this is bbc world news. i'm reged ahmad. our top stories: world leaders gathered in buenos aires for the 620 summit are trying to overcome their differences on trade and climate change, but a final communique looks increasingly unlikely. a 7.0 magnitude earthquake hits alaska, near the city of anchorage, causing widespread damage. a massive data breach at the marriott hotel group. hackers steal the personal details of hundreds of millions of customers. 50 years after its discovery, a team of scientists is trying to explore the mysteries of the world's largest sinkhole — the blue hole in belize. hello and welcome. first, we want to start with some

breaking news the sour. george bush senior has died at the age of 94. he served for one that term between 1989 and 1983 and he previously served as vice president to ronald reagan. we do have a statement that was released. you can see it now on screen. it is a statement by george w bush and the death of his father, president george bush. it says we are saddened to announce that after 94 remarkable years, our dear dad has died. george hw bush was a man of the highest character in the best at the son or daughter could ask for. —— a summer obote. —— a son or daughter.

just to repeat, george bush senior, the 43rd president of united states, has died. let's just look at his life. i will faithfully execute the office of president of the united states... that he reached the office of the president of the united states almost seemed predestined. he was born into a family of wealth, privilege and politics. his father was the us senator. george attended yale, before volunteering for the navy in world war two. he was shot down over the pacific. his rescue remarkably caught on film. peacetime took into texas, where he made a fortune in the oil business and then came the lure of politics. he was elected to congress, served as an ambassador and became head of the

caa, for pitching to become the republican presidential candidate in 1980. he lost to ronald reagan but they can put him on the ticket and he served as vice president. in 1988, he had another crack at the presidency, this time successful. and that was one ringing sound bite back campaign that would come back to haunt him. read my lip, no new taxes. but his presidency will be remembered more for the dizzying pace of global events. within a year of coming to office, the berlin wall had come down, the cold war was over, the soviet union was no more. but there were new uncertainty because, notably iraq's annexation in1990. because, notably iraq's annexation in 1990. margaret thatcher told him to stay firm, apparently saying this is no time to go wobbly, george. he did not. iraq will not be permitted to annex kuwait. that is not a

threat, a boast, it isjust the to annex kuwait. that is not a threat, a boast, it is just the way it is going to be. a wide coalition was formed in operation desert storm began. the ground offensive would last us 100 hours with a decisive victory for american military expertise and superiority. victory for american military expertise and superioritylj victory for american military expertise and superiority. i can report to the nation, oppression is defeated. the war is over. the victory provided americans with a feelgood, and the president's approval rating soared, briefly. with the us in a protracted and painful recession, it was not long before voters were demanding answers to their domestic woes. we are going to their domestic woes. we are going to lift this nation out of hard times inch by inch and day by day, and those who would stop us had better stepaside. and then came the federal policy decision. he did what he vowed he would not do, he raised taxes. the 1992 election pitch the patrician bush against the young,

charismatic and hitherto little—known democratic governor of arkansas, bill clinton. his clear advocacy of a new vision for america swept into a decisive victory. so help me god, congratulations. within a decade, there was another bush in the white house, george w bush. bush senior was the last of america's cold war leaders and the demise of communism during his period was managed deftly as former soviet satellites embraced the values of democracy and freedom. george herbert walker bush remained active in the old age, even parachute jumping in his 80s. and of course, the one constant throughout all that, his wife barbara. they were married for over 70 years. that is george bush win senior, who has died at the age of 94 after

serving a term as president of the united states. —— george bush senior. he served between 1989 and 1993. he has now passed away. that is breaking news if you havejust joined us here on bbc world news, the former president of the united states, george herbert walker bush, has died. he was 94 and the 41st president of the us. he also helped guide the world out of a four decade cold war. we are seeing pictures here of george h w bush, who has passed away. his wife barbara bush passed away. his wife barbara bush passed away earlier this year, i believe. he has had several bouts of illness. he has had several bouts of illness. he was in and out of hospital at different times, and he has left quite a legacy. he was responsible

