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Omar Ismail Mostefai: First Paris Attacker Identified

Roy Siemens
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Omar Ismail Mostefai: First Paris Attacker Identified

French citizen Omar Ismail Mostefai has been identified as one of the attackers who killed 129 people in Paris on November 13.

Omar Ismail Mostefai, 29, was named by local media and a French parliamentarian.

He had a criminal record and was known to have been radicalized.

Investigators identified Omar Ismail Mostefai after his severed fingertip was found at the Bataclan concert hall, where three attackers blew themselves up, AFP news agency reports.

Friday’s attacks, claimed by ISIS militants, hit a concert hall, a major stadium, restaurants and bars in the French capital.

Prosecutors say seven assailants – armed with Kalashnikovs and suicide belts – were organized into three teams, and there are fears that some may have fled the scene.

PM Manuel Valls has said France will continue with air strikes against ISIS in Syria, and described the group as a very well-organized enemy.

Photo AFP
Photo AFP

Police are trying to find out whether Omar Ismail Mostefai traveled to Syria in 2014, judicial sources told AFP.

His father and brother have been taken into police custody.

“It’s crazy, insane. I was in Paris myself last night, I saw what a mess it was,” Omar Ismail Mostefai’s older brother told AFP before being detained after voluntarily attending a police station on November 14.

Omar Ismail Mostefai came from the town of Courcouronnes, 15 miles south of Paris. He lived in the nearby town of Chartres until 2012, according to local lawmaker and deputy mayor Jean-Pierre Gorges.

He regularly attended the mosque in Luce, close to Chartres, AFP reported.

Omar Ismail Mostefai had a history of petty crime but was never jailed. The security services deemed him to have been radicalized in 2010 but he was never implicated in a counter-terrorism investigation.

His brother said he had not had contact with him for several years following family disputes, but said he was surprised to hear he had been radicalized.

He was one of six children in the family and had traveled to Algeria with his family and young daughter, the brother said.

The investigation is also focusing on a possible link to Belgium after police there arrested three men near the French border.

A black Volkswagen Polo with Belgian registration found at the Bataclan had been rented by a Frenchman living in Belgium, the Paris chief prosecutor said.

The French national was identified while driving another vehicle in a spot check by police on Saturday morning as he crossed into Belgium with two passengers.

Speaking in Paris, chief prosecutor Francois Molins told reporters: “We can say at this stage of the investigation there were probably three co-ordinated teams of terrorists behind this barbaric act.

“We have to find out where they came from… and how they were financed.”

Francois Molins said the police were also investigating a black Seat used by gunmen at two of the attacks, which remains untraced.

A Syrian passport, found near the body of one of the attackers at the Stade de France, had been used to travel through the Greek island of Leros last month, Greek officials have confirmed.

French President Francois Hollande has imposed a state of emergency after the worst peacetime attack in France since World War Two. It is also the deadliest in Europe since the 2004 Madrid bombings.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=79jYdA2wEUY

Democratic Debate: Clashes over ISIS and National Security after Paris Attacks

Diane A. Wade
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Democratic Debate: Clashes over ISIS and National Security after Paris Attacks

ISIS and national security have dominated last night’s presidential debate with Democratic candidates in Iowa.

The Democratic presidential hopefuls have clashed over how to deal with the militant group, in the wake of deadly terror attacks in Paris.

Hillary Clinton said “it cannot be an American fight” and called on Turkey and the Gulf states to do more.

However, rival Martin O’Malley disagreed and said the US had to “stand up to evil” and lead from the front.

The attacks killed 129 people and injured hundreds in the French capital.

Hours after the near-simultaneous attacks on November 13, CBS News vowed to shift the focus of the debate to put more emphasis on counter-terrorism and foreign policy.

A moment’s silence was observed in Des Moines before the debate began, and the three candidates expressed their condolences to the French people.

Then they clashed over the rise of ISIS, which has claimed responsibility for the atrocities.

Photo CBS
Photo CBS

Former secretary of state Hillary Clinton was challenged by Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders for backing the Iraq War, which he says led to the rise of the militants.

She disagreed, saying US foreign policy did not have the “bulk of responsibility” for the instability in the region, pointing instead to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and Iraq’s former leader, Nouri al-Malaki.

ISIS cannot be contained, it must be defeated, Hillary Clinton said, but she and the other candidates did not spell out how far they would go.

The US has been part of a coalition of countries taking part in air strikes against ISIS in Syria and Iraq, but some of the Republican presidential candidates have called for the deployment of US ground forces.

In other debate highlights, Martin O’Malley attacked “immigrant bashing” Republican Donald Trump’s plan to build a wall on Mexico border. Bernie Sanders and Martin O’Malley repeated calls on US to accept 65,000 Syrian refugees. Hillary Clinton backed a minimum wage of $12/hour, but Bernie Sanders wants $15/hour. Bernie Sanders criticized Hillary Clinton for taking campaign donations from Wall Street to which she replied that she supported New York City’s financial sector to help it recover from the 9/11 attacks. Bernie Sanders said he will make public college tuition free, paid for by raising taxes.

This primetime showdown was the party’s second debate of the election campaign, two fewer than the Republicans, who have a much wider field.

In 79 days, Iowa will be the first state to pick a presidential candidate from each party.

Voters across the US will go to the polls finally in November 2016 to choose the new occupant of the White House.

Oscar Pistorius Begins Serving Community Service

Clyde K. Valle
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Oscar Pistorius Begins Serving Community Service

Oscar Pistorius has begun serving community service, a month after he was released from jail.

The South African Paralympian athlete was granted parole after serving one year of his five-year sentence for killing his 29-year-old girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp in 2013.

