A large cargo-type plane crashed in the US state of Alaska and burst into a deadly fireball that sparked a forest fire at Denali National Park, officials said.

President Barack Obama arrived in Tokyo today aiming to shore up relations with a new Japanese government that vows to be more assertive with its US ally.

American and Canadian fighter planes were launched to intercept a pair of Russian bombers after the bombers came close to Alaska while conducting an exercise, military officials said yesterday.

A US airman is believed to have killed the world's largest bear.