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Showing posts with label Paris attacks. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Paris attacks. Show all posts

Saturday, November 14, 2015

In a somber, off-kilter Paris, mass murder leaves emptiness

Live video from the scene of the attacks in Paris https://m.facebook.com/RealEstateSA5000/&display=popup&link=http://goo.gl/pbEbmN&description=Live%20video%20from%20the%20scene%20of%20the%20attacks%20in%20Paris.&redirect_uri=http://www.scribblelive.com/modules/sharing/facebook_redirect.aspx Letter of Invitation: I would be available to answer any queries regarding best suburbs to integrate socially, just to let you know 21 suburbs of South Australia which are red-flagged by Australian banks. I am happy to provide detail answers to any questions with reference to Property Investment, Subdivision, Development, Buying/ Selling Residential, Commercial, Rural Properties and Businesses. I am available in person (Tue/Thu at 1289 South Rd, St. Marys, SA 5042 12 to 5 p.m) or on cell to answer any questions, and concerns you have to decide about your Real Estate. (Cell: 0431 138 537, Email: Saqlain@Dukesrealestate.com) Click here to invest in South Australian Residential Commercial, Rural Properties, Schools & Businesses. Shias holding a vigil tonight at Islamic Center of America in Dearborn for victims in Beirut, Baghdad, Gaza, Paris: pic.twitter.com/YJi5boLlQg =================================== The Paris attacks could be the work of foreign intelligence services in order to “facilitate a NATO strike against Syria,” says a former US Army psychological officer. On Saturday, Daesh (ISIL) claimed responsibility for a series of coordinated attacks in Paris that killed at least 129 people and injured some 352 on Friday night. The terror organization called the attacks “the first of the storm” and denounced France as a “capital of prostitution and obscenity.” In an interview with Press TV, Scott Bennett pointed to two scenarios, arguing that the attacks could be either carried out by ISIL terrorists or “a foreign entity.” They could be “a sort of Zionist Mossad, MI6, CIA operation, or trained fighters that have been trained and financed by the United States and Saudi Arabia and others,” he explained. Bennett said “it’s very possible that this (Paris attacks) was a fabricated assault.” If that is the case, Bennett said, “Then we see a larger pattern, a larger trigger of war which resembles the Gulf of Tonkin (Vietnam War) and the 9/11 attacks. We’re seeing all of this language repeated in the past; we’re seeing the world coming behind the United States after the false-flag attacks of 9/11, and we now see the world coming behind France.” “So this may have been designed to be a false-flag attack in order to shift momentum from the war-footing, ship NATO and the United States, France and the United Kingdom into an offensive position and help get them a moral high ground that they can now use to exploit a buffer or no fly-zone in Syria, they can use this for new sanctions and request for investigations in Iran and they can use this to destabilize Russia,” he added. “The important thing is for Russia, Iran and China to be ahead of that in order to not be blamed for any of this connection because it’s very possible, that if this was a fabricated assault, then it very easily could be claimed on people who are connected with [Syrian President Bashar al-] Assad, or connected with Iran or even with Russia,” he concluded. Observers say while the US and its allies claim they are fighting against terrorist groups like ISIL, they in fact helped create and train those organizations to advance their policies in the Middle East. ================= 14 November 2015 - 19H45 Paris attacks: the possible consequences © AFP / by Adam Plowright | A child holds-up a hand drawn French flag as people gather on November 14, 2015 in Turin, a day after deadly attacks in Paris PARIS (AFP) - The Paris attacks were unprecedented in their scale in France and shocking in their method. The repercussions are likely to be wide and long-lasting. Here are five areas to watch: Syrian peace talks Peace talks to end the Syrian civil war had drifted along for years before a snowballing refugee crisis in Europe this summer and Russia's dramatic entry into the conflict in September gave them new urgency. Given growing evidence of a Syrian link, the attacks in Paris will hike pressure on world leaders to overcome their deep divisions and solve a problem that is a key source of Islamic extremism. "If they?ve done anything they?ve encouraged us today to do even harder work to make progress and to help resolve the crises that we face," US Secretary of State John Kerry said Saturday at a second round of peace talks in Vienna. Western military involvement in Syria Some of the Paris attackers were overheard telling hostages the attacks were in retaliation for France's bombing of the Islamic State group in Iraq and Syria. Paris's air strikes were also referenced by the group in a statement claiming responsibility. In step with increased diplomatic activity, the attacks appear likely to stiffen Western resolve to continue battlefield pressure against Islamic State -- with the risk of being sucked further into the conflict. IS had been on the defensive this week, facing losses to US-backed Kurdish fighters around the town of Sinjar in Iraqi Kurdistan, increased bombing from Russia and the reported death of one of its most infamous executioners, Jihadi John. French President Francois Hollande sounded defiant in his reaction on Saturday, saying he considered the carnage "an act of war" and promising a response that would be "pitiless". European refugee crisis Europe is facing its biggest refugee crisis since the Second World War as hundreds of thousands flee conflicts or oppression in Syria, Iraq or Afghanistan to seek safety overseas. Already facing anti-immigration sentiment, the attacks could further complicate efforts by European governments to persuade their populations to accept this burden. Fears have been regularly stoked by reports that IS operatives could be hiding among the 800,000 migrants who have arrived this year, mostly on the shores of Greece and Italy. Many on the far-right were quick to link the attacks -- so far without foundation -- to the refugee crisis which has distilled fears about the so-called "Islamisation of Europe." Poland's incoming right-wing government said Saturday it would no longer accept refugees under an EU plan to relocate migrants from Greece and Italy to other countries. "After the tragic events of Paris we do not see the political possibility of respecting" the EU quota, announced incoming European affairs minister Konrad Szymanski. Security measures in Europe Already accustomed to seeing heavily armed security forces guarding schools and synagogues since the Charlie Hebdo attacks in January, residents of the French capital will now face an even more muscular presence. An extra 1,500 soldiers were mobilised to reinforce police in Paris on Saturday, while European governments held emergency talks to review their security arrangements. "Last night's attacks suggest a new degree of planning and coordination and a greater ambition for mass casualty attacks," said British Prime Minister David Cameron on Saturday. More armed police and visible security checks appear inevitable. 'Borderless' Europe Removing national barriers is a key part of the EU project, with Europeans allowed to travel without passports or visas in the 22-nation Schengen zone. The refugee crisis had already strained this system to breaking point, with a host of countries including Germany and Sweden re-imposing border controls while Austria, Hungary and others are building border fences. EU President Tusk said this week that "saving Schengen is a race against time" but Friday's attacks have already complicated efforts. France, Belgium and Germany stepped up border controls, while any indication that the attackers or their weapons had travelled undetected across European borders would add to calls for more scrutiny over people and goods. by Adam Plowright ============================================ After Paris attacks, pressure builds for big military response to Islamic State WASHINGTON | By Phil Stewart, Warren Strobel and Matt Spetalnick image: http://s4.reutersmedia.net/resources/r/?m=02&d=20151114&t=2&i=1094962411&w=644&fh=&fw=&ll=&pl=&sq=&r=LYNXNPEBAD0OV French military patrol near the Eiffel Tower the day after a series of deadly attacks in Paris , November 14, 2015. REUTERS/Yves Herman French military patrol near the Eiffel Tower the day after a series of deadly attacks in Paris , November 14, 2015. Reuters/Yves Herman The Paris terror attacks are likely to galvanize a stronger global military response to Islamic State, after a U.S.