Oscar Pistorius, 28, must perform community service under the terms of his release.

In his first public appearance since then, the athlete reported to a police station in Pretoria on November 15 wearing sunglasses and carrying a backpack.Oscar Pistorius community service

He is serving the rest of his sentence under house arrest at his uncle’s home in Pretoria.

Oscar Pistorius was found guilty of culpable homicide, or manslaughter, over the death of Reeva Steenkamp.

He told his trial last year that he had shot her through a bathroom door because he had mistaken her for an intruder.

The prosecution is appealing against the verdict, saying Oscar Pistorius should have been convicted of murder.

Oscar Pistorius house arrest conditions:

  • No access to firearms
  • No taking of drugs or alcohol, and can be randomly tested by officials
  • He must continue with psychotherapy sessions
  • No going out at night
  • He can work and will not be electronically tagged
  • His lawyers say track and field training is part of work, but this is still unclear

Paris Attacks: Three Teams of Attackers Involved, Says Prosecutor

Roy Siemens
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Paris Attacks: Three Teams of Attackers Involved, Says Prosecutor

According to French chief prosecutor Francois Molins, three teams of attackers were involved in the Paris attack in which 129 people were killed and more than 350 wounded.

“We have to find out where they came from… and how they were financed,” he told reporters.

Francois Molins said seven attackers had been killed, and that all had been heavily armed and wearing explosive belts.

Last night’s attacks, claimed by ISIS, hit a concert hall, a major stadium, restaurants and bars.

Francois Molins also said the arrests of three men in Belgium on November 14 were linked to the attacks.

Belgian PM Charles Michel said investigators were trying to establish whether one of the suspects picked up near Brussels may have been in Paris on Friday evening.

Speaking in Paris on November 14, Francois Molins told reporters: “We can say at this stage of the investigation there were probably three co-ordinated teams of terrorists behind this barbaric act.”

He also confirmed that one of the dead attackers had been identified as a 30-year-old Frenchman who had a criminal record but had never spent time in jail.

The man came from the town of Courcouronnes, 15 miles west of Paris. He had been identified by the security services as having been radicalized but had never been implicated in a counter-terrorism investigation.

Francois Molins said all seven militants had used Kalashnikov assault rifles and the same type of explosive vests.

He also gave details about the state of the investigation, which he said was at a very early stage.

The prosecutor said police were focusing on two vehicles. One was a black Seat used by gunmen at two of the attacks and still untraced.Paris attacks prosecutor

The other is a black Volkswagen Polo with Belgian registration plates found at the concert venue that was targeted.

He said this had been rented to a Frenchman living in Belgium who was identified in a spot check by police on Friday morning as he drove across the Belgian border with two others.

A Syrian passport was found next to the body of one of three suicide bombers who struck near the Stade de France stadium during Friday’s game, Francois Molins said.

A Greek minister says the passport belonged to a Syrian refugee who passed through the island of Leros. An Egyptian passport has also been linked to the attacks.

President Francois Hollande imposed a state of emergency after the worst peacetime attack in France since World War Two. It is also the deadliest in Europe since the 2004 Madrid bombings.

The violence began soon after 21:00 local time as people were enjoying a Friday night out in Paris.

A gunman opened fire on Le Carillon bar in the rue Alibert, near the Place de la Republique, before heading across the road to Le Petit Cambodge (Little Cambodia), killing 15 people.

A few streets away, diners sitting on the terrace of La Casa Nostra pizzeria in rue de la Fontaine au Roi, were also fired on, with the loss of five lives.

Frnacois Molins said 19 people were killed at the Belle Equipe bar, while the toll from the attack on the Bataclan concert hall stood at 89.

At around the same time, on the northern outskirts of Paris, 80,000 people who had gathered to watch France play Germany at the Stade de France heard three explosions outside the stadium.

President Francois Hollande was among the spectators and was whisked away after the first blast.

Investigators found the bodies of three suicide bombers around the Stade de France, Francois Molins said.

The 1,500-seat Bataclan concert hall suffered the worst of last night’s attacks. Gunmen opened fire on a sell-out gig by rock group Eagles of Death Metal, killing 89 people.

Within an hour, security forces had stormed the concert hall and all four attackers there were dead. Three had blown themselves up and a fourth was shot dead by police.

ISIS released a statement on November 14 saying “eight brothers wearing explosive belts and carrying assault rifles” had carried out the attacks on “carefully chosen” targets, and were a response to France’s involvement in the air strikes on ISIS militants in Syria and Iraq.

Shortly before, President Francois Hollande said France had been “attacked in a cowardly shameful and violent way”.

“So France will be merciless in its response to the Islamic State militants,” he said, vowing to “use all means within the law.. on every battleground here and abroad together with our allies”.

Many official buildings as well as Disneyland Paris have been closed, sports events have been cancelled and large gatherings have been banned for the next five days.

Springleaf to Buy Rival OneMain

Clyde K. Valle
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Springleaf to Buy Rival OneMain

Springleaf, the second largest provider of personal installment loans in the US, is to buy its biggest competitor OneMain.

Sprinleaf has been given permission to buy OneMain from parent company Citigroup, provided it sells 127 of its own branches.

The new company would be left with more than 1,800 branches nationwide.Springleaf buys OneMain

Both comapnies provide personal loans of under $6,000, which have a set number of scheduled payments lasting between a few months and a few years.

Springleaf announced its plan to buy OneMain for $4.25 billion in March.

The deal hit a snag when US authorities claimed the tie-up could make it harder for people with poor personal financial ratings living in 11 states to access lines of credit.

