clerics of the Assembly of Experts, the body that chooses the supreme leader. This is the most important political moment for the Islamic...

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Economy

S&P Affirms Brazil’s BB Credit Rating with Stable Outlook Amid Fiscal Challenges

SP Global Ratings has reaffirmed Brazils BB/B long- and short-term foreign and local currency sovereign credit ratings, maintaining a stable outlook. The agency also kept the countrys transfer and convertibility assessment...

Gold Prices Rise Above $4,000 as Inflation Data and Weaker Dollar Boost Demand

Gold prices recovered on Thursday after falling to their lowest levels since November 2025, supported by a weaker U.S. dollar following the release of the latest U.S. inflation data. While easing concerns over aggressive...

Wall Street Ends Mixed as Micron Surges, Apple Drops After Price Hikes

Wall Street closed mixed on Thursday after a volatile trading session driven by contrasting performances from major technology companies. Investors reacted positively to Micron Technologys strong earnings and AI-driven...

Iran Attack in Strait of Hormuz Pushes Oil Prices Higher

Global oil prices climbed on Thursday after Irans Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) reportedly attacked a Singapore-flagged cargo vessel in the Strait of Hormuz, reigniting concerns over Middle East tensions and...

Oil Prices Rebound as Strait of Hormuz Tensions Return After Ship Attack Near Oman

Global oil prices recovered on Thursday after falling to levels seen before the Iran conflict, as renewed security concerns in the Strait of Hormuz revived market uncertainty. Reports of an attack on a commercial vessel...

Politics

US Approves $250 Million Fighter Jet Training Sale to Australia

The United States has approved a potential $250 million military sale to Australia, reinforcing the long-standing defense partnership between the two allies. The U.S. State Department announced on Thursday that it had...

Johns Hopkins University Lays Off 110 Employees as Federal Research Funding Declines

Johns Hopkins University has announced the layoff of 110 employees following significant reductions in federal research funding, highlighting the growing financial challenges facing one of the United States leading...

Republican Lawmaker Introduces AI Incident Reporting Bill to Strengthen U.S. AI Safety

The United States could soon see new artificial intelligence regulations after Republican Representative Nathaniel Moran of Texas introduced the proposed AI Incident Reporting Act, a bill designed to improve transparency...

Iran Strait of Hormuz Tensions Rise After Ship Attack Delays IMO Escort Mission

A reported attack on a cargo ship near the Strait of Hormuz has prompted the United Nations International Maritime Organization (IMO) to temporarily suspend its ship escort mission, raising fresh concerns over the fragile...

US Supreme Court Strikes Down Hawaii Gun Carry Law on Private Property

The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that a Hawaii law restricting licensed handgun owners from carrying firearms on private property open to the public without the owners explicit permission violates the Second Amendment. The...

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

OpenAI May Delay IPO to 2027 Amid $1 Trillion Valuation Goal

OpenAI is reportedly considering postponing its highly anticipated initial public offering (IPO) until 2027 as it pursues an ambitious $1 trillion valuation. According to a report by The New York Times, company executives...

Kioxia Targets U.S. Listing as AI Chip Boom Accelerates

Japan-based Kioxia Holdings Corp. (TYO:285A) is preparing to launch U.S. depositary shares in the spring of 2027, a strategic move aimed at expanding its global investor base and taking advantage of growing enthusiasm for...

Doncasters Raises $919 Million in NYSE IPO as Aerospace Growth Accelerates

Doncasters has successfully raised $919.3 million through its U.S. initial public offering (IPO), marking a significant milestone in the aerospace components manufacturers long-term transformation. The historic British...

SK Hynix Targets $29.4 Billion Nasdaq Listing to Expand AI Chip Business

SK Hynix has announced plans to raise as much as $29.4 billion through a Nasdaq listing in the United States, positioning the deal as one of the largest global stock offerings in history. The South Korean memory chip...

Alibaba Shares Fall After Anthropic Alleges Massive AI Model Distillation Campaign

Alibaba Groups Hong Kong-listed shares dropped sharply on Thursday after reports revealed that U.S.-based artificial intelligence company Anthropic accused the Chinese tech giant of conducting a large-scale campaign to...