Plus: Europe's faltering flying taxi dreams, and a curious case of insurance fraud ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏
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| Hello. US President-elect Donald Trump has nominated vaccine sceptic Robert F Kennedy Jr to be health secretary, insisting he will “make America great and healthy again”. We're tracking the latest reactions to the nomination. After a flying taxis service failed to take off in time for the Paris Olympics, Theo Leggett and Ben Morris report on whether the technology can ever meet its promise. And finally, we review an unusual case of insurance fraud involving luxury cars and bear outfits. | |
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TOP OF THE AGENDA | Trump gives RFK Jr promised top job |  | Kennedy's nomination as health secretary still faces Senate approval. Credit: Reuters | Donald Trump had hinted he would be giving Robert F Kennedy Jr, who endorsed him after suspending his own presidential campaign, a top job in health at one of his final campaign rallies. At the Madison Square Garden event in New York City, Trump said he would allow the vaccine sceptic and long time environmental lawyer to "go wild" on healthcare. The nomination of a man who has a history of spreading conspiracy theories is seen as controversial and is already facing criticism from the American Public Health Association, but some of his proposals might find cross-party support. Jared Polis, the Democratic governor of Colorado, welcomed some of Kennedy's promises, such as capping prescription drug prices and moving away from "pesticide-intensive agriculture" - before distancing himself from Kennedy's vaccine scepticism. Shares of major vaccine makers have fallen since the nomination was announced, although RFK Jr has denied being anti-vaccination and just last week stated he wouldn't "take away anybody's vaccines". Follow out live page for the latest news and analysis.
- New appointments: Besides Kennedy, Trump's latest picks include North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum as interior secretary and members of his criminal defence team in senior administration jobs.
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WORLD HEADLINES | | | | | - No laughing matter: Satirical news publication The Onion has bought Infowars, the media organisation headed by right-wing conspiracy theorist Alex Jones, at a court-ordered auction linked to his defamation case against the families of victims of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting.
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| Pubs fail to enforce safety scheme |  | The initiative has also been adopted at venues in countries such as the Netherlands and Canada. Credit: BBC | The Ask for Angela initiative was launched in 2016 across hospitality and entertainment venues in the UK. It aims to provide a discreet lifeline for people who believe they are in danger. Those with such fears are advised to use the code word "Angela", to indicate to staff they are in need of help. But secret filming by the BBC found that in more than half of the London venues they visited, staff failed to respond to the word. |
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| | Guy Lynn, Stephen Menon and Dolly Carter, BBC investigations |
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| | Following tip-offs from women and bar staff, BBC researchers posed as a couple on a date to test venues that actively promoted their involvement. At one establishment, our undercover female researcher approached the bar, as if in distress on a date, and asked: "Is there anyone called Angela working?" "Who?" came the confused response. It was not an isolated incident - 13 of the 25 venues we visited failed to respond appropriately to the Angela code word. |
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BEYOND THE HEADLINES | How Europe's flying taxi dreams faltered |
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| |  | The VoloCity made demonstration flights in Paris over the summer. Credit: Volocopter | One of the innovations at this year's Paris Olympics was supposed to be an electric flying taxi service. It never happened. Instead the company ran demonstration flights. Theo Leggett and Ben Morris look into what happened to that sky-high ambition - and whether it can still become a reality. |
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SOMETHING DIFFERENT | Reality in Paris | Are TV tourists flocking to filming locations set for disappointment? | |
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And finally... | Four people in California have been arrested after allegedly filing fake insurance claims stating that a bear had damaged the interiors of three luxury cars. "Upon further scrutiny of the video, the investigation determined the bear was actually a person in a bear costume," the California Department of Insurance said in a statement, sharing supporting evidence. | |
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Six Steps to Calm | Discover a calmer future with this course of six science-backed techniques, weekly to your inbox. | |
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