After a third summer at camp, it was time to hit the road again and visit another big dog on the east coast. Boston is the capital of the state of Massachusetts and located only four hours drive away from New York City. It's well known as the home to Fenway Park and Harvard University.

Megabus drivers must have wondered what was happening when fifty exhausted camp counsellors arrived at the bus depot. After three days of non-stop New York action everyone had dark rings circling their eyes and a pasty complexion plastered on their face.

Once in Boston, many people did the usual and booked a single hotel room only to cram an extra 8 people into it. There are however, a variety of hostels in Boston, averaging at around $25 per night, so if you don't feel like sharing half a pillow with a sweaty "I washed last week" kind of guy then there are other options.

Good Will Hunting, Legally Blonde and The Social Network are just some of the movies filmed in Boston and, more importantly, in Harvard. I was right there, sunglasses on, camera in one hand ready to snap away and Barbie in the other. Yes, you heard right. Before we left NYC, myself and my travel gals made a trip to Toys R Us and bought "mini-me" Barbies as mascots for our trip. At 21 we may have looked a little immature but Barbie Bex is a little reminder I'll always have of the Boston banter.

Harvard is over 375 years old and is known for its Ivy League schooling that has educated the likes of Barack Obama, Matt Damon and Natalie Portman.

A little too keen, myself and the girls roamed around the big white buildings and pretty parks until we had to admit we were lost. Harvard does offer student-led, free tours-definitely the better option. After an hour of aimlessly wandering and finding ourselves in some second year canteen, we were reduced to inconspicuously tagging onto the back of a tour. The tour offers all the historical information on Harvard, highlighting key moments in its history and the people who made Harvard what it is.

The campus itself was regal, pretty and pristine. Every intricate archway and stone step possessed years of American history. As a typical geek, Harvard fascinated me with its traditions, rituals and stories.

During the tour I came across an abandoned Harvard tie, and by came across I mean stole. I thought this might make me look more like a smart Harvard intellect and with my glasses on I almost blended in. The tie now hangs above my bed as a piece of Boston memorabilia.

The Red Sox stadium (Fenway Park) is another Boston highlight and, even if you don't get to watch a game, the stadium is worth a visit to see where one of the best baseball teams is based.

Boston Common was my favourite place in the city. Seeking some quiet and relaxation, it was the perfect place to chill out with a picnic and observe a a slice of Boston life. The 50 acre park is a hub for tourists, workers and students, and unfortunately the random crazies too.

Night time in Boston was a bit more lively. With so many of us in the one city, all the Round Lakers would meet for dinner, head to a Boston bar and the banter would begin. This involved creating a fake birthday in order to get some free cake, getting lost for hours while trying to find "the best club in Boston' and busking with an Adele wannabe. Unfortunately, I don't think the girl whose performance we hijacked made any money off of our guest appearance but we definitely gave a crowd.

It's often random moments like these that make for the best travel memories.

"How shockingly destructive and historically shameful it would be if we did nothing while a great species was criminally slaughtered into extinction". These were the words of Senator John Kerry when he chaired a Senate Foreign Relations Committee Hearing on ivory poaching in May 2012.

Today the illegal wildlife trade is worth in excess of $10 billion annually and the surging demand for ivory from the rapidly growing economies of China, Vietnam and Thailand resulted in over 40,000 elephants being killed in Africa in 2012, or one every 15 minutes.

In Africa the ivory trade is not only leading to an environmental catastrophe, but it has also become intertwined with growing poverty, ethnic rivalry, terrorism and civil war in countries such as Somalia, Sudan and the Congo.

The worst aspect of this tragedy has been the failure of the international community to recognise the need to assist African nations in tackling the ivory poaching crisis from both an enforcement and demand perspective.

In 2010 following the Conference on Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), all the African nations with elephant populations agreed an African Elephant Action Plan. This unique initiative would for the first time see full co-operation between elephant states in order to stop the illegal killing of elephants and trade in their products.

Three years on and despite a huge increase in ivory poaching, the plan has been put on hold as only around $300,000 has been pledged by the international community for a $97 million budget.

In 2012 the G8 Nations spent over $90 billion on international aid, much of which was spent on humanitarian projects in Africa. However none of these funds have been used to tackle ivory poaching. If G8 Nations were willing to pledge the equivalent of just 10 cents for each of their citizens, the $97 million budget for the African Elephant Action Plan could be met.

As President Obama looks towards his legacy in a second term beyond the gridlock of Washington politics, he has an opportunity to focus on Africa and how the United States can lead efforts to stop ivory poaching. Unlike gun control, immigration or climate change policy, stopping the slaughter of Africa's elephant herds will receive strong bi-partisan support in Congress and with relatively small amounts of money could have huge benefits for international security in Africa and around the world.

