on the get their own partisan pic on the bench. how is that conflict resolved? it is a difficult one, because the supreme court is not elected popularly, thejudges are appointed by the president. if an comes up, appointed by the president. if an comes up, whatever party the president represents, he or she will choose somebody who reflects his or her values. that is very much the dynamic that has been all along. it raises the kinds of questions that you have asked. i think there have been mitigating factors before, for example, in the senate, it used to be that you needed 60 votes to confirm a judge... are there any senators in the chamber who wish to vote or change a vote? if chamber who wish to vote or change a vote ? if not, chamber who wish to vote or change a vote? if not, on this vote, the ice are 50, then ace are 48, the nomination of brett kavanaugh of

maryland to be an associate justice of the supreme court of the united states is confirmed. i asked the motion to be reconsidered, laid upon the table and the president to be notified... sergeant at arms will restore order in the gallery. the clerk will call the role. mr alexander. inaudible studio: you have been watching scenes there in the us senate, mike pence has confirmed the vote 50—48.

barbara plett usher is still with us. barbara plett usher is still with us. barbara, we heard mitch mcconnell said the president would be immediately notified. yes, and i think we can expect to hear from the president shortly. he spoke briefly before the vote on mr kavanagh, he said he would be watching it on television. he said judge kavanagh would make a great supreme court justice, the week's delay in the vote because of the fbi investigations into the sexual assault allegations had been a positive outcome, so we may hear more of that when he speaks formally, but certainly this is the outcome he very much wanted and, as discussed earlier, is a political victory for him. barbara plett usher on capitol hill for us there, summing up and giving us that analysis on what we have seen here. these are the protests outside of the senate. you can see a number of people gathering who have been there for a number of hours. we believe

they are anti—kava nagh for a number of hours. we believe they are anti—kavanagh protesters. during that whole senate vote, people in the public gallery were interrupting that vote, crying out and it called to order had to be said a number of times by the vice president, mike pence. it has been a divisive day, a controversial day, and no doubt a day that many will not forget on both sides of the aisle. let's have a chat with natasha is right, she is a professor of international politics at the university of essex. she is also an american. natasha, what do you make of these scenes that we have seen. everything having to do with the confirmation of brett kavanaugh has just been incredible. shocking at times, it has been a roller—coaster, there have been many twists and

turns but, in terms of the scenes that we have seen, then the nation —— the nomination is one of the most controversial in the last century. and the confirmation of thomas, 42 in favour and 48 against, that was also confident —— controversial but there were 11 democrats who voted in favour of this very conservative justice. in this case it was very partisan. the democrats seem to be voting for brett kavanaugh. but the response, you can see and hear in the gallery, there are so many people protesting, and they have been protesting all week. worried about what the kavanagh confirmation could represent, it is definitely roused up the republican base positively, and they feel energised by this confirmation that it has

also roused up democrats who are incensed by what has happened. not feeling that the investigation is really properly done. it is seen as a symbol for how divided the us is at the moment. and, as an american, is this something that you have not seen before? and what is it you think when you watch these scenes? i've never seen anything this divisive before. nothing quite as controversial about the confirmation of the supreme courtjustice. not long ago, neill core search, a republican, was confirmed, there was not much fanfare about that, even though he is quite a conservative justice but with brett kavanaugh‘s justice, this was emotional and highly charged and seem to divide men and women in some ways as well.

