Residents of the US states affected by some of the most devastating tornadoes ever recorded have been describing the moment the storms hit and the impact they have had on their communities. Up to 100 people may have been killed and President Joe Biden has pledged to “provide whatever is needed” for those badly hit
US
The aftermath of a string of deadly tornadoes in Kentucky should be declared a major federal disaster by the US government, the state’s governor is reported to have told Washington officials. Democrat Andy Beshear has formally made the request, according to Deanne Criswell, the head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), which responds to
The extent of the destruction caused by a series of tornadoes that may have killed up to 100 people in the US has been laid bare by satellite images. Dozens have been confirmed dead across five states and many more are missing after the storms, which included one twister that could have carved the longest
Up to 100 people are feared dead in Kentucky after the “deadliest tornado storm ever” unleashed catastrophic damage in several US states. Four tornados ripped through the state, with the largest on the ground for more than 227 miles (365km). People are feared dead in 10 counties, with the city of Mayfield left devastated by
At least 50 people are thought to have died as tornadoes and storms hit several US states, toppling buildings and trapping people inside. Kentucky’s Governor Andy Beshear said the state had “experienced some of the worst tornado damage we’ve seen in a long time”. He said the number of deaths would likely “exceed 50” and
Ghislaine Maxwell’s fourth accuser has recalled the moment she was left “frozen” after the British socialite allegedly told her to undress and massaged her breasts. Warning: This report contains graphic descriptions of alleged sexual abuse of a child. Annie Farmer, who is the only one of four accusers to give evidence under her full name,
The High Court has reversed a decision not to extradite WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange to the US, where he is wanted for publishing classified documents. Mr Assange, 50, is wanted in America over an alleged conspiracy to obtain and disclose national defence information following WikiLeak’s publication of several hundred leaked documents relating to wars in
US actor Jussie Smollett has been found guilty of staging a hate crime against himself in what prosecutors said was a bid to gain sympathy and bolster his career. Prosecutors said the 39-year-old former Empire star lied to police when he told them that he was accosted on a Chicago street by two masked strangers
A former boyfriend of a woman who said she was paid to give sexual favours to Jeffrey Epstein at the age of 14 has corroborated her account at the trial of Ghislaine Maxwell. Named only as Shawn to protect the identity of his former partner, the man said he drove her and two other girls
Newly released pictures chart Ghislaine Maxwell’s relationship with disgraced billionaire Jeffrey Epstein, with one image showing them at the Queen’s log cabin. Released by the US Department of Justice as part of proceedings against the British socialite, the photos show the extent of Maxwell’s closeness with Epstein, who killed himself in 2019, aged 66, in
President Joe Biden has told Russian president Vladimir Putin that the US and its allies would respond with “strong economic and other measures” if Russia invaded Ukraine. The two leaders spoke via a secure video link for two hours as western nations continue to grapple with how to counter a massive build-up of Russian troops
Thousands of web users across the world have experienced issues due to an Amazon server outage. Several Amazon services including Prime Video, its namesake website, and applications that use Amazon Web Services (AWS) have been hit by problems. Amazon said the outage was likely due to issues related to the application programming interface (API), which
The US will stage a diplomatic boycott against the upcoming Beijing Winter Olympics to protest against human rights abuses in China. Earlier this month, President Joe Biden said the move was something the administration was “considering” but it has now been confirmed by the White House press secretary. Speaking to reporters, Jen Psaki said: “US
A second alleged victim has given evidence in Ghislaine Maxwell’s sex trafficking trial, telling the court the British socialite told her she was one of Jeffrey Epstein’s “favourites”. The 59-year-old former girlfriend of Epstein is facing eight charges – including six counts of enticing minors and sex trafficking – all of which she has pleaded
Bob Dole, who overcame severe combat wounds to become a senior figure in US politics, has died at the age of 98. The long-time Republican senator from Kansas, who was his party’s unsuccessful 1996 presidential nominee, was known for a wit that ranged from self-deprecating to caustic. Mr Dole announced in February that he had
A Republican congressman has been criticised for posting a picture of himself and his family posing with guns, just days after four teenagers were killed in a high school shooting in Michigan. “Merry Christmas! Ps Santa, please bring ammo,” the US Representative for Kentucky, Thomas Massie, wrote on Twitter. The post included a picture of
The parents of a teenage school shooting suspect who disappeared after they were charged with four counts of involuntary manslaughter have pleaded not guilty. At an arraignment hearing, the bail bond for each was set at $500,000. They were also told they could each face up to 15 years behind bars. James and Jennifer Crumbley
The parents of a teenager accused of a school shooting in which four people died have been arrested after going missing. James and Jennifer Crumbley had been charged with four counts of involuntary manslaughter, but hours after the charges were announced, Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard said authorities were searching for them after their lawyer
A handbook Ghislaine Maxwell gave to staff working at Jeffrey Epstein’s house in Palm Beach – in which they were told to “see nothing, hear nothing, say nothing” – has been made public in court documents. Its 58 pages contain advice on anticipating the “needs of Mr Epstein” and the requirement to be “unobtrusive” –
International passengers heading to the US will have to be tested for COVID-19 within one day of travel regardless of their vaccination status, as the Omicron variant spreads around the world. The tightening of coronavirus rules by the White House comes after America reported its first known case of community transmission of the highly contagious