The President should join forces with the British Prime Minister David Cameron and go to the G8 Summit in Northern Ireland in June calling on G8 members to pledge a small fraction of their aid budgets to fund the African Elephant Action plan and turn the tide against the ivory poachers
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He could then make a trip to his father's homeland in Kenya and visit one of the National Parks where rangers have died protecting elephants from poachers, to show that the US is leading international community efforts to stop this senseless slaughter. Saving Africa's elephants for future generations would be a worthy legacy of America's first President of an African father.

Wasn't that nice Mr Obama a sweetie, the way he tried to help our Dave end the war in the Tory party while he was over in Washington this week?

Mind you, given how little the President has managed to do to end the war in Syria, I don't much rate his chances with the fundamentalist rebels of the Conservative Party. Never mind, I still think it was jolly nice of him to try.

The truth, though, is that the coalition is crumbling. No, not the Tory-Lib Dem coalition - that's in fine fettle compared to the one I'm thinking of: the ramshackle, increasingly dysfunctional bunch of lemmings we know and love as the Conservative party.

In the words of Benedict Brogan, deputy editor of the Daily Telegraph (yes, the paper better known as the Torygraph), writing on his blog on Tuesday: "The Tories look like a bunch of self-indulgent lunatics."

President Obama tip-toed through the Tory euro-minefield with considerable skill, I thought - it does make some sense, he suggested, to seek to mend a relationship before breaking it off. And that, of course, is pretty much what Mr Cameron says he wants to do with the EU: renegotiate, and then call the referendum.

There's a problem, though. When one party in a relationship threatens week after week, year after year: "Unless you change the way you behave, I'm not going to be able to carry on like this," there is a real chance that one day the inevitable reply will be: "Fine, perhaps you'd better move out."

But if David Cameron's poll ratings are sliding down the plug-hole, it's not because voters disagree with him about exactly when to hold that wretched referendum. It's because he's looking increasingly like a weak prime minister unable to control his own party, an old Etonian toff who's no longer even capable of organising cocktails and canapés in a Notting Hill nosherie.

It's as if Tory MPs have clean forgotten what they were told back in 2006 to explain why they hadn't won any elections for a decade. "Instead of talking about the things that most people care about, we talked about what we cared about most. While parents worried about childcare, getting the kids to school, balancing work and family life, we were banging on about Europe." The man who told it to them straight? Er, their party leader, a certain D Cameron.

We've been here before, of course. John Major went through exactly the same agonies, facing exactly the same euro-obsessives, and we know what happened to him. This time, though, unlike in 1997, it may not be Labour who reap the benefit -- Ed Miliband hasn't got quite the same effortless TV appeal that Tony Blair mastered so skillfully -- so it may well be Nigel Farage and UKIP who stand to gain the most.

When the prime minister unveiled his "in-out referendum" strategy last January, I wrote: "There is a strong possibility that David Cameron, in one single, ill-considered, badly-timed and unnecessary speech, may have sown the seeds of his own downfall."

My argument then was that all of the likely election outcomes in 2015, the least likely was an overall Tory victory that would enable him to remain in Downing Street. Now, though, I'm beginning to think his downfall could come even sooner.

It goes like this: the Ukip bandwagon and the Tory rebellions continue to roll. At the European parliament elections next year, the Ukippers may even get more votes nationwide than the Tories. (Remember, turn-out for the euro-elections in 2009 was a dismal 34.7 per cent.) Tory MPs go into full-blown panic mode, just 12 months ahead of the general election.

The cry goes up: We can't win with Cameron. (After all, if they could unceremoniously dump Margaret Thatcher in 1990 because they thought she was going to lose them the next election, I don't imagine they'll have too much trouble jettisoning Mr Cameron.)

And if you think I'm being fanciful: consider this - the two Cabinet ministers who so unhelpfully put their heads above the parapet last weekend to venture that they would vote No in a referendum if one were held now, just happen to be two of the ministers with the shortest odds in the betting shop to be the party's next leader. Yes, take a bow, Michael Gove and Philip Hammond.

You may also like to consider this piece in this morning's Telegraph: "Michael Gove has said he wants to be 'the heir to Blair' amid renewed speculation that he could succeed David Cameron as Conservative leader."

If I were a betting man, I'd put £100 on Gove for Tory leader before the next election. There again, it may all look different after the summer.

By the way, don't you think the two Tory MPs who created so much misery for the prime minister this week, with their EU referendum amendment ahead of the Queen's Speech vote, Peter Bone and John Baron, should set up a pub together? "I want a quick chat about Europe -- how about a pint with Farage down the Bone and Baron?"

In the midst of three growing scandals, Wednesday's White House Press Briefing could mark a fundamental change in the relationship between the Obama Administration and The White House Press Corps.

The revelations regarding the targeting by the IRS of conservative groups for extra scrutiny and the Department of Justice's efforts to investigate the Associated Press by secretly obtaining the work and home phone records of AP reporters, have actually put the Benghazi incident and the Syria Crisis on the back burner.