admitting their concerns that they we re admitting their concerns that they were not being listened to when these concerns came out. there was so much attention on the hearing and so much attention on the hearing and so many people watching when brett kavanaugh so many people watching when brett kava naugh tried to so many people watching when brett kavanaugh tried to defend himself and doctor ford told her story. it is very sad, as well. it has been heartbreaking to see the usb so divided and so partisan. —— to see the usa be. what you think this was about? the sexual assault allegations or the temperament of judge kavanaugh, or just allegations or the temperament of judge kavanaugh, orjust about the politics? for the democrats, they had trouble with him from the beginning. they were worried that he was going to be incredibly partisan. they were concerned that if we have a constitutional crisis, where donald trump may try to pardon himself, that brett kavanaugh was

conservative enough and partisan enough and he has even stated that he believed in pretty expansive except powers. that he would vote in favour of supporting donald trump in his defences of himself. for the democrats, pretty early on, they we re democrats, pretty early on, they were worried about how partisan brett kava naugh is were worried about how partisan brett kavanaugh is and, when the blazey ford allegations came forward , blazey ford allegations came forward, there were concerns about whether or not he had assaulted someone, and whether he would be fit to be on the supreme court. when he finally had his hearing, you would see democrats really concerned not only about his partisan ship, but about his temperament. it was a job interview, as many of the democrat said, and they felt he had been rude, disrespectful and defiant, and at times yelling at them. he just did not really have the appropriate temperament to be on the supreme court. professor, thank you very

much for your analysis. let's now go tojulian much for your analysis. let's now go to julian thompson, a much for your analysis. let's now go tojulian thompson, a republican strategist and she joins us now from washington. i'm sure you have been watching all of the scenes, but i wa nted watching all of the scenes, but i wanted to ask you— chuck schumer described this as one of the saddest daysin described this as one of the saddest days in the history of the us senate. would you agree with that? well, i think this entire process has been sad. i think that we have witnessed a man being torn apart by the politics of personal destruction. and i think that senator schumer was that the head of that. i just senator schumer was that the head of that. ijust think it is a positive day for america. that in the end to the senate came to their senses, being voted based onjudicial qualifications, and not based on

personal destruction. not based on the fact that they ideological disagreed with justice the fact that they ideological disagreed withjustice kavanagh and the fact of the matter is, how they concentrated on their ideological differences. i think that america would have reacted in a far different way than it did. but what they did was, they used this opportunity to try to destroy him personally with unfounded, uncorroborated accusations and they even got hollywood starlet melissa milano to stand behind judge kavanaugh during the hearing, she is involved in the #metoo movement and is an actress. it was to make it a media show and a hitjob onjudge kavanaugh. her role was to get a lot of cameras on melissa milano and try and change the narrative of the entire hearing. of it being on these

unfounded allegations rather than hisjudicial unfounded allegations rather than his judicial qualifications and, for a while, they were successful but in the long run they were not and i am thankfulfor the long run they were not and i am thankful for that. are you concerned, was there ever a point when you heard these allegations and saw the reaction by other women who are victims of sexual assault. was there ever a point where you thought that, perhaps judge kavanaugh there ever a point where you thought that, perhaszudge kavanaugh isn't the right person for this role? there's never been a time i thought that because i never believed that judge kavanagh was guilty of what he's been accused of. i thought that dr ford may have been sexually assaulted by someone at some point in her life, but i do not believe it wasjudge in her life, but i do not believe it was judge kavanaugh. there in her life, but i do not believe it wasjudge kavanaugh. there are too many things surrounding the accusations and too many inconsistencies in her testimony,

combined with the fact that all the witnesses that she gave said they had no idea what she was talking about. this was completely uncorroborated. but in the long run, i feel that the democrats used christine blasey ford, they never told her that the republicans were flat—out to california, to interview her. they used her as a pawn for political purposes. and i think it's a shame, because in the long run the way that they treated her and the spectacle it turned into took the #metoo movement, which i originally agreed with, it took that movement and it took the victim heard of people that truly have been sexually abused, and it took it backwards, because the american people watched what happened and they saw this turn into, asi what happened and they saw this turn into, as i said before, the politics of personal destruction. and it has