-led air war that has lasted more than a year has failed to contain a group now proving itself to be a growing worldwide threat. The United States, long accused of taking an incremental approach to the struggle, is under growing political pressure at home and abroad to do more and it is expected to examine ways to intensify the campaign, including through expanded air power. U.S. officials say Washington will look in particular to European and Arab allies to step up their military participation in the war in Iraq and Syria. It remains far from clear whether Paris and Washington would be willing to radically expand the scope of their current military engagement, given a deep aversion to getting dragged into a large-scale ground war in the Middle East. But President Barack Obama has been committing more to the fight in recent months, and lawmakers and counter-terrorism experts see the Paris attacks strengthening arguments for additional military might. Islamic State claimed responsibility for Friday's attacks, which killed 129 people in Paris, in the worst bloodshed in France since the end of World War Two. In the past two weeks, there have been other major Islamic State-claimed attacks. Two explosions in suicide attacks in a Shi'ite Muslim district of southern Beirut in Lebanon killed 43, and 224 died when a Russian aircraft crashed in Egypt's Sinai Peninsula. Senator Dianne Feinstein, the top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, said it had become clear that Obama's strategy of limited air strikes coupled with support for ground forces in Iraq and Syria "are not sufficient to protect our country and our allies." "The fight is quickly spreading outside Iraq and Syria, and that's why we must take the battle to them," Feinstein said. Bruce Riedel, a former senior CIA expert on the region who has advised Obama, said the string of recent attacks had put to rest once and for all the debate whether Islamic State would stay focused on the war in Iraq and Syria. "It is a game changer in this sense: there were those who debated whether the Islamic State would stay focused local – or go global. I think that debate's over now," said Riedel, now at the Brookings Institution. FRENCH CARRIER ON THE WAY Republicans seeking the party's nomination to be its candidate in the 2016 presidential election have also been ratcheting up the pressure after the Paris attacks. One of them, former Florida governor Jeb Bush, said that the Islamic terrorists were engaged in "an organized effort to destroy Western civilization" and the U.S. needed to take the lead against them. "This is the war of our time," Bush told conservative radio talk show host Hugh Hewitt on Friday night. France, which has described the Paris assault as an act of war, can quickly ramp up its contribution to the air campaign against Islamic State targets. Even before the Paris attacks, France had announced that its sole aircraft carrier, the Charles de Gaulle, would be deployed to the Middle East, arriving on November 18. "We’re only a matter of days before the French carrier departs and heads to the Persian Gulf to do strikes," said former FBI official Martin Reardon, now with The Soufan Group consultancy. "I think France will do more." Obama, only last month, agreed to send U.S. special operations forces to Syria to coordinate with opposition fighters on the ground - something he had ruled out previously. He also deployed more U.S. aircraft to a base in Incirlik, Turkey. U.S. officials say they are in discussions with allies, including from Arab nations, to also increase their roles in the air campaign. Talks are also underway about whether allies might deploy special operations forces, in Iraq and Syria. Riedel and other former U.S. officials said one quick way the United States and its allies could do damage to Islamic State would be to expand pressure on its leadership. Such pressure has been steadily growing with precision strikes in recent months. The same day as the Paris attacks unfolded, the United State carried out an operation to kill the Islamic State's leader in Libya. A day earlier, it announced the death in Syria of a more symbolic target, striking an Islamic State figure, known as "Jihadi John," who once taunted the West in hostage execution videos. U.S. officials say such strikes show the United States could widen the field of battle. "We're looking at going after ISIL wherever we can hit them," one U.S. official said using another name for the Islamic State. So far, however, the United States has refrained from direct bombardment of known Islamic State headquarters buildings in its self-proclaimed capital of Raqqa, Syria. That, individuals with knowledge of the matter said, is in part because of the risk of large-scale civilian casualties. It remains to be seen whether the self-restraint will continue, and whether the Obama administration will generally loosen rules of engagement for airstrikes that some in Congress and elsewhere have called too restrictive. Another question, officials and analysts said, is whether the United Kingdom will expand the airstrikes and airborne intelligence assets it has already used over Iraq to Syria. London has not struck at Islamic State in Syria and although British Prime Minister David Cameron is said to be eager to take that step, he faces resistance from U.K. lawmakers. "The question is really, will this change the British parliament?" the U.S. official said. (Editing by Martin Howell) Read more at Reutershttp://www.reuters.com/article/2015/11/15/us-france-shooting-military-idUSKCN0T31HY20151115#0ZI0chEbcw3PdIPA.99 ========================== By JOHN LEICESTER Nov. 14, 2015 4:32 PM EST A woman reacts as she stands outside Le Carillon restaurant Saturday, Nov. 14, 2015 in Paris.... Read more PARIS (AP) — The indiscriminate taking of so many lives squeezed life out of Paris itself. Not all life but enough to create a sense of emptiness. Although far from extinguished, the City of Light is now unmistakably dimmed. On somber streets, scattered with the dead leaves of autumn, Parisians went through the motions of trying to pick up where they left off before suicide attackers slaughtered 129 people, the latest official count. So much felt wrong and out of kilter. The Eiffel Tower closed and, in doing so, became a 324-meter (1,063-foot) tall symbol of how much is changed. Its glittering lights, so powerful they usually radiate beams far and wide across the city, were also switched off Saturday night in mourning. Disneyland Paris shut its doors. Instead of an Andy Warhol exhibition, the only thing out-of-town visitors Yvette and Guilhem Nougaret saw at the Museum of Modern Art was a sign announcing its closure "because of the circumstances." Shoppers expecting to fill their carts with groceries for the week trundled Saturday to outdoor markets only to find them shuttered and empty, on government orders. Bags of ice that fishmongers would have used to keep wares fresh on their stalls lay unused, melting tears. As they always do, people still sat and smoked at the sidewalk tables of cafes, but did so knowing that dozens were gunned down and killed doing exactly that just hours before. "I wouldn't sit outside," waitress Flora Jobert said as she served a thick espresso, advising her customer to shelter inside. "I mean, you never know." Sirens wailing, blue lights flashing, a police car sped past. "It's been like that all morning," Jobert said. Along with fear, there also was deep and roiling anger. A retired lawyer, a fashion designer, a musician — people interviewed at random — all insisted: Life must go on, no surrender to terror. They clung to those thoughts like lifebuoys. "I'm scared," said Patricia Martinot, a cleaner, who still mustered the courage to take her dog, Dream, out for his morning walk and reported to work at dawn, traveling through unusually empty streets. She looked battered, but not bowed. "The TV has been on all night," Martinot said. "I haven't slept." On subdued Metro and suburban trains, passengers stared into the distance, lost in thought. Cesar Combelle, a bass guitarist, was awakened Saturday morning by his sister, who called him panicked, thinking he might have been among at least 89 concert-goers killed at the Bataclan hall, where witnesses described floors running with blood and bodies piled on top of each other. "I feel like we're descending back into the Middle Ages, that we're slipping back into religious war," said Combelle as he headed into the city center for band practice. "What really worries me are the political consequences and the military response that's going to lead us to war." But in the face of such blind hate proudly claimed and celebrated by the Islamic State group, Parisians also were defiant. Outside the Bataclan, a man on a bike towing a piano emblazoned with a peace sign stopped and played John Lennon's "Imagine." Then, after a smattering of applause, he rode off again. Video of the poignant moment made the rounds on social media, shared like a beacon of hope and resilience against darkness. A graphic image of the Eiffel Tower as a peace symbol went viral. At an impromptu shrine of flowers at the Bataclan, a hand-written message declared: "Know this, terrorists: The French fight those who steal away life." For many, this spree of six attacks by three apparently coordinated attack teams felt different, more visceral, than the massacres at Charlie Hebdo magazine and a kosher supermarket in January that killed 20, including three shooters. Not just because the death toll was so much higher, but because these killings were viciously indiscriminate, turning life and death into a lottery, with victims simply in the wrong place at the wrong time, gunned down and blown up seemingly at random as they unwound from the week on a Friday night — sipping beers on sidewalks, sitting in cafes and watching American rock band Eagles of Death Metal perform. Three suicide bombers also detonated their explosive vests outside the national Stade de France stadium, where France's soccer team was playing an exhibition match against Germany. By shooting journalists who ran cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad, the Charlie Hebdo gunmen targeted France's mind, assaulting values of free expression that the French cherish. Friday's suicide attackers — a new strain of terrorist for France — landed more of a blow to