Wednesday's briefing was a combative one, focusing mainly on the IRS and the AP as Carney did his level best to return endless volleys of questions and accusations coming from The White House Press Corps.

Carney confirmed that to his knowledge "no one from The White House was aware of the IRS matter until a few weeks ago when the Inspector General of the IRS sent their required notice about their investigation to The White House".

Carney emphasized that The White House needs to see the IG's report before they take any action since at present their only source of information is coming from press reports.

He also declined to say what action the President would take if the reports of what occurred were true.

Today, Attorney General Eric Holder announced that FBI and the DOJ are coordinating on a criminal inquiry to see if any laws were in fact broken by the IRS.

Carney also confirmed that The White House learned about the DOJ - AP matter from news reports.

According to reports the DOJ obtained records for over 20 AP related phone lines in their efforts to investigate who leaked classified information relating to the interception of a foiled terrorist plot- similar to the Christmas Bomber.

Carney said that "the information that was leaked is said to have put Americans at risk."

Carney also said "I cannot comment on the DOJ matter because we are not commenting on ongoing criminal investigations".

Carney repeatedly said "The President supports protections for the media to pursue investigative journalism in an unfettered way which needs to be balanced against the need to protect classified information".

The particular leak being investigated was criticized by the Republicans at an earlier date as a leak designed to make the Obama Administration look good. Ironically, it seems now that the very aggressive nature of the investigation itself is coming under intense scrutiny.

Attorney General Holder confirmed that Deputy Attorney General James Cole authorized this action against AP.

AG Holder announced today he is recusing himself from this investigation.

Jay Carney in response to a question confirmed that these latest revelations have not distracted the President from pursing his agenda.

Worth noting, one of the reporters attending today's briefing reminded Carney that the Obama Administration has aggressively prosecuted twice as many leaks as in all prior administrations combined.

Jon-Christopher Bua's blogposts for Sky News appear here.

The recent debate around Ukip has been about whether they are a party of 'clowns', a serious threat to the Tories, or both. This misses the real issue: Ukip are a British Tea Party that sanitise the right-wing government already running the country.

Ever since Lehmann Brothers collapsed in 2008 we have been witnessing the resurgence of radical, hard-right, anti-immigration populism. In the case of the Tea Party, the blue-collar working-class American base of the movement is advocating policies that are diametrically opposed to its own interests. Tea Party star and Vice-Presidential nominee Paul Ryan's budget 'plan' is to scrap Medicaid for 27m people, mainly the poor and disabled, whilst increasing defense spending. Ryan's plan, if implemented, would cut Mitt Romney's tax to just 0.83% by eliminating capital gains tax, which would be a huge boon for corporations too (Incidentally, Tory MP Liam Fox wants to do just the same). Such an incomprehensibly regressive policy is made understandable realising that Americans spent $3.3bn on lobbying last year, almost exclusively from super-rich corporate lobbyists who can afford to bend democracy in their favour.

On close inspection, Ukip's policies are startlingly similar. They want to cut taxes by £90bn, but mostly for the rich, introducing a single flat tax of 31%, that will see millionaires pay the same tax rates as their cleaners.

One of the great myths about conservatives is they loathe 'big government'. UKIP's policies favour government when it helps their wealthy backers, and are not 'libertarian' as they claim. They intend to increase defence spending by 40%, and they silently support the EU Common Agricultural Policy, which amounts to 59bn out of the 130bn EU budget, a colossal waste by all accounts, as it is a subsidy for prosperous farmers. £800,000 a year of it goes to the Duke of Westminster alone.

The regressive free-marketeers at UKIP will not see their policies implemented, although their American comrades (how they would loathe to hear themselves described thus) will have their chance in 2016 should they be elected. The real threat these hard-right market fundamentalists pose is by legitimising or sanitising a watered-down, liberalised form of conservative politics practiced by David Cameron and Barack Obama. By legislating for gay marriage (when it conveniently hits 51% approval ratings) right-wingers are covering their neoliberalism with an egalitarian fig leaf.

For all the fury over Republicans backing from large corporations, 45% of campaign donations from the financial sector is to the Democrat party. Such generosity brings rewards. The Anglo-American journalist Alexander Cockburn wrote in 2009 about the "total control exercised by Wall Street over the Obama administration's economic and financial policy." Cockburn explained how Barack Obama appointed Robert Hormats, Vice Chairman of Goldman Sachs, as Secretary of Economics, Business, and  Agricultural Affairs. His Deputy Secretary of State was Jacob Lew, former Chief Financial Officer of Citigroup Alternative Investments Group which lost $509 million in the first quarter of 2008 alone. Such cosiness between politicians and big business has caused Nobel prize-winning economist and former adviser to both Clinton and Obama, Joseph Stiglitz, to blast Obama's 'bailout' for being a gift to the bankers, saying the people who designed the plans are "either in the pocket of the banks or they're incompetent." Normally such accusations are reserved for men like Mitt Romney or George Bush, but Obama's Democrat administration is made to look moderate by the Tea Party Republicans, just as David Cameron's destructive coalition looks liberal when you hold up UKIP against it.