for golf or one, the first iraq war, and his family have actually released a statement, this is by his son george w bush. they released a statement saying they are saddened to announce after 94 remarkable yea rs, to announce after 94 remarkable years, ourdear to announce after 94 remarkable years, our dear dad has died. george hw bush was a man of the highest character and the best dad a son or daughter could ask for. and the entire bush family is deeply grateful for life, for the condolences of our friends and fellow citizens. of course, george hw bush has been unwell. he had a couple of spells in hospital in this last year, which was widely

reported. he had been moved to intensive care for a time. last time we saw him in public was at his wife's funeral, barbara bush, who passed away and earlier this year. you can see him here, he was with the world's leaders, margaret thatcher had quite a time in office. let's get more on the legacy and the life of george hw bush with andrew, political correspondent with the daily beast. andrew, thank you very much forjoining us. he had been ill for some time. that is correct. he had been in and out of the hospital for a good amount of time. 0ver had been in and out of the hospital for a good amount of time. over the summer, he had to remain at his hideaway at the family vacation home, as it has been known in the

united states for decades, where the bush family stayed over the summertime. 0f bush family stayed over the summertime. of course, barbara bush, the former first summertime. of course, barbara bush, the formerfirst lady, summertime. of course, barbara bush, the former first lady, his wife, passed away in april of this year and he was of course, as any human being would suffering from that loss as well. so i guess it is, it has been a tough road for him these past ten or so months. i guess this is a question we often ask when that these huge political figures question we often ask when that these huge politicalfigures passed away, but what was his legacy? right, well, he was sort of the last us president of the world war two era. he let us out of the cold war, he was someone who was so prepared for the presidency, he had served in congress, he was the direct of the central intelligence agency, he served as us envoy to china, he was the chairman of the republican national committee, which is the most powerful spot in us republican party, so when it came to

experiencing foreign policy and domestic policy and politics in general, he was someone who was just so general, he was someone who was just so prepared to resident and had a lot of experience. he was an aviator in world war two. he said in world war two of course. —— prepared to be president. he only serve one term as president. he only serve one term as president from 1989 to 1993. he was not re—elected, he was defeated by bill clinton of course, and the central pledge of no new taxes that george hw bush had promised was one that was obviously broken and one that was obviously broken and one that led or clinton to win. and over the years, he and bill clinton actually became very, very close friends, which is interesting in this era, to see two former presidents who have battled against each other very strongly, come together in friendship. americans would be getting the news now that george bush senior has passed away.

what do you think the reaction is going to be? is very much part of the political landscape or is he an era that has now gone? well, he does not, at least in recent years, he has not really commented that much and modern us american politics. obviously, his son jeb and modern us american politics. obviously, his sonjeb bush run for president in 2016 against donald trump and he was obviously very outspoken in favour of his son, one of his other sons george w bush obviously served as president he was very vocal in support of his son during that time. but he's straightaway from the us modern political landscape in his retirement for the most part. —— but he has stayed away. it is part of an era that we as americans might not recognise right now because right now, the way presidency is structured, the way congress is structured, the way congress is structured, it is a part is, it is very bitter. votes do not get along really well. so he is part of a kind of bygone era in american politics

that a lot of this might not recognise these days. —— people do not get along really well. you mention that george bush senior reached out across the political divide. what do we know about the man himself away from politics and the president the? writes, so he was afamily man the president the? writes, so he was a family man at heart. -- and the presidency. he was one of the existing political dynasties in american history, you think of the cli nto ns american history, you think of the clintons as well, you think of the kennedys, in terms of contemporary american politics, so they really leave behind a strong, strong legacy and there is bush hager, tv personality, there was george bush, who serves as a politician in texas, jeb bush, the former governor of texas, who ran for president in 2016 against donald trump and the

