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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

Arctic Ambitions and Tariff Tremors: Trump’s Greenland Gambit Rattles Global Markets

Geopolitical Ambitions: The U.S. aims to establish a missile defense system (Golden Dome) in the Arctic, secure critical minerals and rare earths, and control Arctic shipping lanes, reflecting the increasing strategic...

WTI Crude Oil Prices Slide as Inventory Concerns and Geopolitical Risks Weigh on Market

West Texas Intermediate crude oil prices declined on Wednesday as traders focused on mounting geopolitical uncertainty and expectations of a build in U.S. crude inventories, which overshadowed supply disruptions from...

Asian Markets Slide as “Sell America” Fears Rattle Global Stocks, Bonds, and Currencies

Asian stock markets extended their losses for a third consecutive session on Wednesday as rising geopolitical tensions and renewed fears of a Sell America trade weighed heavily on investor sentiment. Markets were unsettled...

Dollar Slips Near Multi-Week Lows as Greenland Tensions and Japan Bond Turmoil Shake Markets

The U.S. dollar hovered near three-week lows against the euro and Swiss franc on Wednesday as renewed geopolitical tensions and fiscal concerns triggered a broad selloff across U.S. assets, including stocks, bonds, and the...

U.S. Stock Futures Edge Higher After Wall Street Rout, Netflix Slumps on Outlook

U.S. stock index futures rose modestly on Tuesday evening following Wall Streets sharpest losses in three months, as investors continued to digest escalating geopolitical tensions linked to President Donald Trumps renewed...

Politics

Trump Signs Executive Order to Limit Wall Street Investment in Single-Family Homes

U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday evening signed a new executive order designed to curb Wall Street investors from buying and speculating on single-family homes, a move aimed at improving housing affordability and...

Trump’s Greenland Ambition Sparks NATO Tensions, Trade War Fears, and Global Market Turmoil

U.S. President Donald Trump has reignited international controversy by declaring there is no going back on his ambition to control Greenland, a move that has unsettled NATO allies, strained U.S.-Europe relations, and...

Syria Announces Ceasefire With Kurdish Forces as U.S. Pushes Integration Deal

Syria has announced a four-day ceasefire with Kurdish-led forces in the northeast, marking one of the most significant shifts in territorial control since the fall of former president Bashar al-Assad over a year ago. The...

U.S. Plans NATO Staff Reductions, Raising Fresh Concerns Over Alliance Commitment

The United States is planning to reduce the number of personnel stationed at several key NATO command centers, a move that is already heightening concerns across Europe about Washingtons long-term commitment to the...

Trump Says U.S. and NATO Will Reach Agreement on Greenland’s Future

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that the United States and NATO will eventually come to an agreement regarding the future of Greenland, emphasizing that any deal would satisfy both Washington and the military...

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

HKEX’s Permissive IPO Rules Could Open Opportunities for Korea to Strengthen Its Position in International Listings

In 2025, the Hong Kong Stock Exchange (HKEX) became the premier venue for initial public offerings (IPOs) globally, having raised nearly US$36 billion from new listings. This notable 200% year-on-year increase is directly...

Global DRAM Chip Shortage Puts Automakers Under New Cost and Supply Pressure

Automakers worldwide are bracing for renewed cost pressures and potential production disruptions as a deepening global shortage of memory chips, particularly DRAM, intensifies due to surging demand from data centres and...

OpenAI Launches Stargate Community Plan to Offset Energy Costs and Support Local Power Infrastructure

OpenAI has officially unveiled its Stargate Community plan, a new initiative designed to ensure that the massive energy demands of its AI data centers do not drive up electricity costs for local communities. Announced on...

Elon Musk Says Tesla Cybercab and Optimus Production Will Start Slowly Before Rapid Growth

Tesla CEO Elon Musk has cautioned investors and technology enthusiasts that the early production rate of the companys highly anticipated Cybercab robotaxi and Optimus humanoid robot will be agonizingly slow before...

Micron to Buy Powerchip Fab for $1.8 Billion, Shares Surge Nearly 10%

Shares of Taiwans Powerchip Semiconductor Manufacturing Corp jumped nearly 10% on Monday following news that U.S. memory chip giant Micron Technology plans to acquire one of Powerchips fabrication facilities in Taiwan,...