26 Dead after shooting at US Elementary School

America is in mourning and flags fly at half-mast tonight as the true horror of the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School, Newtown, Connecticut begins to become clear.

To begin with it had been an ordinary day for the children at the school until the shooting began; the first gunshots are said to have been heard in the Principal's office. Reports suggest that 26 died in the shooting, 20 of them children.  The gunman then turned the gun on himself.

Reports of the shootings first came through late Friday afternoon in the UK.  The full extent was not known at the time and there was some confusion after it was stated that there were two gunmen, however, it is now clear that there was only one gunman.

An emotional President Obama took to the podium in the White House briefing room to talk about the tragedy.  As he addressed the nation, Obama said:

"...The majority of those who died today were children -- beautiful little kids between the ages of 5 and 10 years old.  They had their entire lives ahead of them -- birthdays, graduations, weddings, kids of their own.  Among the fallen were also teachers -- men and women who devoted their lives to helping our children fulfill their dreams..."

"...As a country, we have been through this too many times.  Whether it’s an elementary school in Newtown, or a shopping mall in Oregon, or a temple in Wisconsin, or a movie theater in Aurora, or a street corner in Chicago -- these neighborhoods are our neighborhoods, and these children are our children.  And we're going to have to come together and take meaningful action to prevent more tragedies like this, regardless of the politics..."

"...This evening, Michelle and I will do what I know every parent in America will do, which is hug our children a little tighter and we’ll tell them that we love them, and we’ll remind each other how deeply we love one another.  But there are families in Connecticut who cannot do that tonight.  And they need all of us right now.  In the hard days to come, that community needs us to be at our best as Americans.  And I will do everything in my power as President to help..."

There is some speculation that this might lead to gun laws in the United States being tightened, but that is something for another day, and for now America must grieve for the children and adults lost - and for the families they leave behind.

David Cameron in US for official visit

UK Prime Minister David Cameron was in the United States this week to meet President Barack Obamas as part of an official visit.
The first day was relaxed enough as the two world leaders went to a ball game and ate hot dogs while the President pointed out the finer points of the game to David Cameron.

A press conference and State dinner were all part of the official trip but there were no major announcements regarding policy as a result of the official visit.  Following the press conference, David Cameron and Barack Obama met for talks with Afghanistan highly likely to have been on the agenda and on Thursday David Cameron - along with wife his Samantha - visited a memorial to the victims of 9/11.

Many see this as a reaffirmation of the United States-United Kingdom special relationship although others do not like this term and prefer to call it an essential relationship.

Pictures on the White House website show the PM and the President and their wives stood on a balcony waving to the crowds that were there to greet the British Prime Minister while a notice declares it a 'rock-solid relationship'.

Speaking at the State dinner last night President Obama said:

"As I said this morning, this visit also gives us an opportunity to return the gracious hospitality that Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth, as well as David and Samantha and all the British people showed us during our visit to London last year.  And I know Michelle looks forward to returning.  Because, as she announced yesterday, she will be leading the U.S. delegation to the opening ceremonies of the Summer Olympics in London."

...But in moments like that, and in all of our interactions -- including today -- I’ve learned something about David.  In good times and in bad, he’s just the kind of partner that you want at your side.  I trust him.  He says what he does, and he does what he says.  And I’ve seen his character.  And I’ve seen his commitment to human dignity, during Libya.  I’ve seen his resolve, his determination to get the job done, whether it’s righting our economies or succeeding in Afghanistan."

President Obama sings the blues

Come November, President Obama may be singing them for real but in a recent event held at the White House, the President was in a happy mood and his upcoming battle for a second term seemed to be the last thing on his mind as he joined a celebrity-filled audience for an evening of classic Blues music.

The White House: Red, White and Blues evening was held as part of Black History Month; Blues legend B.B. King and Rolling Stones lead singer Mick Jagger were among those attending the start-studded event.

And it would be Mick Jagger that would pass Obama the mic so that he could the President could try the audience to a few lines of "Sweet Home Chicago".  Pictures of the event show Obama and his wife looking happy and relaxed; it appears that a good times was had by all.

However the evening wasn't all about entertainment and Obama made a stirring speech about the origins of Blues music and its humble beginnings.  During the speech, Obama said:

"---as we celebrate Black History Month, the blues reminds us that we’ve been through tougher times before -- that’s why I’m proud to have these artists here -- and not just as a fan, but also as the President. Because their music teaches us that when we find ourselves at a crossroads, we don’t shy away from our problems. We own them. We face up to them. We deal with them. We sing about them. We turn them into art. And even as we confront the challenges of today, we imagine a brighter tomorrow, saying, I can do it, just like Muddy Waters did all those years ago."

As for the verdict on the President's singing, one reporter declared it "not bad" but perhaps Mr Obama should not give up the day job just yet.