The agreement reached on November 13 with the Department of Justice and state regulators ends an anti-trust lawsuit.

Springleaf shares rose 11.95% on the news.

Eurozone Economic Growth Slows in Q3 of 2015

Clyde K. Valle
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Eurozone Economic Growth Slows in Q3 of 2015

Eurozone’s economic growth slowed to 0.3% in Q3 of 2015, latest figures have shown.

The rate was lower than expected, and compared with a pace of 0.4% recorded in the previous quarter.

The pace of expansion in Germany, the eurozone’s largest economy, slowed, but France returned to growth.

The European Central Bank (ECB) is widely expected in December to expand its stimulus program, which aims to lift inflation and support growth.

Germany’s economy grew by 0.3% in Q3, down from 0.4% in the previous quarter.

The economy had shown “continued moderate growth”, helped by increased domestic consumption, Germany’s Federal Statistics Office said.

However, foreign trade “had a downward effect on growth, because the increase in imports was markedly larger than that of exports”, it added.Eurozone economic growth Q3 2015

The French economy also grew by 0.3% in the same period, but this marked a pick-up from zero growth previously.

The French statistics agency INSEE said a rise in imports had also weighed on the country’s growth rate.

France’s economy saw an increase in household spending, and that production of goods and services picked up, the INSEE added.

“The [GDP] figure… confirms that we have left in 2015 the period of very weak growth that France had experienced since 2011,” said French Finance Minister Michel Sapin.

Among the other major eurozone economies, the growth rate in Italy slowed to 0.2%, which was worse than expected, while the Spanish economy grew by 0.8%.

Portugal’s economy recorded zero growth despite having expanded by 0.5% in the second quarter. Greece’s economy contracted by 0.5%, while Finland’s shrank by 0.6%.

The Eurostat figures showed the eurozone’s economy grew by 1.6% in Q3 compared with a year earlier.

Expectations are growing that the ECB will expand its monetary stimulus program at its meeting next month.

In October, the ECB said it would “re-examine” the policy, and on November 12, ECB president Mario Draghi said the bank was ready to extend its policy if needed.

In January 2015, the ECB started a quantitative easing (QE) stimulus program worth at least €1.1 trillion in an attempt to avoid deflation and boost growth in the eurozone.

The bank has committed to buy €60 billion of bonds a month until September 2016.

The most recent figures showed inflation in the eurozone returned to zero in October from September’s -0.1%.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xfUu2j0tTFg

Cyclins: Key to Malaria’s Rampant Growth Explained

Kathryn R. Bown
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Cyclins: Key to Malaria’s Rampant Growth Explained

A new study led by UK scientists has explained the key to malaria’s rampant growth.

Scientists say it is down to protein molecules called cyclins which cause cells to divide rapidly in the malaria parasite.

The study, led by a team from the University of Nottingham, could lead to new treatments for malaria, the researchers said.

Malaria is responsible for nearly half a million deaths a year.

A cyclin is one of the most important protein molecules needed for cell division.

They have been well studied in humans, yeasts and plants – but until now, little has been known about cyclins in the malaria parasite and how they affect cell development.Malaria cyclins

This research, published in the journal PLoS Pathogens, has been able to classify the number and type of cyclins present in malaria parasites.

Dr. Bill Wickstead, from the University of Nottingham’s School of Life Sciences, identified three different types of cyclin genes in the malaria parasite.

This is far fewer cyclins than are present in humans – and compared with other sets of cyclins, he said, they caused an “exciting type of cell division”.

Prof. Rita Tewari then carried out an in-depth analysis of a cyclin in the malaria parasite to find out more about what they do and why they do it.

She worked out that the cyclins found in malaria parasites made cells divide very quickly and enabled them to spread quickly in blood cells.

Working out why this happens could aid understanding of how the malaria parasite thrives within the mosquito and its human host, and lead to new treatments.

US Retail Sales Growth Disappoints in October 2015

Clyde K. Valle
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US Retail Sales Growth Disappoints in October 2015

October retail sales rose less than expected as car sales fell in the US, stoking fears that consumer spending could hit economic growth in Q4.

According to the Commerce Department, retail sales rose 0.1% in October, after no change in September, and by 1.7% compared with October 2014.

Economists had forecast a rise of 0.3% for October.

There was a surprise 0.5% fall in sales at car dealerships, after a 1.4% increase in September.US retail sales October 2015

Robust car sales have underpinned overall growth in retail sales for the past two years.

The amount US shoppers spent online continued to rise, with online sales 7.1% higher than in October 2014.

However, sales during the run-up to Christmas will prove to be the real test of consumer confidence.

Fears about the level of consumer spending prompted department store chain Macy’s to cut its profit outlook for 2015 by 10% on November 11.

The revision sent Macy’s shares tumbling almost 20% this week.

Rival department store operator Nordstrom also cut its full-year forecast on November 12, resulting in a similar slide in its shares.

Russia Suspended from Athletics amid Doping Scandal

Clyde K. Valle
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Russia Suspended from Athletics amid Doping Scandal

The Council of the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) has provisionally suspended the All-Russia Athletic Federation (ARAF) as an IAAF Member for its alleged involvement in widespread doping.

The decision was taken at the 201st IAAF Council Meeting which was held by teleconference and chaired from London by IAAF President Sebastian Coe on November 13.

Russia has been also suspended from international competition, including the Olympic Games.

The IAAF took action after the publication of an independent World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) report that alleged “state-sponsored doping”.

Photo AFP
Photo AFP

Its council members voted 22-1 in favor of Russia being banned.

“This is a wake-up call for all of us,” said IAAF president Sebastian Coe.