Overseas, Obama has developed a new form of imperialist American politics. He has sanctioned over six times more drone strikes than George W. Bush, racking up between 2,500 and 3,500 deaths, including many civilians. None of this is legal. His record on civil liberties is dire, he has continued torture at Guantanomo and heads the first Presidential administration to declare they have the right to kill anyone, anywhere, and without reason or just cause, let alone transparency and trial. It fell to the fiscal lunatic Rand Paul (yes, his father Ron really did name him after the Tea Party deity Ayn Rand) to filibuster Obama's nomination of John Brennan as CIA Director in protest. Substitute the word 'Bush' for Obama and liberals will nod along at how nasty the Republicans are, because doesn't such an appalling record looks tame when you contemplate what John McCain or Mitt Romney might have been like?

Now in British politics, we are approaching a similar system. The rise of UKIP is making Tory policy, and more importantly the Tories, look like gay-friendly compassionate paternalists. Such notions are fatal. Whilst it seems everyone in the media is on the hunt to unearth the next UKIP Nazi or holocaust denier, the Tories bedroom tax recently claimed its first victim with the suicide of Stephanie Bottrill. She is one of many tragic victims of the Tories attack on welfare, as a party funded by tax evaders and City financiers lays waste to the means of support for millions of Britons. By 2015, 400,000 children will have been pushed into poverty and by 2017 Britain will have less public spending as a percentage of GDP than the United States. Forget UKIP, forget the Tea Party, the real reactionaries are already in power.

The Syrian rebel commander filmed biting into a dead soldier’s lung has insisted he has no regrets.

The clip, which was verified by Human Rights Watch (HRW), showed Khalid al-Hamad (who is also known as Abu Sakkar) hacking into the man’s body and removing organs before raising the lung to his lips.

He is heard saying: “I swear to God we will eat your hearts and your livers, you soldiers of Bashar the dog,” to offscreen cheering.

Scroll down to see pixellated video (WARNING, GRAPHIC CONTENT)

HRW described the act as a “war crime” but al-Hamad is unrepentant – and has promised more slaughter.

In an exclusive Skype interview with TIME magazine, he explains his actions: “We opened his cell phone, and I found a clip of a woman and her two daughters fully naked and he was humiliating them, and sticking a stick here and there.”

The magazine also claims al-Hamad was biting into a lung and not, as initially reported, a heart. It says a surgeon has confirmed this.

Sunni al-Hamad revealed he has a further grisly video of himself killing a soldier from the Alawaite faith (which President Bashar Assad follows).

He said: “Hopefully we will slaughter all of them [Alawites]. I have another video clip that I will send to them. In the clip, I am sawing another shabiha [pro-government militiaman] with a saw. The saw we use to cut trees. I sawed him into small pieces and large ones.”

The video comes to light as David Cameron announced Britain is to double military support for Syrian rebels to help them withstand the “onslaught” from Bashar Assad’s regime.

He also suggested Russia could be ready to participate in a peace process, saying there was "real political will" to find a solution.

Cameron was speaking at a White House press conference with Barack Obama on Monday.

SEE ALSO:

• Christian Taxi-Driver 'Beheaded By Syrian Rebels & Fed To Dogs'

• Syria Uprising: Ahmed, Seven-Year-Old Son Of Rebel Fighter Stands Guard With AK-47 & Cigarette (PICTURES)
• 'The Most Important Thing': Syrian Refugees Reveal Treasured Possessions They Fled Home With

The British Prime Minister earlier confirmed nerve agent Sarin appeared to have been used during the two-year civil war.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights recorded March as the bloodiest month of the conflict so far, with more than 6,000 people killed, including more than 500 women and children.

So far the Observatory has recorded more than 80,000 deaths but believes the real number of those killed to be much higher. The UN says more than 70,000 people have died since the uprising began in March 2011.

The Foreign Office responded to a video of an opposition fighter committing an act of "barbarism" on a Syrian pro-government soldier by stressing the UK will strengthen its support for moderate anti-Assad figures. Gruesome footage that has appeared online seems to show a figure cutting open a dead body and removing organs.

He then appears to take a bite out of the heart, before saying: "I swear to God we will eat your hearts and your livers, you soldiers of Bashar (President Assad) the dog." There was a sectarian element to the atrocity, with the figure encouraging similar attacks on other Alawites - the minority ruling group in Syria.

Mutilating a body is a war crime and the US-based group Human Rights Watch has called for the International Criminal Court to hold forces on both sides of the conflict to account. A Foreign Office spokesperson said: "We are aware of a video circulating online that purports to show a member of the Syrian armed opposition committing an act of barbarism on a regime soldier.

