welcome to bbc news, broadcasting to viewers in north america and around the globe. i'm duncan golestani. our top stories: after weeks of division, justice brett kavanaugh is sworn in as the latest member of the us supreme court at a special white house ceremony. the senate confirmation process was contentious and emotional. that process is over. my focus now is to be the bestjustice i can be. the second suspect in britain's nerve agent attack is named as alexander mishkin, a military doctor working for russian intelligence. hurricane michael lashes cuba. it is set to strengthen as it heads towards florida, bringing life—threatening storm surges. and faces of hope on syria's frontline. we meet the families trying to reclaim their lives after seven years of war. hello and welcome

to world news today. justice brett kavanaugh has been sworn in as the latest member of the us supreme court at a special ceremony at the white house. president trump opened proceedings, and apologised for the difficult confirmation process mr kavanaugh had to go through. justice kavanaugh insisted he had no bitterness over his nomination process, where allegations of sexual misconduct dominated proceedings. republicans said the claims were part of a dirty tricks campaign. an extra fbi probe, which media reports say was drastically curtailed by the white house, seems to have found no evidence to act on. justice kavanaugh has vowed to be a team player, and thanked the president for his continued commitment to him. my focus now is to be

the bestjustice i can be. i take this office with gratitude, and no bitterness. on the supreme court, i will seek to be a force for stability and unity. my goal is to be a great justice for all americans. and for all of america. i will work very ha rd to and for all of america. i will work very hard to achieve that goal. i was not appointed to serve one party oi’ was not appointed to serve one party or one interest, but to serve one nation. america's constitutional laws protect every person, of every belief and every background. every litigant in the supreme court can be assured that i will listen to their arguments with respect and an open mind. every american can be assured

that i will be an independent and impartialjustice, devoted that i will be an independent and impartial justice, devoted to that i will be an independent and impartialjustice, devoted to equal justice under law. let's get more now from our north america correspondent peter bowes. so peter, quite a strikingly different brett kava naugh so peter, quite a strikingly different brett kavanaugh to the one we saw a week ago at the senate judiciary committee. yes, this was a justice kava naugh judiciary committee. yes, this was a justice kavanaugh determined, i think, to put the hostility and the rancor of the last few weeks behind him and look to the future, and talk about his duties as a justice of the highest court of the land, where he will be non— political, where he will be non— political, where he will be non— political, where he will be fair to all americans. and he fretted himself that he is the kind of person that looks to the future, not to the past —— phrased it himself. it was a rather different tone that we heard from president trump, highlighting some of the political divisions that we

have seen over recent weeks, and without apology, saying that he apologised for the terrible pain and suffering that brett kavanaugh had been forced to endure. he said he had endured a campaign of political and personal destruction. in that phrase that we have heard a lot from president trump over the last few weeks about the presumption of innocence until proven guilty. he said you, sir, under historic scrutiny, were proven innocent. and i think that is a phrase that there will be little political agreement on in the weeks and days to come. will be little political agreement on in the weeks and days to comem terms of mr kavanaugh's opponents, are they accepting this, or are they remaining as angry as they have been for the last few weeks? we are getting a range of opinions on that. some are clearly still very, very angry. at what happened, and others are accepting that they essentially lost the vote in the senate and are moving on. there are still murmurs

of possible action by democrats. for example, some want to see the detail of the fbi investigation made public. so far it hasn't been. and others have talked about possible impeachment of the justice. indeed, thatis impeachment of the justice. indeed, that is something that the president, president trump, referred to today as he believed some democrats wanted to take that course of action. there is in a huge amount of action. there is in a huge amount of evidence for that, but remember, the mid—term elections arejust of evidence for that, but remember, the mid—term elections are just a few weeks away and it seems as if the president at least wants to continue to make this a political issue. peter, we are going to leave it there. mica mosbacher is an advisor for president trump's 2020 campaign. she joins us now from austin, texas. thank you forjoining us here on bbc world news. can we believe all we saw, then, in the east room a few hours ago? all is good, all is forgiven? well, this is undoubtedly

