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Airstrikes launched on extremist group Islamic State (IS) by the global coalition led by the US have had no impact, Syrian President Bashar Assad said, despite members of the offensive making claims of winning the fight. “You can’t end terrorism with aerial strikes. Troops on the ground that know the land and can react are essential. That is why there …

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued new guidelines recommending circumcision for male infants, suggesting that the benefits of circumcision far outweigh the risks. It suggested that parents should consider the procedure for their sons, and that they should pay for it using insurance money. The CDC released its draft guidelines for circumcision on Tuesday, opening …

French lawmakers on Tuesday voted in favor of recognizing the state of Palestine, following similar moves made by Spanish and British parliaments, as European nations try and restart the stalled peace process in the Middle East. The vote in the lower house of France’s national assembly is a non-binding resolution and can’t effect French government policy, but is likely to …

An online survey conducted by financial services company Manulife suggests that over 50% of Canadians expect to retire in debt, and that nearly 20% of Canadian homeowners expect to rely on the value of their property to finance life after retirement. The poll, which had 2,373 respondents, also suggested that 10% plan to borrow against their homes, while 8% are …

A recent survey conducted by the Angus Reid Institute suggests that almost 80% of Canadians support training mental health workers to spot signs of radicalization and prevent home-grown terrorism. Additionally, four in five Canadians support deportation, and blocking internet websites related to radicalization. The survey, which polled 1,609 Canadians, also found that two-third of them favored indefinite imprisonment. “What stands …

Floods in Morocco triggered by torrential rains have left 11 people dead, a local television state reported on Monday, only a week after a storm had killed 36 people. Storms lashed the south of Morocco yet again, with resort town Agadir experiencing over 10 inches (250 millimeters) of rainfall, equivalent to a year’s worth of rain, from Friday to Sunday. …

A 7-month extension for nuclear talks between the P5+1 and Iran was announced in late November after the two sides failed to reach an agreement in Vienna. The parties now have until the end of June 2015 to reach a deal. 84 percent of American Jews polled by J-Street said they would favor a nuclear deal with Iran that would …

The new Tunisian parliament on Tuesday held its inaugural session, a landmark event in the nation’s transition to democracy after the 2011 revolution in the country that fuelled the region’s Arab Spring. After singing the national anthem, the National Constituent Assembly’s (NCA) speaker Mustapha Ben Jaafar opened the parliament of 217 members elected in October. “Tunisia has managed to secure …

The United Nations on Tuesday warned that Egypt must rein in its security forces and look into human rights abuses against protesters, calling the political tension in the country “alarming”. The UN rights office said that it was deeply concerned by “the seriously damaging lack of accountability for human rights violations committed by security forces in the context of demonstrations”. …

By Constanze Bayer – NOW. Banque du Liban’s initiative is aimed at keeping new business in Lebanon Banque du Liban Accelerate 2014, the first international start-up conference in Lebanon, took place last week. Visitors came away with the impression of a strong and developing start-up economy in Lebanon. More than 20 companies presented their ideas, most of them founded a …