A teenage gunman killed 19 young children at a primary school in Texas on Tuesday, prompting a furious US President Joe Biden to denounce the country's gun lobby and vow to end the cycle of mass shootings.
The attack at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, a small community about 130 kilometres from the Mexican border, is the deadliest US school shooting in years and the latest in a spree of bloody gun violence across America.
"It's time to turn this pain into action for every parent, for every citizen of this country," Mr Biden said, his voice heavy with emotion.
State senator Roland Gutierrez had earlier said 18 children and two adults were killed in the rampage. Later on Tuesday, a Texas Department of Public Safety spokesman put the toll at 19 pupils and two adults.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott named the suspect as Salvador Ramos, an 18-year-old local resident and a US citizen.
"He shot and killed, horrifically and incomprehensibly," Mr Abbott said.
Texas Department of Public Safety officials told CNN that the gunman shot his grandmother before heading to the school at about noon. He abandoned his vehicle and entered with a handgun and a rifle, wearing body armour.
The gunman is also dead, Mr Abbott said.
“It is believed that responding officers killed him,” he said.
Uvalde is about 135 kilometres west of San Antonio.
Mr Biden learnt of the killings on his return to Washington from a trip in Asia, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said on Twitter.
"I had hoped when I became president I would not have to do this again," Mr Biden said at the White House.
"Another massacre. Uvalde, Texas. An elementary school. Beautiful, second, third, fourth graders."
Mr Biden has issued an order for US flags at the White House to be flown at half-staff.
An emotional US Vice President Kamala Harris announced the shooting from the dais at the Asian Pacific American Institute in Washington.
"Enough is enough," Ms Harris said.
"As a nation, we have to have the courage to take action and understand the nexus between what makes for reasonable and sensible public policy to ensure something like this never happens again.
"I will just say to the people of Uvalde, please know that this is a roomful of leaders who grieve with you. And we are praying for you and we stand with you."
On Tuesday, the Uvalde School District tweeted that there was a shooter at Robb Elementary, which has fewer than 600 pupils.
The district had earlier announced that all local schools were in lockdown because of reports of gunshots in the area.
Shortly after 2pm, the school district said pupils were taken to a civic centre where they could be picked up by relatives.
The gun control issue has divided the US, with some calling for stricter laws and others defending their constitutional right to bear arms.
US senator Chris Murphy tweeted: "Oh my God. I'm shaking. I'm just shaking all over. With fear. With anger. With resolve."
Mr Murphy, a member of the Democratic Party, gave a speech in Senate chamber floor, repeatedly saying: "What are we doing here?
"The 14 kids dead in an elementary school in Texas right now. What are we doing? What are we doing?"
The Uvalde shooting was the deadliest at a US primary school since 26 people died in an attack at Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown, Connecticut, about a decade ago.
"Our kids are living in fear, every single time they set foot in a classroom, because they think they’re going to be next," Mr Murphy told the Senate.
"What are we doing? Why do you spend all this time running for the United States Senate?"
The shooting comes days before Mr Abbott, senator Ted Cruz and former president Donald Trump are scheduled to speak at a National Rifle Association conference in Houston, Texas.
Beto O’Rourke, a Democratic candidate for the Texas governor's post, tweeted: “The moment to stop Uvalde was right after Sandy Hook. After Santa Fe High. After El Paso.
"Instead, Abbott made it easier to carry guns in public. The moment to stop the next slaughter is right now.”
Texans will go the polls in November to chose between keeping pro-gun candidate Mr Abbott, or voting for Mr O’Rourke.
Mr Abbott last year signed legislation that allows Texans to carry handguns without any type of licence.
Agencies contributed to this report
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Zayed Sustainability Prize
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
The Bio
Favourite Emirati dish: I have so many because it has a lot of herbs and vegetables. Harees (oats with chicken) is one of them
Favourite place to go to: Dubai Mall because it has lots of sports shops.
Her motivation: My performance because I know that whatever I do, if I put the effort in, I’ll get results
During her free time: I like to drink coffee - a latte no sugar and no flavours. I do not like cold drinks
Pet peeve: That with every meal they give you a fries and Pepsi. That is so unhealthy
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The five pillars of Islam
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
Torbal Rayeh Wa Jayeh
Starring: Ali El Ghoureir, Khalil El Roumeithy, Mostafa Abo Seria
Stars: 3
The National in Davos
We are bringing you the inside story from the World Economic Forum's Annual Meeting in Davos, a gathering of hundreds of world leaders, top executives and billionaires.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
How to watch Ireland v Pakistan in UAE
When: The one-off Test starts on Friday, May 11
What time: Each day’s play is scheduled to start at 2pm UAE time.
TV: The match will be broadcast on OSN Sports Cricket HD. Subscribers to the channel can also stream the action live on OSN Play.
BMW M5 specs
Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor
Power: 727hp
Torque: 1,000Nm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 10.6L/100km
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Sole survivors
- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
- George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
- Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
- Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
Pharaoh's curse
British aristocrat Lord Carnarvon, who funded the expedition to find the Tutankhamun tomb, died in a Cairo hotel four months after the crypt was opened.
He had been in poor health for many years after a car crash, and a mosquito bite made worse by a shaving cut led to blood poisoning and pneumonia.
Reports at the time said Lord Carnarvon suffered from “pain as the inflammation affected the nasal passages and eyes”.
Decades later, scientists contended he had died of aspergillosis after inhaling spores of the fungus aspergillus in the tomb, which can lie dormant for months. The fact several others who entered were also found dead withiin a short time led to the myth of the curse.
Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
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Specs
Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE)
Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
Torque: 330Nm (Cooper and Aceman), 494Nm (Countryman)
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh158,000 (Cooper), Dh168,000 (Aceman), Dh190,000 (Countryman)
Jawan
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Red flags
- Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
- Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
- Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
- Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
- Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.
Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
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The Saga Continues
Wu-Tang Clan
(36 Chambers / Entertainment One)
The burning issue
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on
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The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Infiniti QX80 specs
Engine: twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6
Power: 450hp
Torque: 700Nm
Price: From Dh450,000, Autograph model from Dh510,000
Available: Now
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Starring: Kareena Kapoor Khan, Ash Tandon, Prabhleen Sandhu
Director: Hansal Mehta
Rating: 4 / 5
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The specs: 2018 Nissan Patrol Nismo
Price: base / as tested: Dh382,000
Engine: 5.6-litre V8
Gearbox: Seven-speed automatic
Power: 428hp @ 5,800rpm
Torque: 560Nm @ 3,600rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 12.7L / 100km
House-hunting
Top 10 locations for inquiries from US house hunters, according to Rightmove
- Edinburgh, Scotland
- Westminster, London
- Camden, London
- Glasgow, Scotland
- Islington, London
- Kensington and Chelsea, London
- Highlands, Scotland
- Argyll and Bute, Scotland
- Fife, Scotland
- Tower Hamlets, London
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
EPL's youngest
- Ethan Nwaneri (Arsenal)
15 years, 181 days old
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15 years, 235 days old
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15 years, 271 days old
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16 years, 30 days old
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The specs
AT4 Ultimate, as tested
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Power: 420hp
Torque: 623Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)
On sale: Now
The Disaster Artist
Director: James Franco
Starring: James Franco, Dave Franco, Seth Rogan
Four stars
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