a huge victory for president trump and for the gop party. this was beyond a contentious hearing. it was all out war between the two parties. and undignified, actually, for the us senate, especially with the carnival, circus type environment. all that was missing were the carnival barkers and popcorn, if you well. so this is obviously a very sensitive issue, in terms of the sexual assault allegation, because i have for years have worked as a tireless advocate for victims of sexual assault, helped pass by partisan legislation in the state of texas. and i did find, as many women did, doctor ford's testimony compelling. but overriding that was the fact that, while her testimony was compelling, it was uncorroborated by any of the four witnesses that her attorneys have recommended. therefore, on trial in

this nation were the core principles of the presumption of innocence and due process of law, and i think that that prevailed, and that has satisfied a number of very conflicted female voters, especially among gop conservatives in the party. also of concern for mothers and wives and grandmothers like myself were the fact that men, who had served honourably, likejudge kavanaugh had served honourably, likejudge kava naugh has had served honourably, likejudge kavanaugh has done, nowjustice kavanaugh, for something like 30 yea rs, kavanaugh, for something like 30 years, could easily be smeared by a mere accusation. and that was the ci’ux mere accusation. and that was the crux of the issue. and the main senator, susan collins, really struck the right chord. senator, susan collins, really struck the right chordlj senator, susan collins, really struck the right chord. i would love to interrupt you, but i want to get a few questions them. can you understand how just how a few questions them. can you understand howjust how angry a few questions them. can you understand how just how angry and upset so many women will be to see this confirmation going through?

well, what has happened is it has ignited a hurricane among suburban republican women, who were outraged that an individual could be smeared bya that an individual could be smeared by a mere accusation. and again, there was lack of evidence. so what we are going to see is, in the polls, is that people are no longer a complacent, they have been happy with president trump's delivering on several promises. we've got a 3.7% unemployment rate, an all—time low, since 1969. and what is happening is that women and men, and some independents, who were disgusted by this process, will get out and vote. i always say, don't look at polls... cani i always say, don't look at polls... can ijust i always say, don't look at polls... can i just ask, i always say, don't look at polls... can ijust ask, because i want to get one more question in you. what are your thoughts towards your president, a president who stood up and mocked doctor ford's testimony?

idid not and mocked doctor ford's testimony? i did not agree with that. he has a tendency to be fiery, as we heard today, at rallies. and a lot of that is campaign rhetoric. i do not believe that she deserved to be mocked. i do believe that the republican senators, all male senators, treated her with respect, felt that she should be heard, but also felt that the accused justice kavanaugh had a right to defend himself. did you change your mind about supporting a man like that, a man who makes a woman saying that she was sexually assaulted? not at all. no one is perfect. i think that women like myself are very concerned about feeding their families and are looking at a roaring economy and historic tax cuts in this country, andi historic tax cuts in this country, and i think that the fact that the democrats did leak doctor ford's letter, which was absolutely horrible, she surely it was not able to have a confidential meeting with

the senators. she wasn't advised that she could do that. so i think there is a lot of anger within the democratic party, as well. i think we will see some walkways from the democratic party. i really wish we had more time, it has been a pleasure talking to you. thank you very much. the second suspect in the salisbury nerve agent attack has been named. the investigative website bellingcat says the man who called himself alexander petrov and claimed to be a tourist is in fact a military doctor employed by the russian intelligence service, the gru. the website says the 39—year—old is dr alexander mishkin. here is our home affairs correspondent daniel sandford. the cathedral city of salisbury in march, and the two men suspected of poisoning sergei and julia skripal with the nerve agent novichok. police believe the two men arrived in the country using false identities. the man on the left has since been

