Schools in Texas have cancelled classes and shoppers have stocked up on milk, pet food and other supplies to prepare for the wintry blast which has brought freezing temperatures, ice and snow to much of the nation.

Futurists have long proclaimed the coming of a cashless society, where euro and credit cards are replaced by fingerprint and retina scanners smart enough to distinguish a living, breathing account holder from an identity thief.

Critical firefighting aircraft have been grounded during one of the busiest and most destructive wildfire seasons to hit the US west after a military cargo plane crashed battling a South Dakota inferno.

The Occupy Wall Street movement faced down city chiefs to hang on to its makeshift headquarters, showed its muscle with a big Times Square demonstration and found legions of activists demonstrating in solidarity across the world.

A Northwest Airlines pilot erupted in fury after airport security confiscated his fingernail clippers and scissors, it has emerged.