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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

Australia Unveils $627M Incentive to Boost Construction Apprenticeships Ahead of Election

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has announced a A$10,000 ($6,281) cash incentive for construction apprentices to address labor shortages in the overstretched industry. The program, costing A$627 million over...

Venture Global LNG Raises $1.75 Billion in IPO Amid Adjusted Valuation

Venture Global LNG has successfully raised $1.75 billion through its U.S. IPO after pricing 70 million shares at $25 each. The offering was adjusted from an initial plan of 50 million shares priced at $40 to $46 to a...

Japanese Manufacturing PMI Drops Sharply in January, Services Sector Gains Momentum

Japans manufacturing activity contracted for the seventh consecutive month in January, according to preliminary au Jibun Bank data, as the purchasing managers index (PMI) fell to 48.8 from Decembers 49.6. The reading,...

Trump Demands Global Rate Cuts, Pressures OPEC on Oil Prices

U.S. President Donald Trump called for OPEC to lower oil prices and demanded global interest rate cuts during his address to the World Economic Forum in Davos. Trump warned that countries manufacturing products outside the...

China's Central Bank Keeps MLF Loan Rate Steady at 2.00%

Chinas central bank, the Peoples Bank of China (PBOC), conducted a medium-term lending facility (MLF) operation on Friday, offering 200 billion yuan ($27.46 billion) in one-year loans to financial institutions. The...

Politics

Trump Optimistic About Trade Deal After Talk with China's Xi

Former U.S. President Donald Trump expressed optimism about reaching a trade agreement with China after a recent phone call with Chinese President Xi Jinping. In an interview with Fox News, Trump described the conversation...

Trump Launches Crypto Overhaul with National Stockpile Plan

U.S. President Donald Trump has issued an executive order establishing a cryptocurrency working group to propose new regulations and explore a national cryptocurrency stockpile. This move underscores his promise to...

Trump Seeks Immediate Meeting with Putin to End Ukraine War

U.S. President Donald Trump expressed a strong desire to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin to negotiate an end to the Ukraine war, prioritizing saving lives over economic considerations. Speaking via video at the World...

Trump Administration Ends Diversity Programs, Reshapes Federal Workforce

The Trump administration, under its broader agenda to overhaul federal bureaucracy, has dismantled diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives across government agencies. In a speech to the World Economic Forum,...

Trump Issues Order to Solidify U.S. Dominance in AI Innovation

President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Thursday to reinforce the United States as a global leader in artificial intelligence (AI). The directive aims to advance innovation by removing regulatory barriers while...

Science

Most of us trust scientists, shows a survey of nearly 72,000 people worldwide

Public trust in scientists is vital. It can help us with personal decisions on matters like health and provide evidence-based policymaking to assist governments with crises such as the COVID pandemic or climate change. In...

Astronauts on NASA’s Artemis mission to the Moon will need better boots − here’s why

The U.S.s return to the Moon with NASAs Artemis program will not be a mere stroll in the park. Instead it will be a perilous journey to a lunar location representing one of the most extreme environments in the solar...

Why Africa’s young scientists should help check the quality of climate change research

Scientific research is essential for addressing the climate crisis. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), a United Nations body, assesses the science on climate change through its regular assessment...

White House Office of Science and Technology Policy provides in-house science advice for the president

Presidents need science advice. From climate change and pandemics to the governance of AI and the countrys nuclear arsenal, science sits at the center of a range of foreign and domestic policy challenges that reach the...

Double Moonshot: Japan’s ispace and Firefly Launch Lunar Missions

In a significant stride for lunar exploration, Japanese company ispace and U.S.-based Firefly Aerospace launched moon landers aboard a SpaceX rocket from Florida. This rare double mission highlights the growing competition...

Technology

Rivian to Revolutionize Driving with 2025 Hands-Free Tech

Electric vehicle maker Rivian (NASDAQ:RIVN) plans to roll out advanced hands-free driver assistance systems in 2025 and eyes-off technology in 2026, CEO RJ Scaringe announced. These innovations aim to provide significant...

OpenAI, SoftBank, and Oracle Unite for Exclusive AI Data Centers in the U.S.

Stargate, a groundbreaking joint venture by OpenAI, SoftBank (TYO:9984), and Oracle (NYSE:ORCL), is set to transform the artificial intelligence landscape with exclusive data centers in the U.S. These centers will solely...

Tesla Unveils Revamped Model Y with March Deliveries

Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) has introduced an updated version of its popular Model Y, starting at $59,990. The revamped Model Y long-range variant promises enhanced features and performance, with deliveries scheduled to begin in...

Elon Musk Criticizes President Trump’s $500B Stargate AI Project

Tesla CEO Elon Musk has voiced doubts over the financial feasibility of President Donald Trumps $500 billion Stargate project, unveiled Tuesday. The initiative aims to establish an advanced artificial intelligence (AI)...

Tesla to Raise Car Prices in Canada Starting February 1

Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) is set to increase prices for all its vehicles in Canada beginning February 1, as per updates on its Canadian website. The price adjustments will affect the popular Model 3, Model Y, Model S, and Model...