SEE ALSO:

• Christian Taxi-Driver 'Beheaded By Rebels'

• 7-Year-Old Son Of Rebel Fighter Stands Guard With AK-47
• Syrian Refugees Reveal Treasured Possessions

"We join the Syrian opposition National Coalition in condemning this act - there should be no place for these kinds of acts in Syria. The National Coalition has committed to reaching out to minorities and has made clear that there will be a place for all Syrians, regardless of ethnicity or religious belief, in the future Syria.

"It is time that extremist groups in Syria understood that the Syrian population does not want them there. This is why the UK is intensifying our support to the moderate opposition to build their credibility as an alternative to the Assad regime and to counter extremist influences in the Syrian conflict."

UPDATE: Syrian Rebel Leader Filmed Eating Soldier's Lung Has No Regrets & Promises More Slaughter (GRAPHIC VIDEO, PICTURES)

Footage of a Syrian rebel commander cutting the heart out of a soldier and biting into it has emerged online.

According to Human Rights Watch, the clip shows Abu Sakkar, a founder of the rebel Omar al-Farouq Brigade carrying out the bloody act.

He says: “I swear to God we will eat your hearts and your livers, you soldiers of Bashar the dog,” to offscreen cheering.

Scroll down to see pixellated video (WARNING, GRAPHIC CONTENT)

The person filming the incident is heard saying: “God bless you, Abu Sakkar, you look like you are drawing [carving] a heart of love on him.”

HRW’s Peter Bouckaert told Reuters: “The mutilation of the bodies of enemies is a war crime. But the even more serious issue is the very rapid descent into sectarian rhetoric and violence.”

The video comes to light as David Cameron announced Britain is to double military support for Syrian rebels to help them withstand the “onslaught” from Bashar Assad’s regime.

He also suggested Russia could be ready to participate in a peace process, saying there was "real political will" to find a solution.

Cameron was speaking at a White House press conference with Barack Obama on Monday.

The British Prime Minister earlier confirmed nerve agent Sarin appeared to have been used during the two-year civil war.

SEE ALSO:

• Christian Taxi-Driver 'Beheaded By Syrian Rebels & Fed To Dogs'

• Syria Uprising: Ahmed, Seven-Year-Old Son Of Rebel Fighter Stands Guard With AK-47 & Cigarette (PICTURES)
• 'The Most Important Thing': Syrian Refugees Reveal Treasured Possessions They Fled Home With

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights recorded March as the bloodiest month of the conflict so far, with more than 6,000 people killed, including more than 500 women and children.

So far the Observatory has recorded more than 80,000 deaths but believes the real number of those killed to be much higher. The UN says more than 70,000 people have died since the uprising began in March 2011.

Britain will double military support for Syrian rebels to help them withstand the "onslaught" from Bashar Assad's regime, David Cameron has said.

Speaking at a White House press conference with Barack Obama on Monday, the prime minister insisted Assad had to know he could not win by force.

He also suggested Russia could be ready to participate in a peace process, saying there was "real political will" to find a solution.

However, the president struck a significantly less optimistic tone on the prospects for diplomatic movement.

Although the US would be "very persistent" in pursuing a peaceful political transition, Mr Obama said: "I'm not promising it is going to be successful. Frankly, sometimes once the furies have been unleashed in a situation like we are seeing in Syria, it's very hard to put things back together.

"There are going to be enormous challenges in getting a credible process going, even if Russia is involved, because we still have other countries like Iran and we have non-state actors like Hezbollah that have been actively involved."

At the joint event in the East Room, Mr Cameron said: "There will be no political progress unless the opposition is able to withstand the onslaught and put pressure on Assad so he knows there is no military victory."

He said the UK would continue to press for changes to the European Union arms embargo, but would not be providing lethal weapons yet.

"We have not made the decision to arm opposition groups in Syria. What we have done is we have amended the EU arms embargo in order that we can give technical assistance and technical advice," he said.

"We will double non-lethal support to the Syrian opposition in the coming year. Armoured vehicles, body armour and power generators are about to be shipped."

Mr Cameron welcomed Russian president Vladimir Putin's agreement to push for a political solution, while conceding that "formidable" challenges remained.

"There is now common ground between the US, UK, Russia and many others that whatever our differences, we have the same aim: a stable, inclusive and peaceful Syria free from the scourge of extremism," Mr Cameron said.

"There's real political will behind this. We now need to get on and do everything we can to make it happen."

Mr Cameron also promised another £30 million of humanitarian assistance for those affected by the violence.

Mr Cameron flew to the United States for talks with Mr Obama ahead of next month's G8 summit in Northern Ireland.

The prime minister said the leaders had agreed to "tackle the scourge of tax evasion" by multinational companies.

He said: "When we meet on the shores of Lough Erne in Northern Ireland five weeks from today, I want to agree ambitious action for economic growth.

"Open trade is at the heart of this. But we have a broader agenda too: to make sure everyone shares the benefits of greater openness, not just in our advanced economies, but in the developing world too.

