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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

Citi Says Sharp TOPIX Drop Could Push USD/JPY Lower as Yen Gains Momentum

A significant correction in Japanese equities could trigger a sharp decline in the USD/JPY exchange rate, although Citi analysts believe the stock market would need to fall much further before the Japanese yen strengthens...

Iran Warns of Retaliation as Trump Threatens New Strikes, Oil Risks Intensify

Iran warned over the weekend that it would respond forcefully to any new U.S. military action, escalating tensions in the Middle East as President Donald Trump reiterated threats of additional strikes on Iranian targets....

South Korea Exports Surge 62.8% in July on AI Chip Demand

South Koreas exports posted stronger-than-expected growth in July, fueled by robust global demand for semiconductors and AI-related technology, reinforcing the countrys position as a major beneficiary of the artificial...

U.S. Treasury Joins Japan in Yen Intervention as Currency Nears 40-Year Lows

The U.S. Treasury reportedly stepped into currency markets on Friday by buying Japanese yen, joining Japans efforts to stabilize the currency after it weakened to levels close to a four-decade low. According to a Financial...

Gold Ends July Higher as Weaker Dollar Offsets Fed Inflation Concerns

Gold prices posted modest monthly gains in July, supported by a weaker U.S. dollar and the Federal Reserves decision to keep interest rates unchanged. However, renewed inflation concerns fueled by rising oil prices limited...

Politics

US Embassies Urge Americans to Leave Middle East as Iran Tensions Escalate

The United States has issued emergency security alerts across several Middle Eastern diplomatic missions, urging American citizens to consider leaving the region as tensions with Iran continue to rise. U.S. embassies in...

DOJ Subpoenas New York Times Freelancer Over North Korea Military Report

The U.S. Department of Justice has subpoenaed records belonging to freelance journalist Matthew Cole as part of an investigation into the sources behind a 2025 New York Times report detailing a failed U.S. military...

Capital One Says AML Review Led to Closure of Trump Organization Accounts

Capital One Financial has defended its decision to close hundreds of bank accounts linked to the Trump Organization, arguing in a court filing that the move followed an extensive anti-money laundering (AML) review rather...

Trump Weighs Iran Strikes as U.S. Embassies Issue Emergency Security Alerts

The United States has issued emergency security alerts across the Middle East as tensions with Iran continue to escalate, prompting officials to warn Americans to consider leaving the region and prepare for possible flight...

Spain Installs Floating Barrier as Ceuta Migrant Crossings Halt After Deadly Surge

Spain said migrant crossings into its North African enclave of Ceuta came to a halt overnight as authorities began installing a 500-metre floating barrier along the border with Morocco following a deadly mass migration...

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

AI Data Center Boom Faces New Risks as Public Backlash and Policy Scrutiny Grow

Public opposition to large-scale data center construction is rising sharply, creating new challenges for the artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure boom, according to Wolfe Research. The firm identified growing voter...

T-Mobile Executives Reportedly Oppose $300 Billion Deutsche Telekom Merger

Senior executives at T-Mobile US have reportedly told parent company Deutsche Telekom that they do not support a proposed $300 billion merger between the two companies, citing shareholder resistance and potential...

Roblox Stock Drops 16% as Q3 Bookings Forecast Misses Expectations

Roblox Corp. (NYSE: RBLX) shares plunged about 16% in premarket trading after the gaming platform reported mixed second-quarter 2026 results and issued weaker-than-expected third-quarter bookings guidance, raising concerns...

Apple Stock Slides 7% as Weak Sales Forecast Overshadows Quarterly Earnings Beat

Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) shares fell more than 7% in premarket trading after the tech giant issued weaker-than-expected guidance for the September quarter, overshadowing better-than-anticipated quarterly earnings and revenue....

Sony Raises Full-Year Outlook After Q1 Profit Jumps 40% on Gaming and Chip Growth

Sony Group (TYO: 6758) delivered a strong start to its fiscal 2026, reporting a 40% year-over-year increase in first-quarter operating profit and raising its full-year earnings outlook, fueled by robust performance in its...