the heart by massacring people who were simply out having fun. "It is unbridled barbarity," said Michel Touffait, a retired lawyer who looked visibly shell-shocked. Finding his local market and bank closed in the state of emergency and its ATM machine empty unsettled him even more. "The president says we're at war," he whispered. "It's terrifying." Choosing a rock concert at the Bataclan and the hipster 10th and 11th districts of the city — places for in-the-know Parisians, instead of more obvious tourist spots — as their killing zones suggested that at least some of the seven attackers, now all dead, must have known the French capital or scoped it out intimately. That insider knowledge made the attacks more personal, suggesting to Parisians that enemies are in their midst, not thousands of miles (kilometers) away in the Middle East and Africa where France's military is actively involved in fighting extremism. Paris prosecutor Francois Molins said one of the Bataclan hostage-takers was born in France. The rampages also injured 352 people, 99 of them in critical condition. "What's very scary is that this time it was against public areas, anonymous people. It wasn't at all directed. It was just against 'the French.' We all could have been on the sidewalk of a cafe or at a concert," said Etienne Jeanson, a fashion designer who purposely didn't cancel an outdoor photo shoot on a swanky boulevard Saturday because "we're not going to stop our way of life just because of some big bastards." Eyes burning with anger, he said President Francois Hollande must redouble the fight against the Islamic State. "Just blow it all up," he said. "When there's gangrene, you have to treat it. Cut the leg off." ================= Obama says twisted ideology behind attack on civilized world By JOSH LEDERMAN and JULIE PACE Nov. 15, 2015 5:53 AM EST U.S. President Barack Obama waves as he arrives in Antalya, Turkey, Sunday, Nov. 15 2015 for the... Read more ANTALYA, Turkey (AP) — President Barack Obama pledged Sunday to redouble U.S. efforts eliminate the Islamic State and end the Syrian civil war that has fueled its rise, denouncing the extremist group's horrifying terror spree in Paris as "an attack on the civilized world." Opening two days of talks with world leaders in Turkey, Obama pledging U.S. solidarity with France in the effort to hunt down the perpetrators and bring them to justice. He said "the skies have been darkened" by the horrifying terror spree, but offered no details about what the U.S. or its coalition partners might do to step up its assault against the extremist group. "The killing of innocent people, based on a twisted ideology, is an attack not just on France, not just on Turkey, but it's an attack on the civilized world," Obama said after meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. In addition to the Paris attacks, IS is blamed for two bombings in Turkey this year that killed about 130 people. The specter of the Islamic State threat and Syria's civil war hanged over the Turkish seaside city of Antalya as Obama and other leaders descended for the Group of 20 summit of leading rich and developing nations. Although the overlapping crises were already on the lineup for the two days of talks, they were thrust to the forefront by elaborately coordinated attacks that killed 129 in the French capital just two days earlier, in the most destructive attack in the West blamed on the extremist group. World leaders gathering for the G-20 are looking to answer a critical question: Beyond tough talk, how will the world respond to bloodshed now extending far beyond the Islamic State group's foothold in the Middle East? Leaders in Europe, the U.S. and beyond have pledged to step up the response, with French President Francois Hollande vowing a "merciless" war on the Islamic State. Yet despite plenty of tough talk, there were few signs of an emerging consensus about exactly what that means. Asked by reporters whether he would consider additional action against IS following the Paris attacks, Obama declined to tip his hand. Obama's meeting with Erdogan came at the start of a 9-day trip to Turkey, the Philippines and Malaysia that has already been largely overshadowed by Friday's attacks in Paris and the related issues of Syria's civil war and the resulting migrant crisis. Obama said the U.S. stands with Turkey and Europe in the effort to reduce the flow of migrants, and Erdogan predicted a "strong message" on fighting terrorism would result from the summit. ============================================================= Sun Nov 15, 2015 | 9:16 PM EST France launches air strikes in Syria; Paris investigation widens 7:25 PM EST | 01:13 France launches air strikes in Syria France launches air strikes in Syria; Paris invest...X By Emmanuel Jarry and Robert-Jan Bartunek PARIS/BRUSSELS (Reuters) - French warplanes pounded Islamic State positions in Syria on Sunday as police in Europe widened their investigations into coordinated attacks in Paris that killed more than 130 people. Islamic State has claimed responsibility for Friday's suicide bombings and shootings, which have re-ignited a row over Europe's refugee crisis and drawn calls to block a huge influx of Muslim asylum-seekers. French police have launched an international hunt for a Belgian-born man they believe helped organize the assaults with two of his brothers. One of the brothers died in the attacks, while the second one is under arrest in Belgium, a judicial source said. A further two French suicide attackers have been identified, police said, while the identity of four other assailants, who all died in the violence, was still under review. France has been bombing Islamic State positions in Iraq and Syria for months as part of a U.S.-led operation. Following Friday's mayhem, Paris vowed to destroy the group. Underlining its resolve, French jets on Sunday launched their biggest raids in Syria to date, hitting its stronghold in Raqqa. "The raid ... including 10 fighter jets, was launched simultaneously from the United Arab Emirates and Jordan. Twenty bombs were dropped," the Defense Ministry said. Among the targets were a munitions depot and training camp, it said. There was no word on casualties or the damage inflicted. The Paris attacks were seen causing a short-term selloff in global stock markets on Monday, but few strategists expected a prolonged economic impact or change in prevailing market directions. SEVEN HELD IN BELGIUM The investigation into Friday's attacks, the worst atrocity in France since World War Two, led swiftly to Belgium after police discovered that two of the cars used by the Islamist militants had been rented in the Brussels region. By Sunday, Belgian officials said they had arrested seven people in Brussels. But one of the people who had hired the cars slipped through the fingers of the police. He was pulled over on the French-Belgian border on Saturday, but later released. Police named the man they were seeking as Salah Abdeslam, saying the 26-year-old was "dangerous". Although he was born in Brussels, French authorities said he was a French national. "The abject attacks that hit us on Friday were prepared abroad and mobilized a team in Belgium that benefited ... from help in France," French Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve told reporters after meeting his Belgian counterpart in Paris. Stunned by the carnage, thousands of people thronged to makeshift memorials at four of the sites where the attacks took place, laying flowers and lighting candles to remember the dead. Two more Frenchmen identified as Paris attackers: prosecutor French Muslims fear repercussions from Paris attacks Paris attacks: an international joint venture in violence "We are living a nightmare," said Caroline Pallut, whose 37-year-old cousin Maud Serrault died when gunmen attacked the Bataclan concert hall, killing at least 89 people -- the bloodiest single incident on Friday night. "It is all so senseless. She had only just got married." The death toll rose to 132, with three more people dying on Sunday from their wounds. Some 103 have been identified, including many young people and many foreigners, out relaxing on a Friday night in one of the world's most visited cities. In a sign that at least one gunman might have escaped, a source close to the investigation said a Seat car believed to have been used by the attackers had been found in the eastern Paris suburb of Montreuil with three Kalashnikov rifles inside. ATTACKER NAMED Police have formally named just one of the attackers: Ismael Omar Mostefai, 29, from Chartres, southwest of Paris. He was identified by the print from one of his fingers that was severed when his suicide vest exploded. French media named the two other French assailants as Bilal Hadfi and Ibrahim Abdeslam. RELATED VIDEO Video 00:46 Seven people detained following raids in Brussels: Belgian prosecutors Video 00:58 Obama: Paris attacks an "attack on the civilized world" Video 01:13 World shows solidarity after Paris attacks Police said they had found a Syrian passport near one of the other dead gunmen. Greece said the passport holder had crossed from Turkey to the Greek islands last month and then registered for asylum in Serbia before heading north, following a route taken by hundreds of thousands of asylum seekers this year. The news revived a furious a row within the European Union on how to handle the flood of refugees. Top Polish and Slovak officials poured cold water on an EU plan to relocate asylum seekers across the bloc, saying the violence underlined their concerns about taking in Muslim refugees. Bavarian