been a very sad time in this country over the last couple of weeks. we arejust seeing over the last couple of weeks. we are just seeing live over the last couple of weeks. we arejust seeing live pictures over the last couple of weeks. we are just seeing live pictures of some of the protests. some of the anti—kavanagh some of the protests. some of the anti—kava nagh protests continuing outside the court. 0ne anti—kava nagh protests continuing outside the court. one of the other issues raised byjudge kavanagh was the partisan nature of his defence, of his personal defence at the testimony. what do you think of that? that people have said that a judge shouldn't really be partisan, or reveal if they are, and they ought to be truthful when they are being questioned by the senate. did that ever concern you? ? inaudible it was something no other supreme court justice had been it was something no other supreme courtjustice had been put through before, and it was only natural that he would be defensive of himself. he and his family, their information was put out at large, and people

knew where they live. they wrote graffiti on their homes, his children were in danger. she suffered death threats, the family suffered death threats, the family suffered death threats, the family suffered death threats. and they we re suffered death threats. and they were tearing him apart based on false, uncorroborated allegations. it's only natural. any human being, man or woman, would have been defensive. and as a republican, what are you hoping to see from judge kavanaugh? he will be officially confirmed shortly and then he will sit on the bench. what do you want to see going forward?” sit on the bench. what do you want to see going forward? i thinkjudge kavanaugh will to see going forward? i thinkjudge kava naugh will have to see going forward? i thinkjudge kavanaugh will have learned a lot from this experience. i believe judge kavanagh is one of the most qualified judicial review members of the judiciary qualified judicial review members of thejudiciary there qualified judicial review members of the judiciary there has ever been, on the supreme court. but as far as the qualifications he already has, this process has strengthened his belief system when it comes to due process and the rise of the accused.

we live in a country where you are innocent until proven guilty. not guilty until proven innocent. i believe it has strengthened his belief in the system, and in due process , belief in the system, and in due process, and i have high hopes for him asa process, and i have high hopes for him as a justice. thank you very much for your thoughts on what has been an extraordinary day, and an itch for ordinary week, really. let's show you these pictures again. we are seeing these protests happening outside, the senatejudge brett kava nagh is happening outside, the senatejudge brett kavanagh is now the new supreme courtjustice. brett kavanagh is now the new supreme court justice. that brett kavanagh is now the new supreme courtjustice. that fate has taken him through 50—48. that'sjust happened really in the last 15 minutes or so. let's talk to a pollster for the democratic party. shejoins us from pollster for the democratic party. she joins us from washington. so, what are your thoughts as you watched this unfold?

what are your thoughts as you watched this unfold ?|j what are your thoughts as you watched this unfold? i find it very depressing. and very sad for our democracy. first of all, we have now confirmed on the supreme court someone who, the majority of americans believe, should not have been confirmed. including a very solid majority of women, by 20 points, women think he should not have been confirmed. we have someone who has been accused of very serious misbehaviour and sexual assault. and we did not have a process that did the thorough kind of investigation and vetting that should have been called for. we have a critical time in our country, where i think this country is more polarised than ever. polarised at the expense of women, frankly, and the expense of our daughters and sons. and, i will call democracy. 0ne

daughters and sons. and, i will call democracy. one of the things the analysis ofjudge is he is disqualified for the supreme court, not even on the sexual allegations, but he is disqualified for his character and his honesty. he lied undergrowth, to the senate committee. that is disqualifying and 2400 law professors in the entire united states, an unprecedented action, said he is not qualified to bejudge. this is someone action, said he is not qualified to be judge. this is someone who action, said he is not qualified to bejudge. this is someone who is going to decide the fundamentals of our democracy. the fundamentals of our democracy. the fundamentals of our rights, engaging in partisan, personal and completely inappropriate response to legitimate questions that were being asked, and a very thoughtful testimony that was being raised about actions he had taken. he lied about his drinking,