identified as anatoliy chepiga. the man on the right has tonight been named by the bellingcat investigation website as a doctor — dr alexander yevgenyevich mishkin. bellingcat have unearthed these three pictures of dr alexander mishkin. the website says he trained in a military medical academy, before being recruited by the gru, russian military intelligence. they also obtained this picture of his passport in his real name. his false passport had the same date of birth, and he apparently even kept the first names of his parents in his false identity. the men gave an interview to russian state television under their false names, ruslan boshirov and alexander petrov. he, on the right here, is dr mishkin. they are suspected of using this adapted perfume bottle to spray novichok on the door of sergei skripal‘s salisbury house. mr skripal and his daughter yulia ended up in comas in hospital,

before eventually recovering. but dawn sturgess, who handled the perfume bottle nearly four months later, died from the effects of the nerve agent. daniel sandford, bbc news. hurricane michael has brought strong winds and heavy rainfall to western cuba, and is now set to strengthen as it makes its way across the gulf of mexico towards the us. the state of florida has been warned to prepare for life—threatening flash—floods. the storm battered central america over the weekend. at leat 13 people died in the region after it formed off the coast of northern honduras. it is thought six of those deaths were in honduras itself. lebo diseko has more trying to get to safety, with water all around. people in honduras doing their best to salvage what is left of their homes and their lives. where once there were streets, now there is flooding, after rivers broke their banks. some communities we re broke their banks. some communities were completely cut off after mud

and debris closed roads. the message from the president, as the rains came in— don't wait to get to safety. translation: the situation is getting more difficult with the passing hours. the important thing is to evacuate the areas of risk. don't wait for the authorities to arrive. the rain, which started on thursday, has destroyed several homes, and a landslide killed two children and their mother as they slept. the worst looks like it might be overfor honduras, as hurricane michael moves on. it is now lashing the coast of cuba, with strong winds and heavy rains. michael is currently a category 1 and heavy rains. michael is currently a category1 storm, but it is expected to be a major category 3 hurricane by the time it hits the coast of florida on wednesday. stay with us on bbc news. still to come: inside president obama's mailbag. from hardships to homework, americans put it on paper and receive a personal reply.

we met the family is trying to reclaim their lives after seven yea rs of reclaim their lives after seven years of war. this was a celebration by people who were relishing their freedom. they believe everything's going to be different from now on. they think their country will be respected in the world once more, as it used to be before slobodan milosevic took power. the dalai lama, the exiled spiritual leader of tibet, has won this year's nobel peace prize. as the parade was reaching its climax, two grenades exploded, and a group of soldiersjumped from a military truck taking part in the parade and ran towards the president, firing from kalashnikov automatic rifles. after 437 years, the skeletal ribs of henry viii's tragic warship emerged. but, even as divers work to buoy her up, the mary rose went through another heart—stopping drama. i want to be the people's governor.

i want to represent everybody. i believe in the people of california. this is bbc news. the latest headlines: after weeks of division, justice brett kavanaugh has been sworn in as the latest member of the us supreme court at a special white house ceremony. let's get more on that. professor sa har aziz is director of the centre for security, race and rights at rutgers law school. she is in newjersey. you were one of the 21100 law professor is calling forjudge kavanagh professor is calling forjudge kava nagh to withdraw, professor is calling forjudge kavanagh to withdraw, did anything

in the early swearing in reassure you? no, because what we saw during his testimony last thursday, i think, revealed his true character and the concern is, for many of us who signed a letter, over 21100 law professors, is whether or not he is going to able —— he is going to be able to put his partisanship aside when cases regarding rights to abortion, same—sex marriage, and other important individual rights cases, for him in the supreme court, will he be able to put aside his allegiance to the republican party and his disdain for the democrat party as an independent and impartialjudge? party as an independent and impartial judge? what we party as an independent and impartialjudge? what we sawjury that hearing was far from that. he says there is no bitterness and he wa nts to says there is no bitterness and he wants to be a force for unity. i