Russia’s Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko said the suspension was “temporary” and the “problem is solvable”.

A total of 24 Members of Council took part in the meeting: 22 voted in favor of the sanction against ARAF, who have been officially informed of the Council’s decision, 1 voted against. The Council Member from Russia was not eligible to participate in the vote.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=REEfI6WWZF0

Paris Attack Sites November 2015

Roy Siemens
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Paris Attack Sites November 2015

Paris attacks on November 13 reportedly occurred at multiple sites across the French capital.

Bataclan concert hall, 50 boulevard Voltaire, 11th district – gun and suicide bomb attacks

Le Bataclan is an old 19th-century variety theatre that in recent years has been run as a rock venue. It’s located on the boundary between two hip, densely populated neighborhoods full of bars, restaurants, and cafés that would likely have been very busy at the time of the attack.

Stade de France, 93216 St Denis, just north of Paris – explosions near venue as France played Germany in soccer friendly match

Built for the 1998 World Cup, the Stade de France is France’s largest stadium, a huge venue seating more than 80,000 that dominates the Saint Denis Quarter. The location itself is just outside Paris Proper beyond the Boulevard Périphérique Beltway, in a lightly populated quarter dominated by major roads. In contrast to the other attack locations closer to central Paris, the commune of Saint Denis is a relatively low-income area where over 35 percent of residents were not born in France.Paris attacks locations November 2015

Le Carillon bar, 18 rue Alibert, 10th district – gun attack

Le Petit Cambodge restaurant, 20 rue Alibert, 10th district – gun attack

Le Carillon and Le Petit Cambodge are a café-bar and a Cambodian restaurant, respectively, that are located directly opposite one of the city’s oldest hospitals, the Hôpital Saint-Louis. These aren’t especially fancy or controversial places in themselves. They’re fairly typical of the area around the Canal Saint Martin, a traditionally working class area of Paris that has become fashionable in recent decades.

La Belle Equipe, 92 rue de Charonne, 11th district – gun attack

The Belle Équipe brasserie is located on one of the busier café and restaurant strips of Eastern Paris. Rue Charonne is one of the main streets in the Bastille neighborhood, an area now almost equally as popular with visitors as with locals. The brasserie itself is a moderately upscale place typical of its area.

La Casa Nostra restaurant, 2 rue de la Fontaine au Roi, 11th district – gun attack

Paris Attacks: France Declares State of Emergency as More than 120 Die in Assaults

Roy Siemens
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Paris Attacks: France Declares State of Emergency as More than 120 Die in Assaults

French President Francois Hollande has declared a national state of emergency and announced the country’s borders have been tightened after more than 120 people were killed in a night of gun and bomb attacks in Paris.

At least 80 people were reported killed after gunmen burst into the Bataclan concert hall and took dozens hostage.

The siege ended when security forces stormed the building.

People were shot dead at bars and restaurants at five other sites in Paris. Eight attackers are reported to have been killed.

French police believed all of the gunmen were dead but it was unclear if any accomplices were still on the run after the string of near-simultaneous attacks.

Paris residents have been asked to stay indoors and about 1,500 military personnel are being deployed across the city.

The gunmen’s motives were not immediately confirmed, but one witness at the Bataclan heard one of the attackers appear to express support for ISIS.

“It’s Hollande’s fault, he shouldn’t have intervened in Syria!” the man shouted, according to French news agency AFP, citing the French president’s decision to take part in Western air strikes on ISIS.

Paris saw three days of attacks in early January, when Islamist gunmen murdered 18 people after attacking satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo, a Jewish supermarket and a policewoman on patrol.Paris attacks November 2015

The attack on the 1,500-seat Bataclan hall was by far the deadliest of last night’s attacks. Gunmen opened fire on concert-goers watching American rock group Eagles of Death Metal. The event had been sold out.

The series of attacks not far from the Place de la Republique and the Place de la Bastille struck at the heart of the capital when cafes, bars and restaurants were at their busiest.

Customers were singled out at venues including a pizza restaurant and a Cambodian restaurant.

The other target was the Stade de France, on the northern fringe of Paris, where President Hollande and 80,000 other spectators were watching a friendly international between France and Germany, with a TV audience of millions more.

President Francois Hollande was whisked to safety after the first of at least two explosions just outside the venue to convene an emergency cabinet meeting. Three attackers were reportedly killed there.

As the extent of the bloodshed became clear, Francois Hollande went on national TV to announce a state of emergency for the first time in France since 2005. The decree enables the authorities to close public places and impose curfews and restrictions on the movement of traffic and people.

Within an hour, security forces had stormed the concert hall and all four attackers there were dead. Three had blown themselves up and a fourth was shot dead by police.

Another attacker was killed in a street in eastern Paris, reports said.

Speaking after arriving at the concert hall, Francois Hollande said the attackers would be fought “without mercy”.

President Barack Obama spoke of “an outrageous attempt to terrorize innocent civilians”.

Paris Mayor Ann Hidalgo announced that all schools, museums, libraries, gyms, swimming pools and markets would be shut on November 14.

Paris Shootings: At Least 40 People Killed Near Stade de France

Roy Siemens
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Paris Shootings: At Least 40 People Killed Near Stade de France

At least 40 people have been killed in several shootings in Paris, as well as explosions near the Stade de France.

According to French media, at least 15 people have been killed near the Bataclan arts centre. A hostage taking is under way, with reports of up to 60 held.

At least one man opened fire at a restaurant in the 11th district, causing several several casualties.