he belonged to societies that i cannot even mention the names of, not on this television. they would be bleeped out. he used to sexual innuendoin be bleeped out. he used to sexual innuendo in his writings, these things should have been investigated and he lied about them. that is the most fundamental condemnation. i think it is a long healing process now. i think unfortunately the process will elevate fundamental doubts, particularly among women, about the fairness and partiality of the judiciary. but about the fairness and partiality of thejudiciary. but i think about the fairness and partiality of the judiciary. but i think sarah schumer had it right, there is one recourse in our democracy and that is our vote. people need to get out in the mid—term elections. it is estimated that 40 million americans who voted in 2016 were not planning to vote in 2018. we need those 40 million people to show up and vote. 0ne million people to show up and vote. one of the things that you have

heard said on the republican side of judge kavanaugh‘s supporters is those allegations that were brought forward by dr ford was simply not enough to meet a legal threshold. you also heard mitch mcconnell breed out almost a cv, saying this is a highly qualified judge? well, out almost a cv, saying this is a highly qualifiedjudge? well, he has a lot ofjudicial credentials— so do many people in the united states, there should have been a serious and full investigation. it should have been a three—day investigation where the white house took most of the topics off the table. it is a sad day, it's a very respected institution, the united states. it isa institution, the united states. it is a lifetime appointment. this man will be on the bench for over 30 yea rs. will be on the bench for over 30 years. he will rule on laws that will last for all of the rest of us for the rest of our lives. we should have taken more than three days to

investigate this. what the point, under oath, he lied to a senate committee. there is ample evidence of that. that should have been disqualifying. his nomination should have been pulled and someone else should have been nominated. there's no question in this administration, whomever they nominated would have been very conservative. this is about core character. this is about the process of our democracy. you have heard republican state time and again that they did not believe judge kavanagh lied, and they also believe that the democrats are orchestrating a lot of what happened. they took advantage of those allegations, what do you say to that? there are just as many other republicans who say they do not believe the charges, and other people who say they believe them. that is why we need a thoughtful and

independent investigation. if this man is going to be on the supreme court for 30 years, we ought to be able to take more than three days to investigate these allegations. so, that question of who said and who is right should not have been left to people's individual opinions. we have an impartial expert legal system. this man who has been nominated for any of our security posts in this country, it would not have been passed. it's going to be on the supreme court, distinguishing between all of our laws and our constitution. we should have taken more than three days to investigate. it isn't a matter of whether you believe or not. there are facts that could have been discerned but my fundamental point is the minute that thejudge fundamental point is the minute that the judge kavanagh lied fundamental point is the minute that thejudge kavanagh lied under oath to the senate committee, he was disqualified. that would be true,

whether a liberal or conservative judge, or someone in between. you are watching bbc news. at the moment we have been speaking to cylinder late, and you are now watching live pictures of protests happening outside the senate. judge brett kavanaugh outside the senate. judge brett kava naugh has outside the senate. judge brett kavanaugh has been confirmed by the senate as the new supreme court judge. let me bring you this tweet, in the last few minutes. donald trump has said that he applauds and congratulates the us senate for confirming our great nominee, judge brett kava nagh, to confirming our great nominee, judge brett kavanagh, to the united states supreme court. later today, brett kavanagh, to the united states supreme court. latertoday, i brett kavanagh, to the united states supreme court. later today, i will sign his commission of appointment and he will be officially sworn in. very exciting! that's what he said. we will hear from donald trump when he heads to kansas for a rally there. if we move forward to the political implications now, what do

you think they are going to be, for the democrats? especially as we approach the midterms? it is set to be determined but there are three factors. first, we see energy on both sides. it depends who turns out to vote. for 2017—18, the democrats have been far more enthusiastic than the republicans. brett kavanaugh and donald trump have energised the republicans and so now, it's a real fight to see whose vote turns out to vote. i would say that usually, anger is more motivating than victory. so we will see what happens. but donald trump is very evil in terms of leading his political party. secondly, i predict today that we will have a record gender gap. men and women who will disagree on their vote at twice the rate they normally do, including

