USA DAWN: NEWS AND UPDATES

In the wake of the deplorable mass shooting at an Orlando nightclub on Saturday - and the deranged shooter’s tenuous connection to Isis – “national security” is about to take on a renewed focus in the presidential race. But the existential threat to Americans is not some fanatical and nihilistic death cult halfway around the world: it’s the fact that unstable individuals of all stripes continue to have easy access to assault weapons right here in the US. While no one is doubting the Orlando mass murderer called 911 and pledged allegiance to Isis before continuing his senseless killing spree, the facts are much more complicated than that. Even US officials admitted: “there was no indication that [Isis] had trained or instructed him, or had any direct connection with him”. As one senior US official put it to the Wall Street Journal said on Sunday: “He seems to be looking for any opportunity to associate with the terrorist group du jour.” Isis quickly took a...

Orlando police officers direct family members away from a shooting at a nightclub in Orlando, Fla., on Sunday. Phelan M. Ebenhack/AP A gunman carrying a handgun and an assault-style weapon opened fire at a gay nightclub in Orlando, Fla., early Sunday, killing at least 50 people and wounding at least 53 others. It is the deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history. The death toll far exceeds initial estimates. Orlando Police Chief John Mina initially said "around 20" people succumbed to gunshot wounds inside the Pulse Orlando nightclub, but later said police found far more victims once they gained full access to the scene. He said the suspected gunman is also dead. The suspect has been tentatively identified as Omar Mateen, two law enforcement officials tell NPR's Carrie Johnson. No further information about Mateen was immediately provided. Tampa FBI Assistant Special Agent-in-Charge Ronald Hopper declined to identify the suspect, saying authorities are sti...