"I'm an unashamedly pro-business politician. But as we open up our economies to get business growing we need to make sure all companies pay their taxes properly and enable citizens to hold their governments and businesses to account.

"Today we've agreed to tackle the scourge of tax evasion, we need to know who really owns a company, who profits from it, where their taxes are paid.

"And we need a new mechanism to track where multinationals make their money and where they pay their taxes so that we can stop those that are manipulating the system unfairly."

During his day in Washington, Mr Cameron also visited FBI headquarters to see if there were any lessons to be learned.

Prime minister David Cameron has insisted that his approach of seeking reform of the European Union before staging a referendum on UK membership is in the British "national interest".

And Mr Cameron won support for his strategy from US president Barack Obama, who said that it "makes sense" to see whether Britain can "fix" its relationship with the EU before deciding whether to quit.

Speaking alongside the prime minister following talks at the White House in Washington, Mr Obama stressed that the decision on the UK's future was a matter for the British people.

But he added: "David's basic point that you probably want to see if you can fix what is broken in a very important relationship before you break it off makes some sense to me.

"I know that David's been very active in seeking some reforms internal to the EU. Those are tough negotiations, you've got a lot of countries involved, I recognise that.

"We haven't yet evaluated how successful those reforms will be. I at least would be interested in seeing whether or not those are successful before rendering a final judgment."

Mr Cameron's visit to Washington comes against a backdrop of fevered debate within the Conservative Party over Britain's relations with the EU, with a potentially divisive vote expected in the House of Commons on Wednesday over whether the government's agenda for this year should include a bill to pave the way for an in/out referendum.

Two Cabinet ministers - education secretary Michael Gove and defence secretary Philip Hammond - have said they would vote for a British exit if a referendum were held now.

And two ministerial aides, Conservative MPs Stuart Andrew and Gavin Barwell, said they will back the rebel amendment on Wednesday, after Downing Street took the highly unusually step of indicating that parliamentary private secretaries (PPSs) will be allowed to do so without losing their jobs. Tory ministers have been told they may abstain, but cannot back the amendment, which has been signed by more than 50 backbenchers.

Speaking at a press conference following his talks with Mr Obama on Monday, Mr Cameron insisted that a referendum now would not be in the national interest, as voters would be presented with a "false choice" between an unreformed EU or British exit.

And he stressed the potential benefits for the UK of a mooted free trade deal between the EU and US, which he said could be worth up to £10 billion a year to Britain.

The prime minister said: "Everything I do in this area is guided by a very simple principle, which is what is in the national interests of Britain?

"Is it in the national interests of Britain to have a trans-Atlantic trade deal that will make our countries more prosperous, that will get people to work, that will help our businesses? Yes it is, and so we will push for this trans-Atlantic trade deal.

"Is it in our interests to reform the European Union, to make it more open, more competitive, more flexible, and to improve Britain's place within the European Union? Yes, it is in our national interests.

"And it's not only in our national interest, it is achievable because Europe has to change because the single currency is driving change for that part of the European Union that is in the single currency. Just as they want changes, so I believe Britain is quite entitled to ask for and to get changes in response.

"Finally, is it in Britain's national interest once we have achieved those changes, but before the end of 2017, to consult the British public in a proper, full-on in/out referendum? Yes, I believe it is.

"That's the approach that we take. Everything driven by what is in the British national interest. That is what I'm going to deliver. It's absolutely right for our country. It has very strong support throughout the country and in the Conservative Party and that's exactly what I'm going to do."

The proposed free trade deal between the European Union and the US was high on the agenda at the White House talks, one in a series of discussions with leaders of the world's biggest economic powers ahead of next month's G8 summit in Lough Erne, Northern Ireland.

Mr Cameron said: "President Obama and I have both championed a free trade deal between the European Union and the United States, and there's a real chance now to get the process launched in time for the G8.

"The next five weeks are crucial. To realise the huge benefits this deal could bring will take ambition and political will. That means everything on the table - even the difficult issues - and no exceptions.

"It's worth the effort. For Britain alone, an ambitious deal could be worth up £10 billion a year, boosting industries from car manufacturing to financial services."

SEE ALSO:

• EU Row Has 'Depressing' Echoes Of The 1990s

Earlier this year, Mr Obama told the prime minister that the US "values a strong UK in a strong European Union", in comments which were widely interpreted as an indication of concern in Washington that Britain was heading towards withdrawal.

Today, the president said: "With respect to the relationship between the UK and the EU, we have a special relationship with the United Kingdom and we believe that our capacity to partner with a United Kingdom that is active, robust, outward-looking and engaged with the world is hugely important to our own interests, as well as the world.

"I think the UK's participation in the EU is an expression of its influence and its role in the world as well as obviously a very important economic partnership.

"Ultimately, the people of the UK have to make decisions for themselves."

A senior Labour source confirmed the party would oppose Mr Baron's amendment next week.