republican party. —— and in the republican party. —— and in the republican party. —— and in the republican party. he still prominent voice in american politics. he leaves behind a family who is really going to mourn his loss obviously, but he leaves behind a family that has become a political dynasties in united states that mostly everyone respects. added do know about the man without talking about some of the controversies, and there were some. “— the controversies, and there were some. —— i do not know. the controversies, and there were some. -- i do not know. yeah, they were. as i mentioned before, his central campaign promise when he was elected in 1988 was no new taxes, in other words he would not impose new taxes on the american people and that was something that was really prominent in his re—election campaign. i mentioned, he had a very long legacy even before he became president. he said that the director of the central intelligence agency, he was ronald reagan's vice president, is that as vice president eight years before he stepped the presidency. —— he served as. he was

dogged by many controversies, just as any politician was, during his tenure. you mentionedjust as any politician was, during his tenure. you mentioned just before, that he was very much the patriarch in the family. do we know how much ofan in the family. do we know how much of an authority he was, especially his sons that made decisions to move into politics? yes, certainly. i think his sons, by themselves, had been sort of room for success in us politics. george w bush, before he served as president, was the governor of texas. jeb bush, who i mentioned before, was the governor of florida. these individuals were very well groomed based on the family that they had grown up in. they grew up in the white house is essentially and it is a very unique upbringing for any type of family that. and you, we willjust keep you there for a moment. wejust that. and you, we willjust keep you there for a moment. we just want to get the latest from our correspondence on the death of george bush senior. david willis joins us now. david, what more do we

know? out of the first find out about this? well, in the last few minutes we've had statement released by george w bush. —— a statement. and it reads concerning the death of his father, jet, neil, marvin and i are saddened to announce that after 94 remarkable years, how dear dad has died. george hw bush was a man of the highest character and the best at a son or daughter could ask for. the entire bush family is deeply grateful for the 41st‘s life and love, for the compassion of those who've cared and paid for dad, and for the condolences of our friends and fellow citizens. so george bush senior, as he was known, will be a man whose death will be mourned by a lot of people here in the united states. he was seen very much as a patriot. he was unable aviator in the second world war, he

went on to become the congress and, an ambassador, and onward to china, director of the caa, and then served as vice president, before serving one term as president of the united states. but in tumultuous circumstances, because that period from 1989 to 1993, saw of course the fall of the berlin wall, the colla pse fall of the berlin wall, the collapse of the soviet union, and of course, military operations in panama and the persian gulf. so it was an extremely intense period as far as foreign policy is concerned. george bush senior, i think, the 41st president, will be seen with a great deal of affection by a lot of people here, as a patriot, and as a family man. he had been ill, we have been

reporting over the year a couple of visits to hospital. that's right yes, and this is going to come as a real shock i think to his family and coming so soon after the death of his wife barbara bush, and their mother of course, a very difficult couple of months for the family, and i think there will be obviously a big outpouring of grief at what is bound to be a very big funeral service, memorialservice bound to be a very big funeral service, memorial service and remembrance of the life of the man who was known as george bush senior. this is -- who was known as george bush senior. this is —— this hasjust happened so presumably we will find out some details in due course about whether there will be a state funeral in things like that, but how do you think this will be viewed by americans? i think there will be a lot of sympathy for the family, as i say, this was a man who was generally seen as a patriot, he was

unable aviator in world war two, —— he was a naval aviator. he had a highly distinct record of public service, making his way up the chain from congressmen to ambassador to on voip to rector of the cia, vice president and then the top office in the land. —— on to director of the cia. this was a man who represented a quieter, perhaps more civilised time in american politics when there was less rancour if you like, more bipartisanship and people actually seemed to seek to get along and get into done in the halls of congress. most recently we have become used to a president serving a couple of terms, but he only served one term and yet he really left his mark. 0h absolutely. particularly i think as