allies of German Chancellor Angela Merkel called for a reversal of her "open-door" refugee policy, saying the attacks underlined the need for tougher controls. "The days of uncontrolled immigration and illegal entry can't continue just like that. Paris changes everything," Bavarian finance minister Markus Soeder told the Welt am Sonntag newspaper. France has declared three days of national mourning and President Francois Hollande will make a rare address to the joint upper and lower houses of parliament on Monday at the Palace of Versailles, just outside Paris. JITTERY MOOD Related Coverage Stunned for a day, Parisians return to square of solidarity Hundreds flee gathering in central Paris in apparent false alarm France calls EU meeting to boost cross-border security Canada sticks to refugee plan but security pressures mount after Paris attacks Illustrating the jittery mood in the French capital, hundreds of people gathered at a makeshift memorial in Place de la Republique scattered in panic on Sunday night when they thought shots had rung out. It was a false alarm, police said. Speaking in Vienna, Iraqi Foreign Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari said his country's intelligence services had shared information indicating that France, the United States and Iran were among countries at risk of an attack. At a G20 summit in Turkey, U.S. President Barack Obama vowed to step up efforts to eliminate Islamic State and prevent it carrying out attacks like those in Paris. EU leaders urged Russia to focus its military efforts on the radical Islamists. France was the first European state to join U.S. air strikes against Islamic State targets in Iraq, in September 2014, while a year later it extended its air strikes to Syria. Russia began its own air campaign in Syria in October, but has been targeting mainly areas controlled by other groups opposed to its ally, President Bashar al-Assad, Moscow's critics say. France had already been on high alert since Islamist gunmen stormed the satirical weekly Charlie Hebdo and a kosher supermarket in Paris in January, killing 17 people. Those attacks briefly united France in defense of freedom of speech, with a mass demonstration of more than a million people. But far-right populist Marine Le Pen is now making gains by blaming France's security problems on immigration and Islam. "By spreading out migrants through the villages and towns of France, there is a fear that terrorists will take advantage of these population flows to hit out at us," she said after meeting the French president on Sunday. (Additional reporting by Matthias Blamont, John Irish, Leigh Thomas, Ingrid Melander, Michael Nienaber, Matt Spetalnick, Dasha Afanasieva, Stephen Kalin, Saif Hameed, Anthony Paone, Marine Pennetier, Barbara Lewis, Robert-Jan Bartunek, Claire Watson and Rodrigo Campos; Writing by Crispian Balmer; Editing by Philippa Fletcher and Kevin Liffey)

Friday, November 13, 2015

At least 500 dead: Death toll climbing in Paris-Beirut-Baghdad-Amman attacks

At least 500 dead: Death toll climbing in Paris-Beirut-Baghdad-Amman attacks Letter of Invitation: I would be available to answer any queries regarding best suburbs to integrate socially, just to let you know 21 suburbs of South Australia which are red-flagged by Australian banks. I am happy to provide detail answers to any questions with reference to Property Investment, Subdivision, Development, Buying/ Selling Residential, Commercial, Rural Properties and Businesses. I am available in person (Tue/Thu at 1289 South Rd, St. Marys, SA 5042 12 to 5 p.m) or on cell to answer any questions, and concerns you have to decide about your Real Estate. (Cell: 0431 138 537, Email: Saqlain@Dukesrealestate.com) Click here to invest in South Australian Residential Commercial, Rural Properties, Schools & Businesses. Reuters Edition: U.S. Home Business Markets World Politics Tech Opinion Breakingviews Money Life Pictures Video Breaking News: As many as 100 reported dead in Bataclan Paris concert venue: BFM TV Paris attacks Live coverage of the developing situation in Paris, where shootings and explosions have been reported. < Newest 1 2 3 Oldest > Mass casualties in Paris attacks French police with protective shields walk in line near the Bataclan concert hall following fatal shootings in Paris. REUTERS/Christian Hartmann by cassandra.garrison French fire brigade members aid an injured individual near the Bataclan concert hall following fatal shootings in Paris, France, November 13, 2015. REUTERS/Christian Hartmann by cassandra.garrison French riot police secure the area near the Bataclan concert hall following a fatal shooting at a restaurant in Paris. REUTERS/Christian Hartmann by cassandra.garrison 1 of 3 The death toll has risen to 140 in a series of attacks in Paris. About 100 people were killed in the Bataclan concert hall in central Paris and 40 others have died in other locations in and around Paris in a militant attack, an official at Paris City hall said. Gunmen and bombers attacked busy restaurants, bars and a concert hall at locations around Paris on Friday evening, killing dozens of people in what a shaken President Francois Hollande described as an unprecedented terrorist attack Read more World reacts in shock, solidarity after Paris attacks Obama calls Paris attacks 'outrageous attempt to terrorize' civilians by cassandra.garrison 11:52 AM Live video from the scene of the attacks in Paris. by cassandra.garrison 11:52 AM Share Make a comment Options Live Updating The body of a victim is seen covered, along the sidewalk outside a cafe at the Bataclan concert hall following fatal shootings in Paris. REUTERS/Christian Hartmann by cassandra.garrison 12:13 PM People gather outside the La Pitie Salpetriere following a series of deadly attacks in Paris. REUTERS/Gonazlo Fuentes by cassandra.garrison 12:12 PM A French policeman assists a blood-covered victim near the Bataclan concert hall following attacks in Paris. REUTERS/Philippe Wojazer by cassandra.garrison 12:08 PM Paris attacks toll could reach 120, five assailants killed - prosecutor The death toll from several attacks across Paris on Friday could reach over 120, and at least five of the assailants have been killed, Paris Public Prosecutor Francois Molins said on television. (Reporting by Bate Felix; Editing by Ingrid Melander) by cassandra.garrison 12:06 PM “I was at the cinema and we all started getting messages. We didn’t know if we were safe or what was going on. At the end of the film everyone was walking out, still not understanding what was happening. The manager told us that if we were planning to stay in the cinema that we should hide in the back of the building. Everyone was hesitating between staying and going and outside there were soldiers in uniform and a car drove past full of military people. After a while I decided to leave the cinema and cycle home, and there were no cars on the street but there were some taxis." - Tristan Sanchez, Paris resident who was at MK2 Bastille cinema near Bataclan at time of attack. Reporting by Elizabeth Culliford. by cassandra.garrison 12:04 PM Police patrol on the Boulevard Voltaire following a series of deadly attacks in Paris. REUTERS/Benoit Tessier by cassandra.garrison 12:02 PM Port Authority Police are on heightened alert at all of the agency's bridge, tunnel, rail, World Trade Center and other facilities, following today's tragic attacks in Paris. Actions include increased patrols and checks of bags, buses, trucks and trains at agency locations. Travelers are reminded to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activities to police or other authorities. - NY Port Authority statement by cassandra.garrison 11:59 AM Police patrol near Notre Dame Cathedral following a series of deadly attacks in Paris. REUTERS/Gonazlo Fuentes by cassandra.garrison 11:51 AM World reacts in shock, solidarity after Paris attacks World leaders responded with shock and pledges of solidarity for France following the killing of scores of people in attacks in Paris on Friday night, though there was little action any could immediately take. The United Nations Security Council issued a statement condemning "barbaric and cowardly terrorist attacks" involving assailants using guns and bombs on several venues, including the national sports stadium and a major music venue. Divided on many issues, including on the war in Syria that has fueled Islamist violence, the United States and Russia both voiced their support in messages to French President Francois Hollande. Read more by cassandra.garrison 11:48 AM Gunmen who stormed a Paris concert hall killing several people and taking hostages have been killed, French President Francois Hollande said on Friday, adding that France would be ruthless against those who carried out the attacks. "The terrorists who were not far from here were killed," Hollande said on television after visiting a security command centre near the Bataclan concert hall where the gunmen held people hostage before an assault by security forces. (Reporting by Bate Felix; Editing by Ingrid Melander nd Ralph Boulton) by cassandra.garrison 11:46 AM Eurostar says trains will run on Saturday but offering free exchange to those who do not wish to travel after Paris attacks by cassandra.garrison 11:42 AM Here's a map of the attacks in Paris from our graphics team. by cassandra.garrison 11:39 AM John Kerry @JohnKerry U.S. will support French people in any way we can & continue to stand for liberté, égalité, fraternité. 1:05 AM - 14 Nov 2015Reply Retweet Favorite John Kerry @JohnKerry I join @POTUS in condemning Paris terrorist attacks. They are an assault on humanity and freedom-loving people. 