Three explosions are also reported outside a bar near the Stade de France.Paris shootings 2015

France was hosting Germany in a friendly and the match continued. It has now ended

An eyewitness told Liberation he had heard more than 100 rounds being fired at a cafe in rue de Charonne.

There are reports of up to six gunmen involved.

Reports say French President Francois Hollande was watching the match at the Stade de France and has been moved to safety.

President Francois Hollande and Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve have gone to the interior ministry.

Finding the Best Babysitter

Dana R
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Finding the Best Babysitter

Finding a reliable babysitter can really be overwhelming but it is not impossible. The following could serve as practical guide to help in this quest.

The starting point

The best and probably the most important place to begin is via personal recommendation. You could ask your relatives, close friends and colleagues at work to tell you about their babysitters. Of course this does not mean that you must jump at whoever is recommended. Just because a babysitter meets one person’s needs does not mean he/she would meet yours or be the right one for you. It is therefore important that you ask series of questions regarding the potential babysitter. This would go a long way to give you a pretty good idea about the person and help you decide if it is worth giving the person a call for a meet.

BabysittingAnother possible option is that some individuals often go for their babies’ handlers; those who are employed by worship centers to look after children while their parents are in service. The possible reason for such considering such option is because such places of worship do not just hire any Tom, Dick or Harry for such sensitive jobs. They do a thorough background check of such care givers to ensure they are not individuals with questionable background. The background checks also ensure that such individuals have received the necessary training to handle and provide care for children. Because the child may already have formed certain bonds and level of familiarity with such people, the transition process is usually smooth.

A third option is to visit a babysitters’ website. Such sites are usually operated by babysitters’ agencies. On a simple babysitter search, you can find websites that provide parents with profile information of a pool of potential sitters they parents can choose from. In the profile provided, references are made to training and experience. Some of these online agencies also investigate and check the background of their babysitters.

Knowing if a prospective sitter would be a good fit

To determine if a sitter would be a good fit, it is important that he/she be interviewed. Likely questions that could be asked include: name, phone number, address, age, citizenship status, ability to drive, openness to carrying out chores, cooking and laundry, openness to working overtime, other commitment, fee charge and so on.

Aside from interviews, it is also important to pay attention to the following as they would help you know whether the potential sitter is good for the job:

They must present very good references

Because babysitting involves the safety of your child, it is important that you demand for references from the potential sitter. When you do get the references, put a call through to the (and meet the if possible) and see what they can tell you about the work ethics of the potential sitter in his/her previous job.

Do they have the necessary training?

A sitter with child handling experience and training should have an advantage over one with no such experience as parents would want their child in safe and competent hands, especially in cases of emergency.

Is the prospective sitter on time?

Appearing late is an indication that all is not well. This usually gives the impression of irresponsibility and lack of seriousness on the part of the sitter.

Does he/she have a good rapport with the children?

Some parents hire babysitter after a brief interview and then introduce them to the children. This is not usually enough. It is important that parents observes how she handle issues relating to the children like when they ask her questions and how she generally interact with them.

It is also important that parents try to get the opinion of their children concerning the sitter. This may not necessarily be through direct question but through questions that might give them an idea of how their children spend their time with the sitter.

Milan Attack: Authorities Increase Security at Jewish Sites

Diane A. Wade
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Milan Attack: Authorities Increase Security at Jewish Sites

Milan authorities have boosted security at Jewish sites after an Israeli Jew was stabbed in the city.

The victim, identified as Nathan Graff, was knifed multiple times by an unknown assailant on November 12. His injuries are not life-threatening.

The motive for the attack is unclear but police are investigating whether it was a hate crime.

Photo EPA
Photo EPA

Several Israelis have been stabbed by Palestinians in Israel and the occupied West Bank in recent weeks.

Nathan Graff was attacked outside a kosher restaurant. Police are still searching for the assailant.

A statement from Milan’s Jewish community said it hoped the attack was an isolated incident.

“We have never had problems in Milan. We don’t think this was a personal affair – there is nothing to suggest that,” the community’s co-president Milo Hasbani told reporters, according to Reuters.

Judge Dismisses Taylor Swift Copyright Lawsuit

Sonia Pantiss
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Judge Dismisses Taylor Swift Copyright Lawsuit

A copyright lawsuit against Taylor Swift has been dismissed.

Taylor Swift was being sued for $42 million for allegedly stealing the lyrics for her song Shake It Off.

R&B singer Jesse Braham claims Taylor Swift stole the words from a song he wrote in 2013 called Haters Gone Hate.

US district court judge Gail Standish disagreed.

In a written statement dismissing the suit, Judge Gail Standish lifted lyrics from We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together, Blank Space and Bad Blood.

“At present, the Court is not saying that Braham can never, ever, ever get his case back in court.

“But, for now, we have got problems, and the Court is not sure Braham can solve them,” Gail Standish wrote.

The judge ruled that Jesse Braham didn’t provide enough evidence and said, for now, the claims are just speculation.

Photo Instagram
Photo Instagram

“As currently drafted, the Complaint has a blank space – one that requires Braham to do more than write his name.

“And, upon consideration of the Court’s explanation in Part II, Braham may discover that mere pleading Band-Aids will not fix the bullet holes in his case,” Gail Standish wrote.

However, Jesse Braham will be able to file a new complaint if he can sort out some of the problems the judge had with this one.

“At least for the moment, Defendants have shaken off this lawsuit,” Gail Standish concluded.

Jesse Braham had previously told the New York Daily News he believed there was “no way” Taylor Swift could have penned the lyrics independently of his song.

“Her hook is the same hook as mine. If I didn’t write the song Haters Gone Hate, there wouldn’t be a song called Shake It Off,” he said.

