President Joe Biden has warned of a “dangerous concentration of power” among a few wealthy people in the United States in his farewell address to the nation.

Without naming president-elect Donald Trump, Mr Biden said: “Today, an oligarchy is taking shape in America of extreme wealth, power and influence that really threatens our entire democracy, our basic rights and freedom and a fair shot for everyone to get ahead.”

During his speech from the Oval Office in the White House, the president said there was “a dangerous concentration of power in the hands of a few ultra-wealthy people” and warned of “dangerous consequences if their abuse of power is left unchecked”.

Although he did not give names, some of the world’s richest individuals and tech titans have flocked to Mr Trump’s side, particularly since his election win in November.

Elon Musk, the world’s richest man, spent more than $100m helping Mr Trump get elected, and Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos have also donated to Mr Trump’s inauguration.

While Mr Biden was giving his speech, Mr Trump, Mr Musk and vice president-elect JD Vance dined with Microsoft’s CEO Satya Nadella at Mar-a-Lago, according to news outlet Semafor.

During his address Mr Biden also warned of a “tech-industrial complex” he said was bringing an “avalanche of misinformation and disinformation, enabling the abuse of power”, following social media company Meta scrapping its fact-checking programme in the US and loosening its hate speech guidelines.

The president said the US Constitution should be amended to say no president should have immunity for crimes committed in office, after the Supreme Court granted Mr Trump protection last year from criminal liability over his role in trying to undermine his loss to Mr Biden in 2020.

Analysis: Trump doing his best to undermine Biden as outgoing president tries to polish his legacy

Biden takes credit for Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal

Mr Biden also took credit for the ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas that will see the release of Israeli hostages for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners.

“This plan was developed and negotiated by my team, and it will be largely implemented by the incoming administration,” he said.

“That’s why I told my team to keep the incoming administration fully informed, because that’s how it should be – working together as Americans.”

He made the remarks after Mr Trump claimed credit for the breakthrough in negotiations

During his farewell speech Mr Biden said: “It will take time to feel the impact of all we’ve done together, but the seeds are planted and they’ll grow and they’ll bloom for decades to come.”

Mr Biden beat Mr Trump to become president in 2020, but decided to run for re-election in 2024 at the unprecedented age of 80.

He was later forced out of the race following a disastrous debate with Mr Trump and his replacement, Vice President Kamala Harris, went on to lose every battleground state to Mr Trump.

At 4.30pm last Tuesday afternoon, a dark grey smoke cloud loomed over North Mount Holyoke Avenue in Pacific Palisades, obscuring the setting sun.

The blazes which would become the most destructive wildfire in California’s history were racing up a nearby canyon.

The streets were almost deserted, the air choking, and most people had already evacuated. My team and I spotted an elderly woman at the end of a driveway.

“I don’t drive, I don’t have any relatives,” she said. “What do I do?”

It was 84-year-old Liz Lerner. She grasped my arm as the wind almost blew her off her feet. A neighbour showed up shortly afterwards, loading his Tesla with bags, and agreed to give Liz a ride to safety.

LA wildfires latest updates

A week on, she’s in hospital in Los Angeles and wants to tell the dramatic story of her escape and what came next.

“I thought I would die right there on the sidewalk,” she says. “I thought that was the end of my little life. I really thought that there’s nobody coming by here and I’ll just be a skeleton they find.”

As Liz was being driven by her neighbour, down the hill from Pacific Palisades to the coast, all around the neighbourhood, trees and buildings were catching fire.

“As we drove through the windy streets to get out, it was greyer and blacker and darker,” she says. “I felt a great heaviness pushing on my chest at that time. I’m gasping and gasping just trying to get some air. I was having a heart attack, I found out at the hospital.”

Liz is also being treated at Kaiser Permanente hospital in LA for smoke inhalation.

On the TV in her hospital ward she has been watching some of the news reports about the fire which has ravaged her community. She knows her home has been destroyed and wants to see pictures of it. “Wow,” she says, open-mouthed as she looks at a photograph. “There’s nothing left, nothing at all.”

It is a house her dad built in 1949, which she inherited and has made her own. Then she notices her wrought iron gate is still partially standing. “My gate,” she exclaims. “I designed that. I would like to get it back.”

Liz’s daughter, Skye, died 10 years ago and precious reminders of her life have also been lost with the fire.

“I saved all the paintings that she did in first grade. I lost all of those, all the stories she wrote, the birthday cards with the scribbles on them. It’s those normal things, that’s the worst of it.”

Because of the wildfire risk in her area, Liz says her home insurance was cancelled several years ago.

“I have no insurance, absolutely none, and no documents and no cheques and no credit cards. I don’t even have a pair of shoes.”

Liz hopes to be discharged from hospital soon, to a retirement home where she will share a room with another elderly woman. Her life is forever altered and she will never return to the place she once called her “forever home”.

The rebuilding of the decimated Pacific Palisades will happen, but for Liz it will take too long.

Donald Trump’s choice for US defence secretary has been accused of lacking the competence for the job, during a much-disrupted Senate confirmation hearing.

Senators are determining whether Pete Hegseth, a former combat veteran and TV news show host, is fit to lead the US military as Mr Trump’s choice for defence secretary.

He is a controversial choice because of past statements and actions, including allegations of sexual assault, excessive drinking and derisive views about women in military combat roles and minorities.

During the hearing – which has been disrupted by three protestors – Republican Senator Roger Wicker, chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said: “Mr Hegseth has admitted to falling short as we all do from time to time.”

But he added: “I have no doubt Mr Hegseth will excel in a skill in which many of his predecessors have fallen short.”

In contrast, Jack Reed, the top Democrat on the committee, told Mr Hegseth: “I do not believe that you are qualified to meet the overwhelming demands of this job

“Unfortunately, you lack the character and composure and competence to hold the position of defence.”

Mr Reed also commented on the FBI background investigation into Mr Hegseth: “I want to say, for the record, I believe the investigation was insufficient.”

Mr Hegseth’s opening statement was interrupted by three protesters, all of whom were arrested.

One could be heard calling Hegseth a “Christian zionist”, moments later another person began shouting about “bombing babies in Gaza”.

When Mr Hegseth addressed the committee he spoke about why he thought president-elect Donald Trump chose him for the position.

He said: “The primary charge he gave me was to bring the warrior culture back to the department of defence.

“He, like me, wants a Pentagon laser-focused on lethality, meritocracy, warfare, fighting, accountability and readiness to stop bombing that night in our homeland.”

Another Democrat on the committee, Senator Jeanne Shaheen, questioned Mr Hegseth about past comments suggesting women should not serve in combat roles.

He replied that, over time, the US military had seen an erosion of “certain duty positions, certain schools, certain places, which affects readiness, which is what I care about the most, readiness”.

Mr Hegseth added he would be “honoured” to serve alongside “men and women, black, white, all backgrounds with a shared purpose” and he would treat women and minorities fairly if he was confirmed for the job.

Mrs Shaheen replied: “I appreciate your 11th-hour conversion.”

But he added he would review military standards that prioritise gender or race.