1:04 AM - 14 Nov 2015Reply Retweet Favorite by elizabeth.culliford 11:38 AM French police with protective shields walk in line near the Bataclan concert hall following fatal shootings in Paris. REUTERS/Christian Hartmann by cassandra.garrison 11:36 AM Élysée @Elysee "Les terroristes capables de telles atrocités doivent savoir qu'il auront face à eux une France déterminée et unie" #Bataclan 12:55 AM - 14 Nov 2015Reply Retweet Favorite Translation: "Terrorists capable of such atrocities must know that a determined and united France will face them. #Bataclan". by elizabeth.culliford 11:31 AM New York bolsters security at tourist areas after deadly Paris attacks The New York Police Department said it had bolstered security at high-profile locations around the largest U.S. city on Friday in response to what officials believe were coordinated attacks in Paris which have killed at least 140 people. After news of the carnage, officers from the NYPD's Counterterrorism Response Command and other special units were deployed to guard areas of the city that attract tourists, as well as the French Consulate in midtown Manhattan, police said. "Teams have been dispatched to crowded areas around the city out of an abundance of caution to provide police presence and public reassurance as we follow the developing situation overseas," the NYPD said in a statement. Read more by cassandra.garrison 11:30 AM The Greek Analyst @GreekAnalyst François Hollande’s address regarding #ParisAttacks (Translation by Reuters) https://t.co/TfV5pcopGc 12:55 AM - 14 Nov 2015Reply Retweet Favorite by jamillah.knowles 11:28 AM BREAKING: Belgium imposes new checks on French frontier, rail and air arrivals after Paris attacks, PM summons security cabinet: spokesman by cassandra.garrison 11:24 AM Angelique Chrisafis @achrisafis #paris Bataclan: more emergency vehicles rushing into the wider area & firefighters getting suited up 12:52 AM - 14 Nov 2015Reply Retweet Favorite by jamillah.knowles 11:23 AM Sruthi Gottipati @GoSruthi Rescue workers carrying injured on stretchers into a cafe that's been turned into a makeshift emergency area https://t.co/tZFEtkP3JE 12:28 AM - 14 Nov 2015Reply Retweet Favorite by elizabeth.culliford 11:22 AM renaud capucon @RCapucon https://t.co/hTCKrkq1DZ 11:29 PM - 13 Nov 2015Reply Retweet Favorite Paris information board says - "We ask you to stay at home until instructions from the authorities" by jamillah.knowles 11:18 AM American Airlines delays Paris flights; United operates as planned American Airlines, the world's biggest carrier by passenger traffic, said on Friday it was delaying flights to Paris in response to the explosions and shooting attacks there, even though French airports remained open. "Currently Charles de Gaulle International Airport is open, however, we are holding our remaining departures this evening to Paris until we have additional information," American Airlines spokesman Joshua Freed said. United Continental said its three scheduled flights would still depart for Paris on Friday evening from hubs in Chicago, Newark and Washington, D.C. "We're operating our schedule as planned," spokesman Charles Hobart said. A Delta spokesman had no comment. The French foreign ministry said airports would remain open, and flights and train service would continue. (Reporting by Alwyn Scott; Editing by David Gregorio) by cassandra.garrison 11:16 AM Paris @Paris Information Number for Tourists in Paris: +33 (0) 1 45 55 80 00 cc @prefpolice 12:44 AM - 14 Nov 2015Reply Retweet Favorite by jamillah.knowles 11:15 AM Reuters TV @ReutersTV .@POTUS on Paris attacks: https://t.co/kYx56PK2pD https://t.co/7K5Pe2MxMJ 7:42 PM - 13 Nov 2015Reply Retweet Favorite by cassandra.garrison 11:13 AM by natalie.armstrong 11:05 AM Darky Blue @DarkBlueShell NYC with Paris ❤️ https://t.co/eA2CqYvaiQ 12:24 AM - 14 Nov 2015Reply Retweet Favorite by jamillah.knowles 11:05 AM BREAKING: About 100 people killed in Bataclan concert venue, 40 others dead in other locations around Paris: city official by cassandra.garrison 11:03 AM @TommyDolan: You should be able to find the Facebook page for people to check in here. Paris Terror Attacks Facebook Safety Check. by jamillah.knowles 11:02 AM What is the FB page please for people to inform their safe, cannot find it, we stand with you France. by Tommy Dolan 11:01 AM R @MaliciaRogue For witness accounts, please call 197 #Paris #FusilladeParis https://t.co/hq1xip3zpM 12:24 AM - 14 Nov 2015Reply Retweet Favorite by jamillah.knowles 10:58 AM Élysée @Elysee Les membres du @gouvernementFR se sont réunis dès ce soir autour de @fhollande à la suite des attaques à Paris https://t.co/0ySBrudbEZ 12:20 AM - 14 Nov 2015Reply Retweet Favorite Translation: Members of the @gouvernementFR rallied around @fhollande this evening following the attacks in Paris. by elizabeth.culliford 10:58 AM France to keep airports open, flights, rail services continue France's foreign ministry said airports in the country would remain open and flights and rail services would continue despite co-ordinated attacks across Paris. "Airports continue to function. Airline flights and train services will be assured," the ministry said in a statement. (Reporting By John Irish) by cassandra.garrison 10:56 AM We are still currently trying to determine the safety and whereabouts of all our band and crew. Our thoughts are with all of the people involved in this tragic situation. Eagles Of Death Metal via Facebook at 6:44 PM by cassandra.garrison 10:52 AM France's Hollande cancels G20 meeting attendance this weekend - sources French President Francois Hollande cancelled his participation to this weekend's G20 meeting in Turkey following the deadly attacks in Paris, government sources told Reuters on Saturday. A diplomatic source said Finance Minister Michel Sapin and Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius, who will first go to Vienna for the Syria talks, will attend the G20 meeting instead. (Reporting by John Irish and Elizabeth Pineau; writing by Michel Rose) by cassandra.garrison 10:50 AM Police storming the Bataclon theatre #MegaModelParis #MegaModelUK #MegaModelMilan #MegaModelNYC #MegaModelMontreal #nyfw #lfw #pfw #mfw #mbfwBerlin by megamodelnyc via Instagram by cassandra.garrison 10:50 AM As many as 100 reported dead in Bataclan Paris concert venue: BFM TV by cassandra.garrison 10:48 AM Je suis (de) Paris! by Viktor Nečas MgrTr 10:45 AM French fire brigade members gather near the Bataclan concert hall following fatal shootings in Paris, France, November 14, 2015. REUTERS/Christian Hartmann by jamillah.knowles 10:44 AM UPDATE: French foreign ministry says airports to remain open, flights, trains to continue. by cassandra.garrison 10:44 AM Élysée @Elysee Par ailleurs le président @fhollande ne participera pas au G20 dimanche à Antalya. Il sera représenté par @LaurentFabius et Michel Sapin 2/2 12:04 AM - 14 Nov 2015Reply Retweet Favorite Translation: Furthermore President @fhollande will not participate in the G20 Sunday in Antalya. He will be represented by @LaurentFabius and Michel Sapin. (2/2) by elizabeth.culliford 10:43 AM Republican presidential candidate Jeb Bush declared the Paris attacks part of the "war of our time". “This is a war by Islamic terrorists,” Bush told conservative talk show host Hugh Hewitt. “This is an organized effort to destroy Western civilization.” “And we need to lead in this regard. This is the war of our time.” Reporting by Steve Holland by Leela de Kretser 10:43 AM Police operation at Paris Bataclan concert hall over The assault launched by elite police units at the Bataclan concert hall in Paris where assailants held people hostage is over, a Reuters reporter at the scene said. Two attackers were killed in the assault, BFM TV reported. (Reporting by Anthony Paone; writing by Michel Rose; Editing by Ingrid Melander) by cassandra.garrison 10:41 AM Élysée @Elysee À la suite des événements à Paris ce soir, le président @fhollande réunira un Conseil de défense demain matin à 9h à l'Élysée 1/2 12:02 AM - 14 Nov 2015Reply Retweet Favorite Translation: Following the events in Paris this evening, President @fhollande will bring together the Defense Council tomorrow morning at 9 o'clock at the Elysee (1/2) by elizabeth.culliford 10:41 AM Facebook has launched a facility for people in Paris to mark themselves as 'safe' in order to let friends and relatives see that they are ok. by jamillah.knowles 10:41 AM The U.S. Embassy in Paris is making every effort to account for American citizens in the city following a series of attacks on Friday, Secretary of State John Kerry said in a statement. He said the United States stands ready to provide whatever support the French government may require. Kerry is in Vienna for international talks on ways to end the war in Syria. (Reporting by Eric Beech) by cassandra.garrison 10:35 AM UN security council condemns "barbaric and cowardly terrorist attacks" in Paris. by cassandra.garrison 10:35 AM BREAKING: French President Hollande cancels participation at G20 meeting in Turkey this weekend: sources by cassandra.garrison 10:34 AM French President Francois Hollande said a state of emergency would be declared across France and national borders shut following a spate of attacks in Paris on Friday evening in which he said dozens were killed and several wounded. "It is horror," Hollande said in a brief statement on television, adding that a cabinet meeting had been called. "A state of emergency will be declared," he said. "The second measure will be the closure of national borders," he added. "We must