Jesse Braham added he had spoken to Taylor Swift’s record label, Big Machine, four or five times about the issue.

The R&B singer originally asked to be named as a writer and requested a selfie with Taylor Swift but was repeatedly dismissed and told his claim had no merit.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aDC7VvSUIjY

Top Gear: Oisin Tymon Sues Jeremy Clarkson and BBC for Racial Discrimination

Clyde K. Valle
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Top Gear: Oisin Tymon Sues Jeremy Clarkson and BBC for Racial Discrimination

Oisin Tymon, the Top Gear producer punched by Jeremy Clarkson earlier this year, is suing the former show presenter and the BBC for racial discrimination.

Jeremy Clarkson and BBC’s lawyers attended a closed-door hearing with Oisin Tymon’s legal team at a London employment tribunal on November 13.

The case centers on “verbal abuse” that accompanied a physical attack during which Jeremy Clarkson struck Oisin Tymon in March.

Jeremy Clarkson, who was dropped by the BBC following an internal inquiry, will front a new show on Amazon Prime.

The inquiry, headed up by Ken MacQuarrie, found Oiin Tymon was subject to an “unprovoked physical and verbal attack”.

A statement by the BBC said: “We will be responding to this claim, but will not be commenting further at this time.”Oisin Tymon and Jeremy Clarkson

The assault took place at a North Yorkshire hotel, after Jeremy Clarkson was told there was no hot food available at the end of a day’s shooting on location.

As part of the inquiry, statements were given by two unnamed witnesses to the incident on March 4.

Oisin Tymon, who suffered swelling and bleeding to his lip in the altercation, drove himself to hospital after the incident believing he had lost his job.

BBC director general, Tony Hall, said Jeremy Clarkson had subjected an “innocent party [to] a physical altercation accompanied by sustained and prolonged verbal abuse of an extreme nature”.

At the time of the attack, Oisin Tymon told police he did not wish to press charges.

In the days following the assault, he was the subject of sustained abuse on social media for his involvement in the dispute – prompting Jeremy Clarkson himself to urge his fans to show restraint.

Jeremy Clarkson will be joined by his erstwhile Top Gear co-hosts Richard Hammond and James May on a new show for Amazon Prime, to be broadcast in 2016.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-wkULQIT3X4

Jihadi John: Mohammed Emwazi Killed by US Airstrike in Raqqa

Roy Siemens
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Jihadi John: Mohammed Emwazi Killed by US Airstrike in Raqqa

The Islamic State group militant “Jihadi John” was hit by a US forces airstrike with a “high degree of certainty”, US officials say.

Mohammed Emwazi, the Kuwaiti-born British militant, appeared in videos of the beheadings of Western hostages.

It is believed there was at least one other person in the vehicle targeted in the attack near Raqqa, in Syria.

A drone was used in the attack, according to a US official quoted by the Associated Press news agency.

A formal statement from the Pentagon stopped short of asserting that Mohammed Emwazi had definitely been killed, adding that it was assessing the operation.

Mohammed Emwazi is believed to have travelled to Syria in 2013 and later joined ISIS militants.

Photo CBC
Photo CBC

He first appeared in a video in August 2014, when footage was posted online showing the murder of American journalist James Foley.

Jihadi John was later pictured in the videos of the beheadings of American journalist Steven Sotloff, British aid worker David Haines and taxi driver Alan Henning, as well as American aid worker Abdul-Rahman Kassig, also known as Peter, and Japanese journalist Kenji Goto.

In each of the videos, the militant appeared dressed in a black robe with a black balaclava covering his face.

Initially dubbed “Jihadi John” by the media, he was subsequently named as Mohammed Emwazi, from west London, in February.

Earlier this year, details emerged about how Mohammed Emwazi made a number of journeys abroad before he left for Syria in 2013.

They included a trip to Tanzania in August 2009, when he is believed to have first became known to security services in the UK.

Jihadi John’s naming this year led to a row over the cause of his radicalization, with British advocacy group Cage suggesting that contact with MI5 may have contributed to it.

Myanmar Elections 2015: Aung San Suu Kyi’s Party Wins Historic Majority

Diane A. Wade
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Myanmar Elections 2015: Aung San Suu Kyi’s Party Wins Historic Majority

Aung San Suu Kyi’s party, the National League for Democracy, has won Myanmar’s general election, officials say.

With more than 80% of contested seats now declared, Aung San Suu Kyi’s party has more than the two-thirds it needs to choose the president, ending decades of military-backed rule.

A quarter of seats are automatically held by the military, meaning it remains hugely influential.

Under the constitution Aung San Suu Kyi cannot become president herself.

Despite this, the election was seen as the first openly contested poll in Myanmar – also known as Burma – in 25 years.Aung San Suu Kyi's Party Wins Historic Majority

By early Friday, the NLD needed two more votes to reach the threshold required for a majority.

Then at midday, the electoral commission said the party had taken 348 of the 664 seats in the two houses of parliament. This represents a two-thirds majority of the contested seats.

Votes are being counted and the final tally is not expected for several days.

The process of choosing Myanmar’s new president will begin in January, when parliament reconvenes.

Current President Thein Sein and the head of the military had already said they would respect the outcome and work with the new government.

They and the NLD are expected to being talks next week on the way forward.

About 30 million people were eligible to vote in the election – turnout was estimated at about 80%.

It was widely seen as a fair vote though there were reports of irregularities, and hundreds of thousands of people – including the Muslim Rohingya minority, who are not recognized as citizens – were denied voting rights.

The ruling military-backed Union Solidarity Development Party (USDP) – which won the last, widely criticized election five years ago – has so far gained about 5% of seats contested.