suppose, in fairness, wants to be a force for unity. i suppose, infairness, regardless wants to be a force for unity. i suppose, in fairness, regardless of how bruising the confirmation process had been, he has a conservative voting track record. those subjects you talk about, abortion rights, gay rights and voting laws, he would have gone to the conservative end of the court anyway. yes and that is why his platitudes are falling, i think, on deaf ea rs platitudes are falling, i think, on deaf ears for those who believe that the constitution is a living document that should reflect the abolition of social norms, as opposed to being liberally interpreted based on the original intent of 20 of these amendments we re intent of 20 of these amendments were passed, which included a time when blacks were slaves, women couldn't vote in the only people that can become american citizens had to be white and property owning. so there are many problems with his original list interpretation, but when you couple that with his severe

character flaws that were on display during that hearing, is just going to cause lot of concern about the legitimacy of the supreme court in the future, especially if they overturn many of these cases, the precedent for these individual rights cases. you think we are now seeing the beginning of the supreme court not being able to sit above the political muckraking? this was certainly an example of what we call the politicisation of the judiciary, 01’ the politicisation of the judiciary, or the judicial politics. the politicisation of the judiciary, or thejudicial politics. i think, because he barely was confirmed, this is evidence that becoming a justice is now a political position much more than it is simply a professional, technocratic, legal position... can i ask you, due not

like it because he is a conservative judge. would be ok if he had liberal views? i think if he had been voted by a8— views? i think if he had been voted by 48— 50, views? i think if he had been voted by a8— 50, even if he had liberal views, i would by a8— 50, even if he had liberal views, iwould be by a8— 50, even if he had liberal views, i would be very concerned about the supreme court's legitimacy. i think it is up to each president to identifyjustices, at that have, although there may have liberal or conservative leanings, that are at least viewed as impartial and objective and perceive, because perception matters when it comes to the judiciary and its rulings. i think he was a fringe and what he shows in his views are very fringe on the conservative side, as opposed to at least more moderate leaning on the conservative side. did you think will be most galvanised by this as we head towards november, just briefly, if i can ask you? absolutely the democratic race, particularly women. i think women who were independent

would now vote democrat. i think this is a big shock to upper middle class white women who saw themselves in doctor ford, who saw themselves... sorry to interrupt you but we are up against the clock. thank you for talking to us. in syria, militants still fighting president assad's regime are mainly gathered in idlib province. the area is now home to 3 million civilians, among them up to 90 thousand anti—government rebels, including extremistjihadists. president assad's forces were expected to launch a final offensive last month but that was postponed after an agreement to create a demilitarized zone surrounding the rebel area. our middle east editorjeremy bowen reports from the front line in idlib, a place fewjournalists have been able to get to. in this war, most syrian christians have chosen silence or the regime. at st george's church, the local commander is proud that his mostly christian town has had a bishop since the fourth century. and he is proud that in the fight

to end the rebellion in idlib, christians from the town are in the front line. the guns are silent for now because turkey and russia want to set up a demilitarised zone to separate the regime and its enemies. on the other side, are islamist fighting groups. the christian commander says they are all dangerous fanatics, taking orders from western intelligence services, including britain. he says thejihadist extremists have a choice, give up their ideology or be killed. no deals? translation: no, they are terrorists. when they become humans, we will make a deal with them and we will do a deal when europe

and america stop their support and the gulf countries stop funding them and supporting the jihadi ideology in their heads. we drove along the front line around idlib province. village after village is in ruins. half of syria's population have lost their homes. the regime denies accusations that its forces are the biggest killers. the next stop was one more badly damaged ghost town. government forces pushed jihadists of the al—nusra front out of here earlier this year. at the school, newly reopened, the ministry was delivering supplies. the regime wants to show it is getting the country back. in the classroom are children too young to remember peace. only 100 families have come back here. for children who have seen a lot of war, school is a bright spot.