ensure that no one comes in to commit any act whatsoever, and at the same time make sure that those who have committed these crimes should be arrested if they try to leave the country, he added. Hollande said he had asked for military reinforcements in the Paris area to ensure that no attack can again take place. (Reporting by Bate Felix and Ingrid Melander; editing by Ralph Boulton) by cassandra.garrison 10:32 AM READER COMMENT: I am from Turkey. We are with you Paris.I am sorry by Bugra_es edited by cassandra.garrison 10:31 AM NATO says stands with France against terrorism NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said the Atlantic defence alliance would stand with France "strong and united" against terrorism, following the killing of dozens of people in Paris on Friday night. "I am deeply shocked by the horrific terrorist attacks across Paris tonight. My thoughts are with the families of the victims, with all those affected, and with the people of France," he said. "We stand strong and united in the fight against terrorism. Terrorism will never defeat democracy." (Reporting by Alastair Macdonald) by cassandra.garrison 10:30 AM Map showing location of Paris attacks as of 23:16 GMT by elizabeth.culliford 10:30 AM French police secure the area near the Bataclan concert hall following fatal shootings in Paris, France, November 13, 2015. REUTERS/Philippe Wojazer by jamillah.knowles 10:28 AM People react as they gather to watch the scene near the Bataclan concert hall following fatal shootings in Paris, France, November 13, 2015. REUTERS/Christian Hartmann by jamillah.knowles 10:26 AM Angelique Chrisafis @achrisafis #paris one Bataclan survivor of hostage-taking told me: 'it was carnage' 10:48 PM - 13 Nov 2015Reply Retweet Favorite Angelique Chrisafis @achrisafis #paris Bataclan wounded on stretchers being carried to nearby brasserie make-shift medical centre 11:54 PM - 13 Nov 2015Reply Retweet Favorite by jamillah.knowles 10:26 AM Kerry says Paris embassy making every effort to account for U.S. citizens after attacks: State Dept. by cassandra.garrison 10:26 AM BREAKING: Police operation at Bataclan concert venue over, two attackers killed: BFM TV by cassandra.garrison 10:25 AM Video of statement by the president @fhollande following the attacks in Paris: Élysée @Elysee Déclaration du président @fhollande à la suite des attaques à Paris https://t.co/f15aqxd1J7 11:43 PM - 13 Nov 2015Reply Retweet Favorite by elizabeth.culliford 10:25 AM Video footage purporting to be from inside the Bataclan is emerging on Twitter showing a horrific scene. Reuters was unable to immediately verify the video. WARNING: Graphic content. Alex Wyatt @alex_wyatt >>>>>>>!!!!!!!!! FOOTAGE FROM INSIDE #BATACLAN #PARISSHOOTING #REUTERS #LIVE https://t.co/KGQr7Lnymj 6:06 PM - 13 Nov 2015Reply Retweet Favorite by Leela de Kretser 10:23 AM NATO chief Stoltenberg says alliance stands with France, "terrorism will never defeat democracy." by cassandra.garrison 10:21 AM Justin Trudeau @JustinTrudeau I am shocked and saddened that so many people have been killed and injured in violent attacks in #Paris. Canada stands with France. 11:38 PM - 13 Nov 2015Reply Retweet Favorite by jamillah.knowles 10:21 AM TERRORIST ATTACKS ON OUR STREETS RIGHT NOW IN PARIS AND KAMIKAZES AT THE STADE, PLEASE STAY AT HOME MY FRIENDS !!! 😢😢😢💔 #paris #terroristattackparis #terroristattacks #bataclan #stadedefrance #republique #prayforus #devasted #terrorist by french.adventurer via Instagram by cassandra.garrison 10:20 AM Alexis Tsipras @tsipras_eu Nos plus profondes condoléances aux familles des victimes. En ce moment difficile toute la Grèce se trouve aux côtés du peuple français. 11:40 PM - 13 Nov 2015Reply Retweet Favorite Our deepest condolences to the families of victims. In this difficult time throughout Greece sits alongside the French people. by jamillah.knowles 10:19 AM < Newest 1 2 3 Oldest > Powered by ScribbleLive Content Marketing Software Platform World News Photo Dozens killed in attacks in Paris, Hollande declares emergency PARIS Gunmen and bombers attacked busy restaurants, bars and a concert hall at locations around Paris on Friday, killing dozens of people in what a shaken President Francois Hollande described as an unprecedented terrorist attack. | Video U.S. 'reasonably certain' that British Islamic State militant Jihadi John killed in strike | Video Kurdish forces seize Iraq's Sinjar town from Islamic State | Video Magnitude 7.0 quake hits off southern coast of Japan: USGS » More News Related Topics: World Global Markets Technology Politics Entertainment Back to top Reuters.com Business Markets World Politics Technology Opinion Money Pictures Videos Site Index More from Reuters Reuters News Agency Brand Attribution Guidelines Delivery Options Support & Contact Support Corrections Connect with Reuters Twitter Facebook LinkedIn RSS Podcast Newsletters Mobile About Privacy Policy Terms of Use Advertise With Us AdChoices Copyright Our Flagship financial information platform incorporating Reuters Insider An ultra-low latency infrastructure for electronic trading and data distribution A connected approach to governance, risk and compliance Our next generation legal research platform Our global tax workstation Thomsonreuters.com About Thomson Reuters Investor Relations Careers Contact Us Thomson Reuters is the world's largest international multimedia news agency, providing investing news, world news, business news, technology news, headline news, small business news, news alerts, personal finance, stock market, and mutual funds information available on Reuters.com, video, mobile, and interactive television platforms. Thomson Reuters journalists are subject to an Editorial Handbook which requires fair presentation and disclosure of relevant interests. NYSE and AMEX quotes delayed by at least 20 minutes. Nasdaq delayed by at least 15 minutes. For a complete list of exchanges and delays, please click here. World | Fri Nov 13, 2015 6:50pm EST Related: World, France At least 60 dead in Paris shootings, hostages held: French media PARIS France was rocked by multiple, near simultaneous attacks on entertainment sites around Paris on Friday evening and French media said at least 60 people were killed and hostages were being held in a concert hall in the capital. The apparently coordinated gun and bomb attacks came as the country, a founder member of the U.S.-led coalition waging air strikes against Islamic State fighters in Syria and Iraq, was on high alert for terrorist attacks ahead of a global climate conference that opens later this month. Western security sources said they suspected an Islamist militant group was behind the carnage. At least two explosions were heard near the Stade de France national stadium where a France-Germany friendly soccer match was being played, attended by President Francois Hollande. The match continued until the end but panic broke out in the crowd as rumors of the attack spread, and spectators were held in the stadium and assembled spontaneously on the pitch. There were reports of possibly as many as four shootings in central Paris, one of which turned into a hostage taking at a popular rock music venue, witnesses said. TF1 television said up to 35 people were dead near the soccer stadium, including two suspected suicide bombers in the attack in the neighborhood of Saint Denis, north of central Paris. Related Coverage › Explosions, gunshots heard near Bataclan concert hall Paris: witness › U.N. chief condemns 'despicable attacks' in Paris, demands release of hostages › Germany's Merkel says deeply shaken by attacks in Paris › At least 40 dead, 60 wounded in Paris attacks: police source Police helicopters circled the stadium as Hollande was rushed back to the interior ministry to deal with the situation. The president's office said he had called an emergency cabinet meeting for midnight (2300 GMT) to manage the crisis. Police confirmed there had been shootings and explosions at the stadium, but not the number of casualties. In central Paris, shooting erupted in mid-evening outside a Cambodian restaurant in the capital's 10th district and the Bataclan music hall, where bystanders were evacuated as elite police commandos took up position. Related Video image: http://s3.reutersmedia.net/resources/r/?d=20151113&i=113538227&w=140&r=113538227-1&t=2 Video Obama: "This is an attack on all of humanity" Several witnesses told television stations that up to 60 hostages were being held inside the popular concert venue. "There are lots of people here. I don’t know what’s happening, a sobbing witness who gave her name only as Anna told BFM TV outside the Bataclan hall. "It’s horrible. There’s a body over there. It’s horrible." Elsewhere, police cordoned off a wide area around the Petit Cambodge restaurant where witnesses said gunmen armed with Kalashnikov assault rifles had fired at diners through the plate-glass windows, causing multiple casualties. Related Coverage › France to decree state of emergency, shut borders: Hollande › Obama calls Paris attacks 'outrageous attempt to terrorize' civilians › French President calls emergency cabinet meeting on attacks › Kerry closely monitoring Paris events, embassy working to account for U.S. citizens: State Dept official › U.S. not increasing security following Paris attacks: official "I was on my way to my sister's when I heard shots being fired. Then I saw three people dead on the ground, I know they were dead because they were being wrapped up in plastic bags," student Fabien Baron told Reuters. There were also reports of shootings in rue de Charonne in the 11th district and at the central Les Halles shopping center. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the Paris attacks, which came within days of attacks claimed by Islamic State militants on a Shi'ite Muslim district of southern Beirut in Lebanon, and a Russian tourist aircraft which crashed in Egypt's Sinai Peninsula. Earlier on Friday, the United States and Britain said they had launched an attack in the Syrian town of Rakka on a British Islamic State militant known as "Jihadi John" but it was not certain whether he had been killed. (Reporting by Paris Newsroom; Writing by Paul Taylor; Editing by James Dalgleish) Read more at Reutershttp://www.reuters.com/article/2015/11/13/us-france-shooting-idUSKCN0T22IU20151113#jilOpBx4tHzf07do.99 ====== Breaking News: Five explosions heard at Bataclan concert venue where hostages held, after French President Hollande says police assault under way Reuters Edition: U.S. Sign In Register Home Business Markets World Politics Tech Opinion Breakingviews Money Life Pictures Video Breaking News: Five explosions heard at Bataclan concert venue where hostages held, after French President Hollande says police assault under way Paris attacks Live coverage of the developing situation in Paris, where shootings and explosions have been reported. < Newest 1 2 Oldest > Live coverage of Paris attacks. by cassandra.garrison 8:25 AM Death toll climbing in Paris attacks French fire brigade members aid an injured individual near the Bataclan concert hall following fatal shootings in Paris, France, November 13, 2015. REUTERS/Christian Hartmann by cassandra.garrison French riot police secure the area near the Bataclan concert hall following a fatal shooting at a restaurant in Paris. REUTERS/Christian Hartmann by cassandra.garrison 1 of 2 France was rocked by multiple, near simultaneous attacks on entertainment sites around Paris on Friday evening and French media said at least 60 people were killed and hostages were being held in a concert hall in the capital. The apparently coordinated gun and bomb attacks came as the country, a founder member of the U.S.-led coalition waging air strikes against Islamic State fighters in Syria and Iraq, was on high alert for terrorist attacks ahead of a global climate conference that opens later this month. Western security sources said they suspected an Islamist militant group was behind the carnage. Read more Obama calls Paris attacks 'outrageous attempt to terrorize' civilians Around 60 people inside Paris concert hall where shots heard: BBC editor U.S. officials believe Paris attacks were coordinated: source by cassandra.garrison 9:16 AM Share Make a comment Options Live Updating NATO chief Stoltenberg says alliance stands with France, "terrorism will never defeat democracy." by cassandra.garrison 10:21 AM Justin Trudeau @JustinTrudeau I am shocked and saddened that so many people have been killed and injured in violent attacks in #Paris. Canada stands with France. 11:38 PM - 13 Nov 2015Reply Retweet Favorite by jamillah.knowles 10:21 AM TERRORIST ATTACKS ON OUR STREETS RIGHT NOW IN PARIS AND KAMIKAZES AT THE STADE, PLEASE STAY AT HOME MY FRIENDS !!! 😢😢😢💔 #paris #terroristattackparis #terroristattacks #bataclan #stadedefrance #republique #prayforus #devasted #terrorist by french.adventurer via Instagram by cassandra.garrison 10:20 AM Alexis Tsipras @tsipras_eu Nos plus profondes condoléances aux familles des victimes. En ce moment difficile toute la Grèce se trouve aux côtés du peuple français. 11:40 PM - 13 Nov 2015Reply Retweet Favorite Our deepest condolences to the families of victims. In this difficult time throughout Greece sits alongside the French people. by jamillah.knowles 10:19 AM Anton Troianovski @AntonWSJ State secretary in German finance ministry: spontaneous moment of silence at EU finance talks in Brussels tonight https://t.co/sIRGjW9nSd 11:42 PM - 13 Nov 2015Reply Retweet Favorite by jamillah.knowles 10:18 AM Here's a file photo of Stade de France stadium in Paris where at least two explosions were heard nearby during France-Germany friendly football match was being played. REUTERS/Regis Duvignau by cassandra.garrison 10:16 AM François Hollande @fhollande Face à l'effroi, il y a une Nation qui sait se défendre, sait mobiliser ses forces et, une fois encore, saura vaincre les terroristes. 11:22 PM - 13 Nov 2015Reply Retweet Favorite by elizabeth.culliford 10:14 AM Explosions, gunshots heard near Bataclan concert hall Paris - witness A series of explosions and gunshots were heard around the Paris Bataclan concert hall where hostages were being held on Friday, two Reuters witness at the scene said. French President Francois Hollande said earlier that an assault was underway after a spate of attacks across the French capital. Reuters witnesses heard five successive explosions followed by gunshots. (Reporting by Geert De Clercq and Marine Pennetier; Writing by Bate Felix; editing by Ralph Boulton) by cassandra.garrison 10:14 AM by natalie.armstrong 10:10 AM French fire brigade members secure the area near the Bataclan concert hall following fatal shootings in Paris, France, November 13, 2015. REUTERS/Christian Hartmann by jamillah.knowles 10:10 AM United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon condemned on Friday the "despicable terrorist attacks" carried out in Paris. "He demands the immediate release of the numerous individuals reportedly being held hostage in the Bataclan theatre," a spokesman for Ban said in a statement. (Reporting by Michelle Nichols; Editing by Eric Beech) by cassandra.garrison 10:09 AM New York mayor says city is ready for any potential attacks New York Mayor Bill de Blasio said on Friday the city was on constant alert and ready for any potential attacks that may follow what U.S. security officials believe was a series of coordinated attacks on the French capital. "Every time we see an attack like this it is a reminder to be prepared to be vigilant,” de Blasio told ABC 7 television. (Reporting By Frank McGurty; Editing by Chris Reese) by cassandra.garrison 10:09 AM French riot police secure the area near the Bataclan concert hall following a fatal shooting at a restaurant in Paris, France, November 13, 2015. REUTERS/Christian Hartmann by jamillah.knowles 10:09 AM Obama calls Paris attacks 'outrageous attempt to terrorize' civilians U.S. President Barack Obama pledged his government's support to France on Friday after a series of attacks in Paris, but said he did not yet know the details of what had happened and that the situation was still unfolding. "Once again we've seen an outrageous attempt to terrorize innocent civilians," Obama told reporters at the White House. "We stand prepared and ready to provide whatever assistance that the government and the people of France need," he said, and pledged to "bring these terrorists to justice and go after any terrorist networks" involved. "Those who think that they can terrorize the people of France or the values that they stand for are wrong," Obama said. (Reporting by Roberta Rampton; Editing by Mohammad Zargham) by cassandra.garrison 10:07 AM French fire brigade members aid an injured individual near the Bataclan concert hall following fatal shootings in Paris, France, November 13, 2015. REUTERS/Christian Hartmann by jamillah.knowles 10:07 AM Germany's Merkel says deeply shaken by attacks in Paris German Chancellor Angela Merkel said early on Saturday that she was deeply shaken by a series of attacks in Paris that French media said had killed at least 60 people. "I am deeply shaken by the news and pictures that are reaching us from Paris. My thoughts in these hours are with the victims of what appears to be a terrorist attack, as well as with their relatives and all people in Paris," she said in a statement. "The German government is in contact with the French government and has passed on a message of sympathy and solidarity from the German people," Merkel added. (Reporting by Noah Barkin; Editing by Paul Carrel) by cassandra.garrison 10:05 AM Dianne Gallagher @DianneG City-wide curfew now in place in #Paris...the first time this has happened since 1944. 11:17 PM - 13 Nov 2015Reply Retweet Favorite by jamillah.knowles 10:05 AM French fire brigade members aid an injured individual near the Bataclan concert hall following fatal shootings in Paris, France, November 13, 2015. REUTERS/Christian Hartmann by jamillah.knowles 10:04 AM U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter is closely monitoring the situation after attacks in Paris on Friday, the Pentagon said in a statement. The Pentagon said it was not aware of any Defense Department personnel affected by the attacks. Carter hopes to talk with his French counterpart, Defense Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian, this weekend, the statement said. (Reporting by Eric Beech; Editing by Mohammad Zargham) by cassandra.garrison 10:03 AM Rescue services near covered bodies outside a restaurant following a shooting incident in Paris, France, November 13, 2015. REUTERS/Philippe Wojazer by jamillah.knowles 10:03 AM BREAKING: All schools, universities in Paris region to be closed Saturday by cassandra.garrison 10:00 AM The NYPD is in close touch with our French police counterparts as well as our FBI partners here, following the tragic events in Paris. Out of an abundance of caution, as part of an enhanced counterterrorism overlay the Counterterrorism Bureau has made the following deployments: the NYPD Counterterrorism Response Command (CRC) resources as well as the Critical Response Group (SRG), and Hercules Teams have been dispatched to crowded areas around the city out of an