married men and women. thirdly, we have a record number of women candidates running. i believe it will repel a record number of women winning. and what about those women representing states where donald trump won, where there are a lot of donald trump supporters? will it be a backlash against the democrats?” think it depends on the person. i am originally from montana, and senator tester is my senator and that went 20 points for donald trump, but it isa 20 points for donald trump, but it is a state where he has had a very thoughtful conversation with his voters. i think he will be returning successfully. you have heidi high camp, she made a very difficult decision, a female senator, one of the most conservative states for her, dakota, ithink the most conservative states for her, dakota, i think they will respond to her character and

principles. that she made a decision based on what she honestly believed was right for the country, not what would be good for her political fortunes. the republican in alaska, taking a very courageous stand. the only member of her party to do so. i think that people willjudge this individually, that this will add intensity, no question, to these fights and these campaigns in the run—up to the election. fights and these campaigns in the run-up to the election. going forward , run-up to the election. going forward, just briefly, looking at the supreme court itself. do you think now, in an institution which is trusted by republicans and democrats, that now is going to perhaps lose some of its shine?” think it's a very sad time, because we are very polarised in this country. far more than is healthy for our democracy. and the supreme

court, as noted, it's one institution that they thought was independent, impartial and will be very divided by the party. it is a sad day for the democracy. i'm hoping that in the elections in 2020 that the democrats will be able to nominate and win with someone who can bring the country together. thank you so much for that analysis. of course, you have been watching all of the coverage out of the us senate. judge brett kavanaugh, in the last few minutes donald trump has said the following... ingredients on the menu today were

limited. you could have chilly and sunny, or you could have chilly and wet! if you were caught in the rain, you knew about it. you can see in this picture from hungerford this afternoon, the rain was relentless. some areas saw half an inch before it cleared through. it will take its time, moving away from the essex and kent coast overnight. but we did see clear skies and a lot of sunshine. a few isolated and scattered showers. it meant a beautiful afternoon in northern ireland and scotland. this weather watcher picture was sent in from north berwick. these clear skies overnight allow temperatures to fall away quite sharply. widespread across the country. at the same time, we use rain in the

south—east but we have some wet and windy weather in the south—east. the greens dominate across the chart, these temperatures widely into low single figures and the potential for a touch of frost first thing on sunday morning. but we have contrasting weather conditions in the south. in the north, it's wet and windy at times, gusts at 40, 50, 60 miles an hour. some relentless through the day. that will make for a different story in comparison to today and it will feel miserable at times. in the south, we start on a chilly night but there's a lot of sunshine. we keep that through the afternoon. much better in comparison to today. temperatures respond a little better as well. highs of 15 or16 little better as well. highs of 15 or 16 degrees, cool and wet further north and west. from sunday into monday, england and wales remain under the influence of high pressure with lighter winds. they remain a

feature, we see this pulse of relentless rain moving in northern ireland and western scotland. there is potential before it eases off to see localised flooding. we need to keep an eye, three northern ireland and western scotland. in the south, and western scotland. in the south, a south—westerly flow bringing in milder air. more cloud on exposed coasts. further inland, highs of 17 or 18 degrees. if you want warmth, don't despair. things will get warmer still into next week. take care. this is bbc world news, the headlines. brett kava naugh this is bbc world news, the headlines. brett kavanaugh has been confirmed as a supreme court justice, the us senate voted 50—48 to approve, despite accusations of sexual assault. it also delivers a major political victory to president trump. as protectors gathered outside, there were several disruptions on the senate gallery,

shouting shame on you, during the final confirmation vote. president trump said the vote... he said mr cavanaugh trump said the vote... he said mr cava naugh would trump said the vote... he said mr cavanaugh would do a greatjob. the vatican has responded to sexual abuse allegations. pope francis has ordered a thorough review, saying they were complicit in covering up they were complicit in covering up the affair. aid has begun to reach of some of the most amount areas hit by the earthquake in indonesia. supplies have been distributed to the areas close to where the quake hit. at10pm, we at 10pm, we will have a full round—up of today's news. first on bbc news, hundreds of people are killed by the police