The US employment market started the year in a much healthier state than expected, despite Omicron disruption hitting consumer-facing businesses. America added 467,000 jobs in January – about three times the 150,000 level expected by economists – according to the US bureau of labour statistics. The dollar rose and Wall Street stocks were subdued as
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A man has been arrested in a supermarket, naked, following a mass shooting on a bus in northern California in which a woman died and two others were seriously injured. Passengers were targeted as they exited the Los Angeles-bound bus at a convenience shop in Oroville on Wednesday evening, Butte County Sheriff Kory Honea said.
US special forces have killed the leader of Islamic State during a raid in Syria. Abu Ibrahim al-Hashimi al-Qurayshi was among 13 people who died in a two-hour gun battle at a house in the rebel-held province of Idlib. There were no US military casualties. “I will deliver remarks to the American people later this
The leader of Islamic State has been killed during a raid by US special forces in Syria. Abu Ibrahim al-Hashimi al-Qurayshi died by exploding a bomb that killed himself and members of his family as American forces approached a house in the rebel-held province of Idlib, a US official said. He was among at least
President Joe Biden has approved the deployment of thousands more US troops to Poland and Germany in the coming days amid fears Russia will invade Ukraine, an administration official says. Some 2,000 troops will be sent to Poland and Germany, while the US will also reposition part of a 1,000-strong infantry squadron currently in Germany
Native American tribes have reached settlements of $590m (£436m) with a pharmaceutical company and three distribution firms over the toll of opioids. Under the terms of the deal, Johnson & Johnson will pay $150m (£110m) over two years, while AmerisourceBergen, McKesson, and Cardinal will contribute $440m (£325m) over seven years. All federally-recognised tribes in the
US police have offered a $15,000 (£11,000) reward for information that will lead them to find the gunman responsible for a random bullet that struck and killed a British astrophysicist. Dr Matthew Willson, a 31-year-old from Chertsey in Surrey, travelled last month to visit his girlfriend on the outskirts of Atlanta, Georgia. In the early
Whoopi Goldberg has apologised for comments about the Holocaust that were described by others as “devastating” and “dangerous”. The actor co-hosts ABC talk show The View and was part of a discussion about a US school board’s decision to ban Maus, a Pulitzer prize-winning graphic novel about the experiences of a Holocaust survivor. Goldberg, 66,
A US judge has asked for Prince Andrew’s former assistant, Robert Olney, to give evidence as part of the civil sex assault case brought by the duke’s accuser Virginia Giuffre. Court documents reveal Judge Lewis A Kaplan has written to both the Senior Master of the Queen’s Bench Division and the Australian attorney general to
Robert F Kennedy Jr is part of America’s most famous political dynasty and regularly appears on stage as a keynote speaker, commanding an audience in a way his uncle, JFK, or his father, Bobby Kennedy, once might have. But his message is far more problematic. Mr Kennedy is one of America’s leading anti-vaccine activists, and
An American man who spent nearly two decades in jail for a 2003 murder has been released years after his identical twin confessed to the crime. Kevin Dugar was convicted in 2005 over a deadly gang-related shooting and was sentenced to 54 years in prison. A gunman had opened fire on three people in Chicago‘s
The East Coast is battling deep freeze conditions after a fierce storm barreled through several states on Saturday, flooding coastlines, dumping masses of snow and outing power for thousands. Officials in New York described conditions as “life-threatening“, five states declared an emergency and Rhode Island banned all non-emergency road travel as snow and high winds
New York has declared a state of emergency after “historic” blizzards dumped deep snow and gave way to blustery conditions across the US East Coast. The powerful nor’easter, which are common for the region at this time of year, has flooded coastlines and blocked roads across 10 states, leaving treacherous conditions in its wake. In
People along the East Coast of the US are preparing for a powerful storm that could dump 2ft or more of snow on some of the nation’s biggest cities. The Nor’easter is forecast to impact New England and the Middle Atlantic region this weekend, bringing potential coastal flooding, power outages and travel disruption. Airlines have
A two-lane bridge has collapsed in Pittsburgh just hours before US President Joe Biden was expected to visit to discuss his infrastructure bill. Rescuers had to rappel nearly 150ft (46 metres) while others formed a human chain to help rescue people from a dangling bus. There were minor injuries but no fatalities reported, although drones
The US has called for the United Nations (UN) Security Council to hold a public meeting to discuss Russia’s “threatening behaviour” against Ukraine. On Thursday, the US ambassador to the UN asked the security council to meet publicly on Monday. Russia has manoeuvred around 100,000 troops near the border with Ukraine, though Moscow has denied
The US grew at its strongest pace since 1984 last year as it bounced back from 2020’s pandemic-driven downturn, official figures show. GDP in the world’s biggest economy expanded by 5.7% in 2021 after shrinking by 3.4% the year before, according to America’s bureau of economic analysis. It has not enjoyed such strong one-year growth
A Texas man has been charged with selling a gun to a Briton who held four hostages inside a synagogue earlier this month before he was shot dead. Henry “Michael” Williams has been charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm after being accused of selling a weapon to Malik Faisal Akram just
The US has given Russia its written responses to a set of security demands by Moscow over Ukraine amid fears it could invade its neighbour. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the “ball is in Russia’s court”, as he added: “We’re ready either way.” Russia has massed about 100,000 troops near the Ukrainian border
A woman has been handed a restraining order after allegedly sending Apple boss, Tim Cook, hundreds of “threatening” messages and turning up at his condo. The temporary order, that demands the 45-year-old woman stop harassing, stalking, and contacting the tech firm’s chief executive, was issued by a court on Friday. In a petition for the