Vincent Asaro Trial: Mobster Found Not Guilty of Planning Goodfellas Lufthansa Heist

Nancy Clayson
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Vincent Asaro Trial: Mobster Found Not Guilty of Planning Goodfellas Lufthansa Heist

Reputed mobster Vincent Asaro has been found not guilty of planning a brazen 1978 airport heist that helped to inspire the Mafia movie Goodfellas.

After the verdict, Vincent Asaro, 80, walked out of the courthouse in Brooklyn and threw his hands into the air, shouting: “Free!”

The mobster was cleared of murder, extortion and other crimes after a three-week trial.

Vincent Asaro’s arrest in 2014 had raised hopes that one of the country’s most infamous unsolved crimes would be closed.

The theft by masked men of $5 million in cash and $1 million in jewels from a Lufthansa Airlines cargo building at New York’s John F. Kennedy Airport was the biggest robbery ever carried out at the time.

Prosecutors said Vincent Asaro waited in a decoy car about a mile away with another gangster Jimmy Burke, who inspired the character played by Robert De Niro in Martin Scorsese’s cult film.

Photo NBC News
Photo NBC News

Lawyers spent years building a case against the defendant, the only man arrested over the crime, and had called on senior Mafia figures to give evidence.

The US attorney’s office declined to comment after the verdict, a reticence not shared by a jubilant and dumbfounded Vincent Asaro.

“I was shocked, I was really shocked,” he told reporters outside the courthouse, where major mobsters like John Gotti had been convicted in the past.

In closing arguments, Assistant US Attorney Alicyn Cooley told the court the defendant, whose father and grandfather were members of the secretive Bonanno crime family, “was born into that life and he fully embraced it”.

The state’s case relied heavily on the evidence of Vincent Asaro’s cousin Gaspare Valenti but defense lawyers tried to discredit such witnesses as “accomplished liars”.

Taking the witness stand last month, Gaspare Valenti told the court that Vincent Asaro and Jimmy Burke killed a suspected informant using a dog chain and then ordered him to bury the body.

As he walked free from court, getting into a waiting car, Vincent Asaro joked to his lawyers: “Sam, don’t let them see the body in the trunk.”

Jimmy Burke died in 1996 while serving a 20-year sentence for the murder of a drug dealer. He was suspected of, but never prosecuted over, the Lufthansa robbery or the subsequent deaths of many of those suspected of taking part in the heist.

Obesity Rates Rising Again among American Adults

Kathryn R. Bown
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Obesity Rates Rising Again among American Adults

According to a recent study, obesity rates are rising again among American adults, despite national efforts to promote healthy lifestyles.

Rates of obesity had been climbing dramatically since the 1980s but started leveling off in about 2004.

This latest study means they are rising again – to nearly 38% in 2013-14, up from about 32% a decade ago.America obesity rate 2015

The numbers come from a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), using a national survey of about 5,000 people.

National campaigns have been aimed at lowering obesity rates in the US, such as Michelle Obama’s “Let’s Move” campaign, which offers programming for exercise and healthy eating among youths.

The consumption of fizzy drinks has fallen in recent years and fast-food chains now offer healthier menus.

Many companies have introduced things like treadmill desks and incentives to exercise with pedometers and staff-wide contests – but not all have taken a stake in employees’ health.

Obesity prevalence was found to be much higher for adult women than adult men – 38% compared to 34.3%.

Non-Hispanic white, non-Hispanic black and Hispanic adults and youth are experiencing higher rates of obesity than their white counterparts, the study found.

Between black men and women, there is a significant difference for rates of obesity – women’s rates soar above men’s at 57% compared to 38%.

Hermes and Burberry Financial Results Beat Expectations

Lisa.Felice
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0
Hermes and Burberry Financial Results Beat Expectations

Hermes and Burberry’s financial results for Q3 of 2015 have beaten analysts’ expectations.

The figures come at a challenging time for luxury brands in the key Asia-Pacific region, including China.

Hermes sales rose by 7.9% in Q3 on a like-for-like basis, ahead of forecasts, helped by demand for leather goods and ready-to-wear fashion.

Meanwhile, Burberry reported a better-than-expected 3% rise in first-half underlying profit.

The maker of trench coats and cashmere scarves said it made a pre-tax profit of £153 million ($233 million) in the six months to September 30.Luxury brands financial results

Burberry also said its comparable store sales improved in its third quarter compared with the second.

Meanwhile, Hermes stuck to its target of increasing annual sales by 8% at constant exchange rates.

It said that in the quarter Japan had delivered 16.6% like-for-like growth, and Europe 14.8%.

However, Asia-Pacific growth, excluding Japan, dwindled to 1.5% amid “a difficult context in Hong Kong, Macao and to a lesser extent in continental China”.

In October, Burberry had also warned of an increasingly challenging environment for luxury goods in China and Hong Kong.

Last month, LVMH, the world’s biggest luxury group, said the summer stock market collapse in China had hit sales, particularly at its flagship Louis Vuitton brand.

Cosmetics giant L’Oreal has also warned that demand for its luxury products has suffered a slowdown in Hong Kong and at airports.

Lenovo Reports $714 Million Net Loss following Major Restructuring

Clyde K. Valle
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0
Lenovo Reports $714 Million Net Loss following Major Restructuring

Lenovo has reported a net loss of $714 million after being hit by restructuring costs.

Second-quarter earnings were affected by charges of $923 million related to job cuts and clearing stocks of smartphones.

However, the loss was not as large as forecast and the Chinese computer and smartphone giant’s revenue rose 16% to $12.2 billion.