far as foreign policy is concerned, that will be the principal legacy, asi that will be the principal legacy, as i mentioned, it was a really extraordinary time, we are talking about 1989 — extraordinary time, we are talking about 1989 -1993, that extraordinary time, we are talking about 1989 —1993, that was the fall of the soviet union, there was all sorts of things going on with the colla pse sorts of things going on with the collapse of the soviet union, the fall of the berlin wall, and all of those sorts of things that were going on about time. he navigated apart through those, which i think... basically helped a lot of people here to feel that there was somebody really experience at the helm of these things, someone who knew his way not only around washington but around the intelligence community and saw will stop a safe pair of hands if you like, if ever there was one, regardless of which side of the political divide one happens to be

on. david willis in los angeles, giving us the details there, breaking news this hour, george bush senior has died at the age of 94, serving as president of the united states for one term between 1989 and 1993. previously served as vice president to ronald reagan, and had beeniu president to ronald reagan, and had been ill for some time this year, but let's just go back to the political correspondent for the daily beast, andrew,, i wonder what do you think some of the details will be about any kind of funeral or ability for americans to mourn? just ability for americans to mourn? just a couple of months agojohn mccain, the us senator passed away, and there was this outpouring of emotion, notjust in the united states but worldwide, and he was given presidential treatment in a

way, as someone who was given presidential treatment in a way, as someone who was widely regarded of course as an american hero, just as george hw bush was, and body who served in our military and body who served in our military and almost died many times doing so, i think you will see at least some sort of ceremony in the capital rotundo, where the former president will lie in state which is the highest honour any individual could receive in american politics —— rotunda. i think we will see other things in his home state of texas in the houston area where he lived and resided, and i think at the very minimum those of the two things we are going to see. we have not seen the death of a us president since i believe december of 2006 when gerald ford died. he was vice president to ronald reagan, did he make his mark in that role as well? it gave him a lot of foreign policy experience. as i mentioned, he was groomed very well for the presidency while he was president of the berlin wall fell

down, and another of democratic states in eastern europe and central europe sprung up as a result of that, and that was something that he helped helm as part of the ronald reagan foreign policy that he was able to carry through when he served as president. that was something that really help him in the realm of foreign policy and foreign affairs. can you tell us more about the era that he served in, we talked about the berlin wall, the fall of communism, the people who maybe when of around all were not even born when he was vice president and president, what kind of impact did he have at that time? —— were not around all were not warned. he have at that time? —— were not around all were not warnedm he have at that time? —— were not around all were not warned. it is a bygone era of us politics that we would not recognise under our currently structured era of congress and presidency, when democrats and republicans worked well together, they forged combo misers and worked

well together on ratifying treaties in the senate, on other foreign policy initiatives that president george hw bush helped to helm. it is something that we might not recognise these days based on the way american politics is structured right now. i want to talk of it about his decision to go into iraq, the first gulf war. how popular was that decision at the time? these decisions, are obviously one of the toughest decisions anyone has to make as a president, in terms of how it affected his approval rating, any time you are in a national crisis like that, an example would be right after the september 11 attacks when americans felt attacked and wanted to unify, they wanted to unify themselves behind the us president, that helps whoever who is in office in terms of their approval rating because there is this sense of national unity. i think at the time

it was viewed as a good decision, especially after the attempted humming, the initial attempted bombing of the world trade center, i think it was initially viewed as a smart strategic move, i'm not sure how well it might have played to him during the 1992 presidential campaign which was mostly focused on domestic issues and taxes and things like that. if you are just joining us, our breaking news this hour, george hw bush has died at the age of 94 after serving one term of the presidency between 1989 and 1993. andrew, he was a conservative president, i know we are talking about the current time when it is very divisive at the moment, how do you think democrats will view him? george hw bush and the bush family under the trump residency are democrats' favourite republicans in a way. because they see how donald

