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Sara Harmouch

PhD Candidate, School of Public Affairs, American University
Sara Harmouch, a Lebanese national and doctoral candidate at American University’s School of Public Affairs, specializes in counterterrorism and violent extremism. She has firsthand experience with the impacts of terrorism and militancy through her upbringing and extensive fieldwork conducted across the Middle East and North Africa region. Harmouch consults for the U.S. government and the private sector and has recently briefed NATO on religious militant groups. Her research focuses on asymmetric warfare, militant groups, political violence, and threats to democracies. Her work has been featured in War on The Rocks, The Long War Journal, Lawfare, Voice of America, Orion Policy Institute, Irregular Warfare Initiative, Globe Post, and American Intelligence Journal, among others. Follow her on Twitter: @sara_harmouch

Abu Mohammed al-Golani may become the face of post-Assad Syria – but who is he and why does he have $10M US bounty on his head?

Dec 10, 2024 05:00 am UTC| Insights & Views Politics

The fall of President Bashar al-Assad has left a critical question: After a half-century of brutal dynastic rule has come to an end, who speaks for Syrians now? One group staking a major claim for that role is Hayat...

What is Hayat Tahrir al-Sham? And how did the Islamist group evolve into a key player in Syria’s civil war?

Dec 03, 2024 15:36 pm UTC| Insights & Views

A major offensive has seen rebel groups in Syria retake the countrys second city, Aleppo and demonstrated the growing prominence of the Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham in the 13-year-long civil war. The surprise...

How Moscow terror attack fits ISIS-K strategy to widen agenda, take fight to its perceived enemies

Mar 25, 2024 05:04 am UTC| Insights & Views Life

Russia is reeling from the worst terror strike on its soil in a generation following an attack on March 22, 2024, that killed at least 137 concertgoers in Moscow. The attack has been claimed by the Islamic State group....

Global Geopolitics Series

US raids in Iraq and Syria: How retaliatory airstrikes affect network of Iran-backed militias

Feb 05, 2024 07:18 am UTC| Insights & Views

U.S. bombers struck dozens of sites across Iraq and Syria on Feb. 2, 2024, to avenge a drone attack that killed three American service members just days earlier. The retaliatory strikes were the first following a deadly...

Economy

US Moves to Secure Gulf Shipping Amid Rising Tensions with Iran

The United States has announced plans to assist vessels stranded in the Strait of Hormuz following escalating tensions linked to the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran. President Donald Trump stated that efforts would begin...

Middle East Conflict Impacts Australia and New Zealand Businesses

Companies across Australia and New Zealand are increasingly feeling the economic pressure caused by the ongoing Middle East conflict, particularly the U.S.-Israeli war involving Iran. Rising fuel prices, supply chain...

Global Markets Rise as Oil Prices Stabilize Amid Middle East Tensions

Asian stock markets showed modest gains on Monday as investors reacted cautiously to ongoing developments in the Middle East conflict, while oil prices remained relatively stable. Market sentiment improved slightly due to...

Dollar Holds Firm as Asian Currencies Stabilize Amid Middle East Tensions and Rate Uncertainty

The U.S. dollar remained steady in Asian trading on Monday, while most Asian currencies moved within a narrow range as investors weighed geopolitical risks and uncertainty surrounding U.S. interest rates. Trading activity...

Gold Prices Hold Steady Amid Iran Tensions and Interest Rate Uncertainty

Gold prices remained relatively stable during Asian trading on Monday, as ongoing geopolitical tensions in the Middle East and uncertainty surrounding global interest rates continued to influence market sentiment. Despite...

Politics

Oil Prices Hold Above $100 Amid Strait of Hormuz Tensions and U.S.-Iran Uncertainty

Oil prices remained elevated above the $100 mark on Monday despite a slight pullback, as ongoing geopolitical tensions and supply disruptions continued to influence the global energy market. Brent crude futures dipped...

Australia Launches Public Hearings on Bondi Beach Shooting and Rising Antisemitism

Australia has officially opened public hearings into the Bondi Beach mass shooting that occurred in December, marking a significant step in a broader national inquiry into antisemitism and social cohesion. The tragic...

Ukraine Drone Strikes Hit Russian Oil Port Primorsk and Naval Targets

Ukraine has intensified its long-range drone campaign against Russia, targeting key energy infrastructure and military assets in a large-scale overnight assault. Ukrainian forces reportedly struck the Baltic Sea port of...

Taiwan President Lai Ching-te Visits Eswatini Amid Rising China Pressure

Taiwan President Lai Ching-te has arrived in Eswatini, marking a significant diplomatic move after his earlier trip was delayed due to restricted airspace access reportedly influenced by China. The visit underscores...

Japan Signals Potential Shift on Arms Exports, Opening Door to Ukraine Support

Japans recent decision to relax its long-standing weapons export restrictions has created a potential pathway for future defense cooperation with Ukraine, according to Kyivs ambassador to Tokyo. While no immediate arms...

Science

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...

NASA Artemis II: First Crewed Moon Mission Since Apollo Takes Four Astronauts on 10-Day Lunar Journey

NASAs Artemis II mission launched Wednesday, marking humanitys return to crewed lunar exploration for the first time since the Apollo era. Carrying four astronauts aboard the Orion spacecraft, this historic 10-day mission...

NASA's Artemis II Mission: First Crewed Lunar Journey Since Apollo

NASA's Artemis II Crew Arrives in Florida for Historic Moon Mission

The four astronauts chosen for NASAs Artemis II mission have touched down at Kennedy Space Center in Florida, marking the beginning of final launch preparations for the first crewed lunar journey in over 50 years. NASA...

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...

Technology

Anthropic Secures $1.5B AI Venture Backed by Wall Street Giants, Shaking Software Sector

Anthropic has reportedly secured $1.5 billion in funding for a new artificial intelligence joint venture backed by major Wall Street firms, signaling a significant shift in the AI and enterprise software landscape....

Meta Plans $13B AI Data Center Financing in Texas Amid Surging Big Tech Investment

Meta Platforms is reportedly partnering with Morgan Stanley and JPMorgan Chase to secure a massive $13 billion financing package for its planned data center in El Paso, Texas. According to sources cited by Reuters, the...

Anthropic’s $1.5B AI Venture with Wall Street Firms Targets Private Equity Market

Anthropic is reportedly nearing completion of a major $1.5 billion joint venture with leading financial institutions, including Blackstone and Goldman Sachs, aimed at expanding the use of artificial intelligence tools...

Samsung Appoints New TV Business Head Amid Rising Competition from Chinese Rivals

Samsung Electronics, the worlds leading TV manufacturer, has made a significant leadership change in its television division for the first time in over two years. The company announced that Lee Won-jin, formerly head of...

U.S. Cybersecurity Pushes Faster Patch Deadlines Amid Rising AI-Driven Threats

U.S. cybersecurity officials are exploring significantly shorter deadlines for fixing critical vulnerabilities in government IT systems, driven by growing concerns that hackers are leveraging advanced artificial...