The source said: "We do not think committing now to an in/out referendum on Europe is in the national interest. We will vote against the John Baron amendment."

After members of his Cabinet spent the weekend talking up life outside the EU, David Cameron now has to highlight the benefits of a possible trade deal between the United States and Europe.

The Prime Minister will be talking up the plan as he holds talks with Barack Obama in the White House on Monday.

He is to argue that an agreement could be worth up to £10 billion a year to the economy.

However, he could also need to reassure the president about the UK's future within the grouping, amid ongoing Tory skirmishing on the issue.

Cabinet ministers Michael Gove and Philip Hammond yesterday became the latest senior figures to indicate they would currently vote to leave the EU - a prospect which alarms the US administration.

Mr Cameron hopes to focus on trade liberalisation, development and Syria during his three-day visit to America, but is unlikely to be able to escape the EU row raging at home.

The two leaders will be joined in the Oval Office by US secretary of state John Kerry, Mr Cameron's national security adviser Kim Darroch, and opposite number Tom Donilon.

The Prime Minister will urge a peace conference on Syria by the end of the month. He believes efforts to end the 27 month conflict have gained some momentum after his trip to Sochi for talks with President Vladimir Putin last week,
and Mr Kerry's visit to Moscow.

Russian support for Bashar Assad's regime has been one of the main obstacles to easing the situation, but the West has appeared split on whether to respond by arming rebels.

Mr Cameron will raise the prospect of using next month's G8 summit in Northern Ireland to launch negotiations for an EU-US trade deal.

Writing in the Wall Street Journal, Mr Cameron said: "When times are tough, some want to put the barriers up, to look inwards, and to protect themselves from the world.

"But Britain and America stand for a better way. We have a precious opportunity to transform the global economy - not by less openness and less free trade, but by more. And we must do everything possible to seize it.

"Trade is not a zero sum game where one nation's success is another's failure. Trade makes the cake bigger so everyone can benefit. Take the free trade area between Europe and the US on which we hope to launch negotiations when President Obama is in Northern Ireland for the G8 next month.

"This deal could add as much as £10 billion to the British economy and £63 billion to US GDP.

"But the rest of the world would benefit too, with gains that could generate 100 billion euros worldwide."

Mr Cameron is calling for US co-operation to get tough G8 action on tax evasion and aggressive tax avoidance.

Beforehand, Mr Cameron and new director of MI5 Andrew Parker will tour the state-of-the-art FBI headquarters in Washington.

The premier has asked for a briefing from FBI chief Robert Mueller to see if there are any lessons the UK can learn from the Boston marathon attack.

Mr Cameron will go to that city later in his trip, before heading on to New York for a United Nations high-level panel meeting.

Speaking to reporters on the plane to the US, Mr Cameron struck a positive note on prospects for movement on Syria.

He played down apparent differences of approach with Washington, saying there was "very strong unity of purpose between Britain and America that we should be working very closely with the rebels".

"But I think there is also something bigger happening here which is a realisation that it would be far better if what we could do is bring about a political transition through a greater engagement and agreement between America, Russia, Britain, France, other powers," he said.

"While it is no secret that Britain and Russia have taken a different approach to Syria I was very struck in my conversations with President Putin that there is a recognition that it would be in all our interests to secure a safe and
secure Syria with a democratic and pluralist future, and end the regional instability.

"We have got a long way to go, but they were good talks."

After hosting HRH Prince Harry for a surprise visit with First Lady Michelle Obama, the White House will welcomes prime minister David Cameron on Monday to discuss the latest crisis in Syria, the up-coming G8 Summit in Northern Ireland as well as Iran and the Middle East peace process.

This visit is occurring as new details emerged on Friday regarding e-mails that show a possible tug of war between the State Department and the CIA over how to tell the story of the Benghazi tragedy and claims by Republicans in Congress that there was attempt to 'cover-up' the facts.

The PM's visit is likely to be a welcome distraction from the Obama administration's efforts to put the an end to the re-examination of Benghazi Incident.

However, the prime minister's visit is also likely to put additional pressure on the President to deal with another festering problem - Syria.

This crisis poses challenges for the Obama Administration on both the domestic and international fronts and is simply not going away.

In response to a question regarding the agenda for the meeting between the President and PM Cameron, who has just met with president Vladimir Putin, on Friday, White House press secretary Jay Carney said, "Well, as is always the case when the President meets with prime minister Cameron, they will speak about a range of subjects. The relationship between our two nations is extraordinarily close, and we work and cooperate on matters across the international spectrum."

When asked for more details and how much of their talk will be on the crisis in Syria, Mr Carney added, "They will also clearly discuss Syria."

Mr Carney also made the point that: "The upcoming G8 will of course be a topic of conversation. The United Kingdom is hosting that important meeting on the international economy.

"They will probably discuss Iran. They will probably discuss the Middle East peace process and a whole host of other issues. That is always the case when these two leaders get together."

