Protesters flooded Tennessee's statehouse on Thursday to demand that politicians toughen gun laws after a school shooting in Nashville that left six people dead, three of them nine-year-old children.
More than 1,000 people joined the protest organised by local mothers, packing the building's rotunda and forcing motorway patrol police to clear paths in the crowd for legislators to walk through.
Demonstrators held aloft placards reading "No more silence" and "We have to do better" while chanting "Do you even care?" and "No more violence".
One mother — S'Kaila Colbert, holding her infant daughter — told MSNBC that her love of Christ called her to protest.
"To be a voice for the children, to prioritise their safety, I felt a duty to be here," Ms Colbert said.
There have been 90 US school shootings this year, according to the K-12 School Shooting Database website founded by researcher David Riedman.
The 303 incidents last year were the most of any year in the database, which began in 1970.
In the latest incident, the shooter killed three pupils and three staff members at Nashville's The Covenant School.
Police responded and killed the assailant, 28, a former pupil at the primary school. A motive for the shooting was as yet unclear.
Republicans in Tennessee this week delayed hearings on gun legislation that would increase access to firearms.
The state in recent years has made it easier to acquire firearms and done away with the need for permits to carry concealed handguns.
State Representative Bob Freeman, a Democrat representing Nashville, on Thursday addressed the House chambers, calling for "common-sense" gun reforms including background checks and red-flag laws to stop those who show signs of being a threat to themselves or others possessing firearms.
Mr Freeman told his colleagues they had to respond to demonstrators whose chants could be heard outside the chambers.
"They're out there right now. They're begging for us to do something," he said, according to The Tennessean newspaper.
John Drake, the Nashville police chief, said the shooter's writings suggested plans to carry out shootings at other locations. Police said the shooter left behind a manifesto related to the attack.
The shooter was armed with two assault-style weapons and a 9mm handgun, which police later found were among seven firearms the assailant had legally bought in recent years.
The shooter's six victims at the school, which is housed in the Covenant Presbyterian Church and has about 200 pupils from pre-kindergarten to sixth grade, were killed at random, police said.
The first funeral for one of the victims — nine-year-old Hallie Scruggs, whose father Chad is a senior pastor at the church — will be held on Saturday, the school said on Thursday.
The family asked that it be closed to the public and media.
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Teaching your child to save
Pre-school (three - five years)
You can’t yet talk about investing or borrowing, but introduce a “classic” money bank and start putting gifts and allowances away. When the child wants a specific toy, have them save for it and help them track their progress.
Early childhood (six - eight years)
Replace the money bank with three jars labelled ‘saving’, ‘spending’ and ‘sharing’. Have the child divide their allowance into the three jars each week and explain their choices in splitting their pocket money. A guide could be 25 per cent saving, 50 per cent spending, 25 per cent for charity and gift-giving.
Middle childhood (nine - 11 years)
Open a bank savings account and help your child establish a budget and set a savings goal. Introduce the notion of ‘paying yourself first’ by putting away savings as soon as your allowance is paid.
Young teens (12 - 14 years)
Change your child’s allowance from weekly to monthly and help them pinpoint long-range goals such as a trip, so they can start longer-term saving and find new ways to increase their saving.
Teenage (15 - 18 years)
Discuss mutual expectations about university costs and identify what they can help fund and set goals. Don’t pay for everything, so they can experience the pride of contributing.
Young adulthood (19 - 22 years)
Discuss post-graduation plans and future life goals, quantify expenses such as first apartment, work wardrobe, holidays and help them continue to save towards these goals.
* JP Morgan Private Bank
How much do leading UAE’s UK curriculum schools charge for Year 6?
- Nord Anglia International School (Dubai) – Dh85,032
- Kings School Al Barsha (Dubai) – Dh71,905
- Brighton College Abu Dhabi - Dh68,560
- Jumeirah English Speaking School (Dubai) – Dh59,728
- Gems Wellington International School – Dubai Branch – Dh58,488
- The British School Al Khubairat (Abu Dhabi) - Dh54,170
- Dubai English Speaking School – Dh51,269
*Annual tuition fees covering the 2024/2025 academic year
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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.
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
Started: 2020
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment
Number of staff: 210
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
How to help
Send “thenational” to the following numbers or call the hotline on: 0502955999
2289 – Dh10
2252 – Dh 50
6025 – Dh20
6027 – Dh 100
6026 – Dh 200
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