I'm a beginner. How long will it take before I'm able to trade on my own?

After about 4-5 sessions of an hour each. you'll start to trade with play money in live situations. After about 10 sessions you'll begin to trade your own money.

How do I learn to gauge how world events, both positive and negative, will impact my trading strategy? Created 19 Dec 2015 1:59:41 AM PUBLIC 76.126.7.184

Generally I do not recommend that you trade on world events.  Even though you may think you understand the event, the market may look at it differently.  Better to trade on price action which will put you in sync with the market. Most of my time with students is spent teaching them the methods to identify price action.

Is it a good idea to buy stocks on the way down? If not, when?

It's best to buy stocks on the way up.  Look for 6-8 weeks of sideways movement and buy it as it breaks out above that consolidation.

What is the easiest way to start trading when you are a beginner?

The easiest way to start trading is the same way you would start a physical training program. Get a coach and learn the fundamentals correctly.