abundance of caution to provide police presence, and public reassurance as we follow the developing situation overseas. Specific deployments, at French government locations in New York City, were made immediately after the attacks. NYPD Intelligence Bureau Detectives in France are conducting liaison activities to assist the Paris Police in any way possible, while keeping the NYPD updated on the on-going situation. There is no known indication that the attack has any nexus to New York City. We will continue to follow events closely and adjust our deployments accordingly. -- NYPD statement on Paris attacks by cassandra.garrison 9:59 AM Five explosions heard at Bataclan music hall where hostages held after French president says police assault is underway. by cassandra.garrison 9:58 AM Here's some fresh reporting from Reuters journalist Andrew Chung: Julien Pierce, a journalist from Europe1 radio, was inside the Bataclan concert hall when the shootings occurred. In an eyewitness report posted to the network’s website, Pierce said several “very young” individuals, who were not wearing masks, entered the hall while the concert was underway armed with kalachnikov automatic rifles and started “blindly shooting at the crowd.” Pierce said the shooting lasted for 12 or 15 minutes. “It was extremely violent and there was a wave of panic. Everyone ran toward the stage.” He did not hear the attackers make any demands. Pierce said he escaped through an emergency exit. There, he saw about ten bodies on the ground in pools of blood. by cassandra.garrison 9:58 AM Police control crowds leaving the Stade de France where explosions were reported to have detonated outside the stadium during the France vs German friendly match near Paris, November 13, 2015. REUTERS/Gonazlo Fuentes by jamillah.knowles 9:57 AM NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio says city is on constant alert and ready for any potential attacks: ABC 7 by cassandra.garrison 9:57 AM BREAKING: Five explosions heard near Bataclan concert hall in Paris: Reuters witness by cassandra.garrison 9:56 AM U.N. chief Ban ki-Moon condemns "despicable attacks" in Paris, demands immediate release of hostages in theater. by cassandra.garrison 9:55 AM UPDATE: Several Paris Metro lines closed after attacks: RATP Transport Authority by cassandra.garrison 9:54 AM BREAKING: Shots being heard on French television near Bataclan concert hall in Paris. by cassandra.garrison 9:53 AM Police stand outside the Stade de France where explosions were reported to have detonated outside the stadium during the France vs German friendly soccer match near Paris, November 13, 2015. REUTERS/Benoit Tessier by jamillah.knowles 9:52 AM A man lies on the ground as French police check his identity near the Bataclan concert hall following fatal shootings in Paris, France, November 13, 2015. The man was later released after his identity was verified. REUTERS/Christian Hartmann by jamillah.knowles 9:51 AM Ahmar Khan @AhmarSKhan Paris citizens being encouraged to use #portesouvertes or #opendoors if they cannot get home safely. Situation escalating. #ParisAttacks 11:06 PM - 13 Nov 2015Reply Retweet Favorite On Twitter, people are encouraging each other to open their doors for anyone who feels they need to get off the streets. The hashtag for these updates is #portesouvertes or #opendoors in English. by jamillah.knowles 9:49 AM UPDATE: Germany's Merkel says deeply distressed by news and pictures from Paris, thoughts with the victims. by cassandra.garrison 9:45 AM Melissa Kent @KentUNCBC In #Paris the hashtag #portesouvertes or #opendoors being used for anyone looking for safe shelter/ cannot get home https://t.co/i0xDbCVeyd 10:47 PM - 13 Nov 2015Reply Retweet Favorite by jamillah.knowles 9:43 AM France to decree state of emergency, shut borders - Hollande French President Francois Hollande said a state of emergency would be declared across France and national borders shut following a spate of attacks in Paris on Friday evening in which he said dozens were killed. Hollande said in a brief statement on television that a cabinet meeting had been called. "A state of emergency will be declared," Hollande said. "The second measure will be the closure of national borders," he added. (Reporting by Bate Felix and Ingrid Melander; editing by Ralph Boulton) by cassandra.garrison 9:41 AM Police stand outside the Stade de France where explosions were reported to have detonated outside the stadium during the France vs German friendly soccer match near Paris, November 13, 2015. REUTERS/Gonazlo Fuentes by jamillah.knowles 9:41 AM German foreign ministry says foreign minister Steinmeier shocked and distressed at Paris attacks. "We stand by France." by cassandra.garrison 9:40 AM Obama calls Paris attacks 'outrageous attempt to terrorize' civilians President Barack Obama pledged his government's support to France on Friday after a series of attacks in Paris, but said he did not yet know the details of what had happened and that the situation was still unfolding. "Once again we've seen an outrageous attempt to terrorize innocent civilians," Obama told reporters at the White House. "We stand prepared and ready to provide whatever assistance that the government and the people of France need," he said, and pledged to "bring these terrorists to justice and go after any terrorist networks" involved. "Those who think that they can terrorize the people of France or the values that they stand for are wrong," Obama said. (Reporting by Roberta Rampton; Editing by Mohammad Zargham) by cassandra.garrison 9:39 AM Investigators work outside a bar near the Stade de France where explosions were reported to have detonated outside the stadium during the France vs German friendly soccer match near Paris, November 13, 2015. REUTERS/Gonazlo Fuentes by jamillah.knowles 9:39 AM BREAKING: At least 40 dead, 60 wounded in Paris attacks, police source says. by cassandra.garrison 9:38 AM There have been numerous reports of hostages in the Bataclan tweeting and posting on Facebook. Reuters has not yet been able to independently verify the identity of the person who posted this about 5 p.m. Omar Jimenez @OmarJimenezWBAL Man claiming to be inside the Bataclan Theatre posting to Facebook. #Paris https://t.co/cXGNeqxNeW 5:57 PM - 13 Nov 2015Reply Retweet Favorite by Leela de Kretser 9:38 AM Police control crowds leaving the Stade de France where explosions were reported to have detonated outside the stadium during the France vs German friendly match near Paris, November 13, 2015. REUTERS/Gonazlo Fuentes by jamillah.knowles 9:37 AM Crowds leave the Stade de France soccer stadium where explosions were reported during the France vs German friendly match by jamillah.knowles 9:36 AM General view of the scene with rescue service personnel who work near the a covered body outside a restaurant following shooting incidents in Paris, France, November 13, 2015. REUTERS/Philippe Wojazer by jamillah.knowles 9:35 AM French special forces evacuate people, including an injured man holding his head, as people gather near the Bataclan concert hall following fatal shootings in Paris, France, November 13, 2015. REUTERS/Christian Hartmann by jamillah.knowles 9:30 AM General view of the scene with rescue service personnel working near covered bodies outside a restaurant following shooting incidents in Paris, France, November 13, 2015. REUTERS/Philippe Wojazer by jamillah.knowles 9:28 AM Hollande says operations are under way, police forces carrying out assault in Paris. by cassandra.garrison 9:28 AM French fire brigade members aid an injured individual near the Bataclan concert hall following fatal shootings in Paris, France, November 13, 2015. REUTERS/Christian Hartmann by jamillah.knowles 9:27 AM < Newest 1 2 Oldest > Powered by ScribbleLive Content Marketing Software Platform World News Photo At least 60 dead in Paris shootings, hostages held: French media PARIS France was rocked by multiple, near simultaneous attacks on entertainment sites around Paris on Friday evening and French media said at least 60 people were killed and hostages were being held in a concert hall in the capital. | Video U.S. 'reasonably certain' that British Islamic State militant Jihadi John killed in strike | Video Kurdish forces seize Iraq's Sinjar town from Islamic State | Video Magnitude 7.0 quake hits off southern coast of Japan: USGS » More News Related Topics: World Global Markets Technology Politics Entertainment Paris attacks Back to top Reuters.com Business Markets World Politics Technology Opinion Money Pictures Videos Site Index More from Reuters Reuters News Agency Brand Attribution Guidelines Delivery Options Support & Contact Support Corrections Account Information Register Sign In Connect with Reuters Twitter Facebook LinkedIn RSS Podcast Newsletters Mobile About Privacy Policy Terms of Use Advertise With Us AdChoices Copyright Our Flagship financial information platform incorporating Reuters Insider An ultra-low latency infrastructure for electronic trading and data distribution A connected approach to governance, risk and compliance Our next generation legal research platform Our global tax workstation Thomsonreuters.com About Thomson Reuters Investor Relations Careers Contact Us Thomson Reuters is the world's largest international multimedia news agency, providing investing news, world news, business news, technology news, headline news, small business news, news alerts, personal finance, stock market, and mutual funds information available on Reuters.com, video, mobile, and interactive television platforms. 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