US

Deadly blizzard leaves more than 60 dead across US

The death toll in the New York city of Buffalo has risen to 28, with thousands still without power amid a monster winter storm that has battered North America.

BBC reports across the US, at least 62 people have died in weather-related incidents.

In Buffalo, a state official said that military police were being brought in to help manage traffic in the city, where a driving ban remained in place.

Looting has been reported in parts of the city during the emergency.

Winning ticket for $1.3bn jackpot sold in Illinois

The cash value option of the jackpot is $780.5m. The winner can choose to take the cash outright or be paid the full jackpot in instalments over 29 years.

The odds of winning the jackpot in Friday's draw were rather slim - one in 300 million.

The largest Mega Millions prize to date was $1.537bn in 2018.

It was won by a single ticket sold in South Carolina. The 2016 Powerball prize, however, remains the largest jackpot in US history - $1.586bn - shared by three winners.

US monkeypox outbreak: Demand for vaccines outstrips supply

The US has seen more than 1,800 cases so far, though that is thought to be an undercount as testing has also lagged.

There has been growing concern about the rate at which monkeypox is spreading - especially in New York City, epicentre of the US outbreak.

The disease, characterised by lesions on the skin, usually clears up on its own but can be extremely painful.

Most confirmed cases have been among men who have sex with men, although anyone can be infected with the virus.

Russian superyacht leaves Fiji for US following a court ruling

Fiji's Supreme Court lifted a stay order which had prevented the U.S. from seizing the superyacht Amadea.

A US Justice Department's Taskforce has focused on seizing yachts and other luxury assets of Russian oligarchs in a bid to pressure Russian President Vladimir Putin over the war in Ukraine.

The 106m Amadea arrived in Fiji on 13 April after an 18-day voyage from Mexico.

It was seized by Fiji authorities after the country's High Court granted a US warrant last month that linked the yacht to sanctioned Russian oligarch Suleiman Kerimov.

Arizona police placed on leave after watching man drown

Newly released bodycam footage and transcripts show the man, Sean Bickings, 34, getting into Tempe Town Lake last month and warning police he was "going to drown".

But none of the officers on the scene intervened to save him, with one heard saying: "I'm not jumping in after you."

Mr Bickings soon slipped underwater and was later declared dead.

Describing him as "an unsheltered Tempe community member", city authorities called his death a "tragedy".

Oklahoma gunman who killed four targeted surgeon who treated him

The suspect entered a building on Tulsa's St Francis Health System campus on Wednesday with a semi-automatic weapon he had bought earlier that day and opened fire at anyone he encountered, Tulsa Police Chief Wendell Franklin said during a news briefing. Two doctors and two other people were killed.

The suspect "came in with the intent to kill Dr (Preston) Phillips and anyone who came in his way," Franklin said. Authorities found a letter on the gunman that made it clear that the attack was targeted.

Monkeypox cases investigated in Europe, US and Canada

The latest new cases were reported in France, Italy and Sweden.

It follows the confirmation of cases in the US, Spain and Portugal on Wednesday, as well as the investigation of 13 suspected cases in Canada.

Monkeypox is most common in remote parts of Central and West Africa.

Cases of the disease outside of the region are often linked to travel to the area.

Monkeypox is a rare viral infection which is usually mild and from which most people recover in a few weeks, according to the UK's National Health Service.

US, Russia swap prisoners amid war tensions

The swap was not part of broader diplomatic talks and did not represent an American change in approach on Ukraine, US officials said. Russian-American ties have been at their worst since the Cold War era following Russia's 24 February invasion of Ukraine and subsequent Western sanctions imposed on Moscow.

Reed, from Texas, was expected to arrive back in the United States on Wednesday night, State Department spokesperson Ned Price said. Senior US officials said the 30-year-old was in "good spirits."

Biting 'unruly' passenger among two women hit with largest-ever US fines

The five-figure penalties on the two flyers accused of violence are part of $US2 million ($NZ2.9m) in fines levied this year.

US airlines have seen record numbers of disruptive passengers since early 2021, with many incidents involving the refusal to wear an anti-viral facemask.

The fines were announced by transport secretary Pete Buttigieg on Friday.

"If you are on an airplane, don't be a jerk and don't endanger the flight crews and fellow passengers," he said in an appearance on ABC's The View. "If you do, you will be fined by the FAA."

Biden agrees in principle to summit with Putin over Ukraine tensions

The talks proposed by France will only take place if Russia does not invade its neighbour, the White House said.

The meeting could offer a possible diplomatic solution to one of the worst security crises in Europe in decades.

US officials say intelligence suggests Russia is ready to launch a military operation, which Moscow denies.

The proposal was announced by the French presidency after two phone calls between President Emmanuel Macron and Mr Putin, which went on for almost three hours in total.