for a moment, the wrecked main street was busy before they melted away into the empty, damaged town. this girl hasjust started at the school. with herfamily, she arrived from idlib only ten days ago, a place of bad memories. one day, jihadist fighters came to their house. her father said they killed his son because his mother was an alawi, from the same sect as the president and from the alawi heartland. translation: i have a son. his mother is from latakia. i sent his mother and the other kids back to latakia at the beginning of the crisis. he was 1a years old, so he stayed with me. they cut his head off

in front of me, in my house. he was 1a years old. they cut off his head because his mother was from latakia. driving through that part of syria, from military positions to broken towns, in the rubble and pain an ending is in sight. the rebels are almost beaten. reopening this highway, the m5 is part of the plan to avoid a last battle in idlib. this is syria's main north south route, cut by rebels in idlib since early in the war. after all the years of killing and destruction, president assad and his allies are close to victory. but the president will never be able to say that he has restored sovereignty to the whole country while this road is still cut. that is why reopening it has become one of his major strategic priorities and it is shared

by the russians as well. this is as far as you can go up the highway on the regime side. the last syrian army post, looking across at territory held by the rebels. if the demilitarised zone does not work, the regime, the russians and the iranians might launch the offensive so feared by idlib's three million civilians. then there is the future. not deadly like war, but not cosy or reassuring. jeremy bowen, bbc news, on the idlib front line. plenty more on our website. you can reach me on twitter. i'm @duncangolestani. hello.

there's some warmth and some sunshine in this forecast and one more day of rain for scotland and northern ireland. by the time it pulls away later on tuesday, through the early hours on wednesday, parts of the western highlands could well have seen around 200 millimetres — close to eight inches — on this one front that's been hanging around for a few days. still with us on tuesday and still bringing strong winds and outbreaks of rain into northern ireland and scotland, always heaviest the further north and west you are. slowly through the day, it will push northwards. there is something dry arriving arriving into northern ireland, southern and eastern scotland and increasing amounts of sunshine across england and wales as the cloud through the morning thins and breaks. maybe a bit more cloud across the far north of england. anywhere northwards of wales will see the strongest of the winds on tuesday. this is an idea of the average speeds but the gusts, once again, will be touching a0 or 45 mph. lighter winds in the south and in the sunshine temperatures between 17 and 20. 15 and 16 for northern

ireland and scotland. 11 for the far north of scotland. through tuesday evening and overnight, our band of cloud and rain continues to work its way northwards so for much of the uk, as we start wednesday morning, it will be dry with clear skies, the odd patch of mist and fog and a mild start to wednesday. temperatures between 7 and 12 as the overnight low. the warmer air continues to push its way up across the uk through wednesday and you will see temperatures rising. the warmest day of the week. our front finally clears away from the far north—west of scotland, just some cloud and patchy rain first thing in the morning before it finally moves away and for much of the uk, it is a fine day. plenty of sunshine. a fairly noticeable south—easterly breeze later in the day. some hazy skies across southern england, perhaps some showers through the evening. to give you an idea of the temperature, you can see warmer area extending right across the uk and we will see temperatures widely in the low 20s celsius on wednesday, even up into scotland. parts of east anglia and south—east

england could see temperatures up around 2a celcius. by thursday, it is more unsettled. bands of showers, longer spells of rain, working their way up, particularly in the west. further east, at this stage, dry and still holding some warmth. 20 or 21 celcius. a cooler feel further west. as we go through friday, keep an eye on this because we could see some very wet and windy weather, gales are likely across much the uk, very unsettled by the end the week. this is bbc news. the headlines: after weeks of division, justice brett kavanaugh has been sworn in as the latest member of the us supreme court at a special white house ceremony. president trump apologised on behalf of the american people for what he called the campaign of political and personal destruction based on lies and deception the judge had to endure. the second suspect in britain's nerve agent attack has been named

as alexander mishkin, a military doctor working for russian intelligence. last month, the first suspect was named as colonel anatoliy chepiga. russian ex—spy sergei skripal and his daughter yulia were poisoned in march. hurricane michael is lashing cuba with strong winds and heavy rains, and is set to strengthen as it heads towards the united states. officials are warning residents along florida's gulf coast to prepare for "life threatening" storm surges. now on bbc news, hardtalk.