Lenovo, which is the world’s biggest PC maker, saw its Hong Kong-listed shares rise more than 5% on the news.

Photo Lenovo
Photo Lenovo

The company said it had continued to experience a declining PC market during the period, together with slowing smartphone and tablet sales globally.

In a statement, Lenovo said: “The macro-economy and global markets remained challenging, along with currency fluctuations in emerging markets.

“In addition, the China smartphone market continued to see a market shift from traditional carrier channels to online, while competition in China further intensified.”

Lenovo said that its restructuring program, which included 3,200 job cuts announced earlier this year, was set to generate annual cost savings of $1.35 billion.

In 2014, Lenovo bought the Motorola brand from Google for $2.9 billion in an attempt to boost its position in the smartphone market.

Lenovo said its share of the global smartphone market had increased to 5.3% in Q3 of 2015, pushing it to the number four position worldwide.

Greece Strike Disrupts Athens Public Services and Transportation

Diane A. Wade
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Greece Strike Disrupts Athens Public Services and Transportation

Greek unions are staging their first general strike against austerity since Alexis Tsipras’s left-wing Syriza government came to power in January.

As protesters gathered in Athens, public services were hit and some transport services ground to a halt.

The main unions appealed for members to walk out against the terms of Greece’s third eurozone bailout.

Greece’s government agreed to push through tax rises and spending cuts in return for €86 billion ($100 billion) in rescue loans.

Greek lawmakers have already voted to raise the retirement age and get rid of most early retirement benefits, and reduced rates of sales tax on some of the big Greek islands have been scrapped.

However, the main civil servants’ union ADEDY and the GSEE private sector union objected to proposals to scale back supplementary pensions and merge pension funds. They were joined by communist-affiliated union PAME.

Public transportation services were shut down, schools were closed and hospitals had only emergency staff levels. Buses and trolley buses were providing limited services.

Photo AFP/Getty Images
Photo AFP/Getty Images

Museums and archaeological sites were also shut and news bulletins, newspapers and websites were disrupted because journalists had walked out.

Although general strikes became regular events in Greece in the years following its first eurozone bailout in 2010, this was the first called since Syriza came to power.

After reluctantly agreeing to Greece’s third international bailout in five years in August, Alexis Tsipras called an election and was returned to power in September with 35% of the vote.

Despite agreeing to a series of reforms, Greek officials are currently locked in a dispute with eurozone officials over bad home loans.

The government is trying to avoid indebted Greeks losing their homes, but creditors want an agreement on a mechanism for tackling non-performing home-loans before they unlock €10 billion to recapitalize Greek banks. A separate €2 billion bailout installment is also at stake.

There was some good news for the Greek economy on November 11 when officials announced that unemployment had fallen to 24.9% in August, the lowest level since June 2012.

Macy’s Sales Drop in Q3 of 2015

Clyde K. Valle
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0
Macy’s Sales Drop in Q3 of 2015

Macy’s has cut its profit outlook for 2015 after a drop in sales in Q3.

The department store’s net income for Q3 of 2015 was $118 million, down from $217 million in the same period last year.

Macy’s shares fell 14% following the news.

In a statement, Macy’s CEO Terry Lundgren said the company was “disappointed” that the pace of sales did not improve as much as expected.

Sales were hurt in part by the warm weather, which made it harder to sell winter clothing, and a strong dollar, which hurt tourist spending.

“Heading into the fourth quarter, we are shifting our organization into overdrive to focus on sales-driving activities in the holiday shopping season,” said Terry Lundgren.Macy's sales drop 2015

Macy’s now sees full-year earnings coming in at $4.20 to $4.30 per share, compared with an earlier guidance of $4.70 to $4.80.

The company has opened five discounted outlets in the New York area and plans to open a sixth by the end of 2015.

Macy’s, which also owns the department store Bloomingdale’s, plans to open three new discount branches of that store too.

The company said it is also considering discounts at its stores to help move large quantities of inventory.

On a call with investors CFO Karen Hoguet said “we will need to liquidate this inventory in the fourth quarter so that we can maintain the flow of fresh new merchandise.”

Macy’s has been cutting down on the number of standard priced stores that it owns for the last several years. Earlier this year it announced plans to close 35 to 40 stores in the US in early 2016.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NeORkHSlBzQ

China Police Torture Alleged in Amnesty International Report

Diane A. Wade
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China Police Torture Alleged in Amnesty International Report

According to an Amnesty International reports, the torture of suspects in police detention is widespread in China with implements like spiked rods and torture chairs regularly deployed to extract confessions.

The report is based on interviews with nearly 40 Chinese human rights lawyers.

Despite China’s top court banning torture in 2013 and criminal justice reforms, rights groups say the practices are still widely used.

Chinese authorities have not responded to allegations.

After similar allegations by Human Rights Watch in May, the foreign ministry said Chinese law prohibited torture during interrogation.

Photo Getty Images
Photo Getty Images

The Amnesty International report describes suspects being slapped, kicked and hit with shoes or with bottles filled with water.

It also details tools of torture including “tiger chairs” in which individuals’ legs are tightly bound to a bench, with bricks gradually added under the victim’s feet, forcing the legs backwards as well as long periods of sleep deprivation and the denial of sufficient food and water.

Amnesty International said that for police, obtaining a forced confession is still considered the easiest way to secure a conviction.

The report’s author, Patrick Poon, said local officials and police “continue to pull the strings of China’s criminal justice system. Despite defense lawyers’ best efforts, many claims of torture are simply ignored”.

The Amnesty International report comes a week before China’s human rights record is set to be reviewed by the United Nations anti-torture committee in Geneva.

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