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Biden participates in last White House Christmas tree lighting

Multi-colored Christmas lights illuminated Washington DC and New York this week as Christmas tree lighting ceremonies kicked off the holiday season.

US President Joe Biden participated in his last Christmas tree lighting on the Ellipse park at the White House before his term in office ends in January.

The lighting of Christmas trees is an annual tradition for both cities, with the Rockefeller tree in New York first being lit in 1933.

6 December 2024

United States Capitol

Christmas trees

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Charlie Buckland wearing a santa hat and a scarf. she has long blond hair and is wearing a coat.

How can you have an eco-friendly Christmas?

Five-year-old Evie hugging a snowglobe and looking at the camera

Evie's first Christmas at home with new heart

George Michael and Debbie Killingback in the music video for Last Christmas

'I was George's girlfriend in Last Christmas video'

Split screen of pupil who saved classmate's life and cctv of a lunch hall and the boy performing the Heimlich manoeuvre

Boy, 8, saves classmate with Heimlich manoeuvre

Newburgh in Fife holds a competition every year for its children to design a new festive light

The town with Christmas lights designed by kids

Edinburgh, Fife & East

Last Christmas film director Paul Feig

Last Christmas director on 'love letter' to London

Brooke and her two-year-old daughter Ivy. Ivy holds a yellow toy and has brown curls, she looks into the camera as her mum Brooke snuggles her shoulder.

Christmas 'just another day' for family in hospital

Children from the school wave at their teachers from a tractor

North London school welcomes farm animal guests

Nada is on the left and Luigi Mangione is on the right.

Luigi Mangione's extradition to New York explained in 73 seconds

A huge fiery plume of smoke rises from a power plant at night.

Power plant implodes clearing space for proposed waterfront park

Major Samuel Littlejohn looks at Jake, one of the horses leading the gun team

Army horses enjoy Christmas break after busy year

Suspect returns item stolen and confront neighbor.

Thief complains after video stealing parcel appears online

A split screen image showing a woman wearing a scarf and a man wearing a beanie.

Canadians respond to Trump's jab that country could become 51st state

CEO Maria Quaife with Christmas presents in the background

Presents needed for children in temporary housing

Flames as tall at street lamps on a dark street

Fire erupts after lightning strike ruptures gas line in Tennessee

A promo image for the BBC Verify video

Debunking misinformation about US drone sightings

Children from St James the Great school sing their Christmas song

School choir bids for UK Christmas number one

Distant lights hover in the sky on one side of a split screen with a man looking up into the sky on the other.

New Jersey residents 'starting to panic' over drones

Tornado touching down in parking lot near cars and shops

Watch: Moment tornado strikes California parking lot

Two men in ceremonial robes tasting beer as part of an ancient tradiiton

The ancient tradition of ale conning

A young girl holds a Spongebob ice cream as she looks into the camera with a microphone held to her face.

Teacher was screaming 'help' recounts 8-year-old school shooting survivor

Two people were fatally shot and several injured during a school shooting in Madison, Wisconsin.

A truck crashes into a firefighter truck.

Incredible escape as lorry smashes fire truck on icy US highway

None of first responders were injured, but the truck driver was taken to the hospital for minor injuries.

A deep furrow in the snow is in split screen with a snow covered road.

New Yorkers plough through thick snow as roads become sheets of ice

Governor Kathy Hochul declared a state of emergency due to the severe weather.

Man stuck trying to hide in a chimney

Watch: Man trying to escape police gets stuck in chimney

A police chase in Massachusetts has ended with a man needing to be rescued by the detectives he was fleeing.

Jude Law takes a picture with his star.

Jude Law gets a star on Hollywood Walk of Fame

The Oscar, Tony and Olivier Award-nominated British actor is honoured on Tinseltown's boulevard of stars.

Plane split in two on highway

Watch: Small plane split in two in crash on US highway

Four people, including the pilot, have been taken to hospital in Victoria, Texas.

Split screen of a man and a woman n New York City

How safe do New Yorkers feel on subway after Penny verdict?

People in New York weigh-in on the conclusion of the fatal subway chokehold case and whether they feel safe on the city's transit system.

A man with white hair looks into the camera.

Customer recounts moment he saw CEO murder suspect

Larry had been joking with his friends about a man who looked like the suspect.

Aerial images of yellow wild fires flames near emergency vehicles on a road.

Watch: Wildfire rages in California's Malibu Canyon

The blaze has burned more than 300 acres with a "rapid rate of spread", say authorities.

BBC correspondent outside McDonald's

BBC at McDonald's where Luigi Mangione was arrested

The 26-year-old was taken into custody at a McDonald's in Pennsylvania, in connection to the killing of United Health CEO Brian Thompson.

Two auction house workers hold up a tablet of the Ten Commandments in Paleo-Hebrew

Oldest known Ten Commandments tablet heads to auction

The historic marble slab was discovered in 1913 during railway excavations in present-day Israel.

A woman is speaking to the press.

Police name Luigi Mangione as suspect in NY shooting

The "person of interest" was detained on firearms charges at a McDonald's in Altoona, Pennsylvania.

Benches are covered in ice.

Benches encased in icicles as frigid conditions hit northern US

Millions are under winter alerts after an arctic blast developed from a clipper storm in Canada.

Astronaut is showing students how to drink liquids from space.

Astronaut shows students how they drink liquids in space

Sunita Williams spoke to pupils from her hometown during her extended stay on the International Space Station.

A poster is attached to a lamp post outside the Hilton hotel near the scene where the CEO of UnitedHealthcare Brian Thompson was shot dead in Midtown Manhattan, in New York City, US, on 5 December 2024

Ros Atkins on… How the New York shooting unfolded

Our Analysis Editor Ros Atkins with BBC Verify has been looking at the gunman’s movements and what we know about how the shooting unfolded.

Water sloshes out of a pool with a split screen of lots of red soup cans that have fallen off a shelf

Moment earthquake hits California and damages store

A tsunami warning was cancelled after the 7.0 magnitude quake shook parts of the West coast.

Ronald Rowe and Pat Fallon point and shout at each other on either side of a split screen

Shouting match erupts at Trump assassination attempt hearing

Republican Congressman Pat Fallon accused Secret Service Director Ronald Rowe of "playing politics".

A drone circled with a red graphic flies over tree tops

FBI investigates possible drones seen over Trump golf course

Officials says the flying objects caught on camera by New Jersey residents pose no public threat.

Police officer holding a child's bike

Police officer uses child's bike to chase suspect on scooter

The suspect, wanted for felony theft, was later apprehended and charged.

A man is on the left and a woman is on the right.

Americans divided over Biden’s pardon of son Hunter

People share their reactions with the BBC on the US President's decision to pardon his son.