Tornado-Damaged Missouri Braces for Second Storm, Obama Arrives in London

Less than 48 hours after a massive tornado tore through Joplin, Mo., causing at least 116 deaths and widespread damage, residents and rescuers are bracing for a second storm on Tuesday that forecasters said could bring strong winds.

Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon said the search will continue until all missing are accounted for. National Weather Service Director Jack Hayes said the twister, which was estimated to be three-quarters of a mile across, had winds of up to 198 miles per hour.

President Obama said in London he planned to travel to Missouri on Sunday, following his trip to Europe, to asses the damage and meet with survivors.

(View a slide show of the tornado damage.)

Obamas Land in London on Second Stop of European Trip

President Obama inspects the honor guard during a ceremonial welcome in the garden of Buckingham Palace on May 24, 2011 in London, England. (Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)

President Obama, following his stop Monday in Moneygall, Ireland, spent time with the royal family on Tuesday. He met Prince Charles and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall before meeting with Queen Elizabeth at Buckingham Palace. Prince William and Kate Middleton, known as the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, were also present.

During his three-day state visit to Britain, President Obama is expected to focus on joint efforts in Libya against Moammar Gadhafi and other interests in the Middle East.

President Obama and Prime Minister David Cameron jointly wrote op-ed in the Times, likening the Arab Spring to the changes of the Cold War and praising the strong relationship between the two countries.

“The Cold War reached this conclusion because of the actions of many brave individuals and many strong nations, but we saw how the bond between our two countries — and our two leaders at the time — proved such a vital catalyst for change. It reminded us that when the United States and Britain stand together, our people and people around the world can become more secure and more prosperous.

“And that is the key to our relationship. Yes, it is founded on a deep emotional connection, by sentiment and ties of people and culture. But the reason it thrives, the reason why this is such a natural partnership, is because it advances our common interests and shared values. It is a perfect alignment of what we both need and what we both believe. And the reason it remains strong is because it delivers time and again. Ours is not just a special relationship, it is an essential relationship — for us and for the world.”

President Obama will travel next to France for the G8 Summit before concluding his trip in Poland. Follow a map of his trip here.

NATO Bombards Tripoli

NATO launched at least 20 air strikes on the Libyan capital Tuesday in one of the strongest offensives on leader Moammar Gadhafi and his assets. The Bab al-Aziziya compound, which contains military facilities, was a target.

Libyan government spokesman Moussa Ibrahim said three people died and dozens more were wounded in the strikes.

President Obama invited the National Transitional Council, the official organizing body of the rebels, to open an office in Washington, D.C., and Jeffrey D. Feltman, U.S. assistant secretary of state for Near Eastern affairs, visited Benghazi on Monday.

Thousands of Passengers Stranded by Ash Cloud

Some 252 flights in Europe have been canceled because of a massive ash cloud caused by an exploding volcano in Iceland, stranding thousands of people in airports from London to Glasgow. Britain’s transportation secretary, Philip Hammond, said he expected Scotland’s main airports to re-open Tuesday and Wednesday.

Forecasters warned that winds could carry the ash cloud to other parts of Europe. The cloud is seen as less disruptive than the one that caused similar cancellations in spring 2011. Since then, regulations have been modified to allow planes to fly with ash residue in the air.