Since PM Cameron has just met with president Putin, it seems very likely the two leaders will discuss whether there is any hope for Russian cooperation in the Syrian Crisis.

Their meeting is also happening prior to one between President Obama and Turkish prime minister Erdogan later in the week where PM Erdogan is supposedly headed to the White House with concrete proof of the use of chemical weapons by the Syrian Regime.

Time may be running out since both leaders know the US, the UK and other western nations may soon be faced with real proof that Syria has "crossed the red line."

In light of the grave decisions facing these two leaders this White House visit is likely to be 'all business.'

Jon-Christopher Bua's blogposts for Sky News appear here.

David Cameron will push for a political solution to end the Syrian conflict in talks with Vladimir Putin on Friday, as the UK stepped up pressure to end a European Union arms embargo preventing it from arming the opposition.

In a meeting at the Russian president's summer residence in the Black Sea resort of Sochi, the Prime Minister will stress "the urgent need to start proper negotiations and to force a political transition to bring the conflict to an end".

Russia has previously blocked international moves through the UN security council to impose sanctions on Syria.

A leaked document has revealed the UK Government's arguments in favour of easing the EU arms embargo when the sanctions expire at the end of the month.

The British discussion paper sets out two options: lift the arms embargo against the Syrian National Coalition completely, or remove the words "non-lethal" from a list of exemptions, clearing the way for weapons to be sent to the country.

Earlier this week David Cameron told MPs there was a "growing body of limited but persuasive information" showing that Assad's regime "has used and continues to use chemical weapons, including sarin".

"The room for doubt about this continues to diminish," he said.

Carla Del Ponte, a member of the United Nations panel examining allegations of war crimes in Syria, claimed at the weekend that the commission had indications that Syrian rebel forces used sarin.

But Downing Street stands by its assessment that chemical weapons use in Syria "is very likely to have been initiated by the regime" and says it has "no evidence" of opposition use.

Talks between US secretary of state John Kerry and the Russian leadership this week resulted in plans to convene an international conference on Syria later this month.

Cameron is also expected to hold talks in coming days with US president Barack Obama and France's Francois Hollande.

More than 70,000 people have died in the conflict since March 2011, according to the United Nations.

Exploring the east coast, it is a must to head to the capital of the United States of America, Washington DC- home to the White house, the Lincoln Memorial and Washington Monument.
I was excited to begin Obama spotting, start my quest to find Air Force One and sit on Lincoln's knee.

After touring for a few days with the guys, I ditched all but one and boarded back on the cheap and cheery Megabus. The journey from Philly to D.C cost around $14 and took two and a half hours.

Once again we lucked out on accommodation and ended up in a small motel in the heart of the suburbs. We had booked a standard hotel, as there are very few hostels, but unbeknown to us there were two of these hotels. One was located in the city centre and one on the outskirts. Typically, we ended up in the dodgy outskirts confined to the hotel each night for yet more safety precautions. Washington D.C's nightlife would just have to wait.

Getting into the city centre was easy enough. We took the local bus but felt like we were in a zoo- people were friendly but seemed confused as to why two young tourists had ventured so far out of the city.

In late August the weather was scorchingly hot, so going earlier on in the year is advisable so you can wander around without the guy standing next to you honking of B.O.

First on the agenda, the White House. As an Obama fan I jumped up and down trying to get a glimpse of the president, but no luck. This did not stop me however, from telling my 12 year old brother back home that I had had tea with the president. Used to my cheeky tricks, he asked for photographic evidence and luckily my picture in front of the white house sufficed. I now await the day he turns and asks me about the time I met Barack- obviously we are on first name terms- and I'm forced to tell him the truth, that dining with B-dog is merely a dream.

Next was the Washington Monument leading up to the Lincoln Memorial. Just walking from site to site was a great experience. Washington is filled with gorgeous, green parks that are surrounded by pristine, white buildings. With the sunglasses on and ice lolly in hand it was bliss.

The monument is the world's tallest stone structure and was built in honour of George Washington in 1884. It is a great symbol of American history and situated perfectly between the Reflecting Pool and Memorial. The three create that iconic image we see on movies and this made me more than snap happy.

Moving on to Lincoln Memorial, here is a piece of info no one ever told me, there are lots of stairs!! In the sweltering heat climbing up to the Memorial makes you feel like your crawling in the desert with a monkey on your back. Advice: water, water and more water; drink it!

The deadly steps are worth the climb though. Inside the pillared building there is a cool breeze and an array of history to behold. Lincoln's two most famous speeches are inscribed on the walls that encase the statue of Lincoln himself. This statue is huge and I was disappointed to learn that there was no way I'd be sitting on that knee. Aside from honoring Abraham Lincoln, the memorial also held host to a number of important speeches including Martin Luther King's "I have a dream."

I stood in the same spot thinking about my dream..."Obama, Obama..."

@R_DoubleOT

http://gotthatwanderlust.blogspot.co.uk