trump has conducted himself as president, how he has governed in particular and they have hearkened back to that era when republicans we re back to that era when republicans were i guess back to that era when republicans were i guess more back to that era when republicans were i guess more moderate and willing to strike deals with democrats, and that is something we have had a lot of democrats saying, comparing donald trump not dusty past president in general but past republican president and recently past republican president, people like george w bush, george hw bush, even ronald reagan as far back as the 1980s. even ronald reagan as far back as the 19805. i even ronald reagan as far back as the 1980s. i have not necessarily seen any the 1980s. i have not necessarily seen any reactions as of now, it has been about 40 minutes since we learned the sad news about george hw bush's passing, but i imagine soon we will start seeing some reactions from the democrats with whom he served, especially those who had to work with him in congress while he was president. certainly many of the world's leaders are in g20 in argentina at the moment, it is the

middle of the night for them perhaps, and we will start seeing that sort of reaction. ijust perhaps, and we will start seeing that sort of reaction. i just wonder in terms of generally going forward, as people start to look back at his life, as they start to mourn, are there any lessons for current us politics beyond the bipartisanship? i think the issue that really came up i think the issue that really came upfora lot i think the issue that really came up for a lot of us here in the united states right afterjohn mccain died was this issue of public service, and people who had devoted their lives to doing this essentially, these are people who start out in their much younger days as members of the military, they started —— says there countries and went on to serve their countries in different capacities. these are people whose entire lives were defined by decades and decades of public service. that is a lesson that any american can learn, they

can learn lessons from these folks, oftentimes right after they die is when we start diving into their legacy and their record, and that is a lwa ys legacy and their record, and that is always a good time for younger americans to realise how great their legacies were, and to draw lessons from that themselves. the family is quite a political family, from that themselves. the family is quite a politicalfamily, there is a bit of a dynasty there with george w bush his son, and of coursejeb bush, you mentioned. how much was that down to him, did he start that? obviously he was the patriarch, i would say he did started in a way, butjeb bush and george w bush had their own political upbringing that we re their own political upbringing that were sort of distinct from their fathers. their politics were the same, they are all republicans, but they were sort of, they have varying levels of conservatism. george w bush's presidency was defined by this idea of compassionate conservatism, he spoke of

immigration reform and things like that, jeb bush's tenure was different, he spoke of education issues as different, he spoke of education issues as governor different, he spoke of education issues as governor of florida, did not speak about foreign policy issues as much as his father had a george h —— george w bush had to deal with a lot of foreign policy issues after 911, which i am sure he learned a lot from his father. we just want to ride around what has been happening, the former president of the united states, george hw bush, has died, he was 94 years old. he did serve as president of the united states for one term, between 1989 and 1993, he served previously as vice president to ronald reagan. let's look back at his life. as vice president to ronald reagan. let's look back at his lifelj as vice president to ronald reagan. let's look back at his life. i will faithfully execute the office of president of the united states. that george h w bush reached the office of the president of the united states

almost seemed predestined. so help me god. he was born into a family of wealth, privilege and politics. his father was a us senator. george attended yale, before volunteering for the navy in world war ii. he was shot down over the pacific. his rescue remarkably caught on film. peacetime took him to texas, where he made a fortune in the oil business, and then came the lure of politics. he was elected to congress, served as an ambassador and became head of the cia, before pitching to become the republican presidential candidate in 1980. he lost to ronald reagan, but they put him on the ticket and he served as vice president. in 1988, he had another crack at the presidency, this time successful. and there was one ringing sound bite back campaign that would come back to haunt him. read my lips, no new taxes. but his presidency will be

remembered more for the dizzying pace of global events. within a year of coming to office, the berlin wall had come down, the cold war was over, the soviet union was no more. but there were new uncertainties, notably iraq's annexation of kuwait in 1990. margaret thatcher told him to stand firm, apparently saying "this is no time to go wobbly, george." he didn't. iraq will not be permitted to annex kuwait. that is not a threat, not a boast, it is just the way it's going to be. a wide coalition was formed and operation desert storm began. the ground war would lastjust100 hours, a decisive victory for american military expertise and superiority.