welcome to bbc news, i'm james reynolds. our top stories: the us supreme courtjustice, ruth bader ginsburg, has died. she was eighty—seven and had been undergoing treatment for pancreatic cancer. with weeks to go until the presidential election, her death sets up a battle for her replacement. crowds have continued to gather on the steps outside the court in washington to pay their respects. hello and welcome.

within the past few hours it's been announced that the us supreme courtjudge, ruth bader ginsberg, has died. she was 87. she had been undergoing treatment for pancreatic cancer. is one of four liberaljustices on the court, her death raises the prospect of president trump trying to expand the court's slender conservative majority. ruth bader ginsburg was beloved by liberal americans were championing women's rights. laura trevelyan looks back at her life and career. ruth bader ginsburg was born in brooklyn new york in 1933. child of recent immigrants, she attended cornell university, meeting her husband marty there, the love of her life. despite excelling at harvard law school the young mother could not get a job at a law firm when she graduated, experiencing sex discrimination first hand. she worked to promote women's rights at the american civil liberties union in the 70s, arguing in front of the us supreme court that women faced discrimination in employment. rbg was involved in the first case that the supreme court ruled that sex discrimination was unconstitutional.

she read the brief, rbg co—wrote the brief, for the aclu that basically ended up providing all the reasons why sex discrimination had to be unconstitutional under the 14th amendment. as ruth bader ginsburg's reputation as a trailblazer for women's rights grew, she was made a federal judge by president jimmy carter. then came the ultimate honour. i, ruth bader ginsburg, do solemnly swear... it was president bill clinton who nominated her to the supreme court in 1993. in the hearing she defended a woman's right to choose an abortion. she became only the second female justice in history, defying those concerned about her age. i was aged 60 when i was nominated. and some people thought i was too old for the job. well now i am into my 27th, starting my 27th year on the court, so i am one of the longest tenured justices. so if you worried about my age... it was unnecessary.

laughs. ruth bader ginsburg was a powerful author of legal opinions. when the court ruled in favour of george w bush in 2000, effectively deciding the presidential election in his favour, she famously wrote the dissent. as more conservative justices were appointed to the court in recent years, her dissenting opinions were more frequent, and her legacy became clear. 0n the court she continued to legitimise and extend the rights of women. in the workplace, in education, in all walks of life. but beyond that, she continued to work for the expansion of rights, the recognition of rights, for all people. ruth bader ginsburg's distinctive legal voice made her a cult figure. she was parodied on late—night tv, the subject of books, t—shirts and a documentary, much to her surprise.

it is amazing. laughs. i am soon to be 87 years old, and everyone wants to take a picture with me! laughs. she had to apologise for calling then—candidate donald trump a "faker" in 2016, a rare misstep. in herfinal years she battled cancer repeatedly, receiving treatment while still working. democrats willed her to stay in thejob, fearing president trump would replace her with a conservative leaning justice, cementing the court's tilt to the right. ruth bader ginsburg will be remembered as a champion of women's legal rights and a leading liberal voice on the supreme court. it's just past 11 o'clock in washington, and the crowd has gathered outside the steps of the supreme court, that is right in the centre of the

nation's capital. we have heard them singing, some are milling around and of course many will have questions about what her death does for the balance of the supreme court. a short time ago, i've spoke to katty kay and washington. she had metal gender discrimination, she's been battling cancer for years, and she was much loved and she became this iconic figure, she had these famous workout routines where she would do push—ups and lift weights right into her mid 80s, the rpg workout became something of a cult following and so i think there is a lot of affection for her and her ferocious commitment to the institution of the supreme court and to liberal values, of course. to

democrats she was a hugely important legalfigure democrats she was a hugely important legal figure and then of course there are the politics of this too, so it's a moment of, you've got these big forces coming into play and the death of one woman has become a tectonic shift in american politics with what it is, five weeks or six weeks to go until the us election. just sticking on her role as a trailblazer, 114 supreme courtjustices in history, of whom only four were women. ruth bader ginsburg was the second, so when she was nominated in 1993, it was still highly unusual to have a woman on the court, and in history is still trailblazing. she was hugely important and she took women's right and promoting women's right and promoting women's rights very seriously throughout her whole career and she made her legal name by battling sex discrimination in the workplace, that is how she came to prominence in the

country, the famous case that the film about her life is based on and then it took another whole presidency, we went all through the bush years and there was not another woman appointed and we got into president 0bama's presidency and he appointed two more women but still, that is a total of four, it is not very many so 110w four, it is not very many so now we're back out of the supreme court of nine, we gone down to eight and there are now only two women on the supreme court, both liberals, both appointed by president barack 0bama and we will see who replaces ruth bader ginsburg, and how many members of the us senate are prepared to allow the nomination and the confirmation of a supreme court justice to take place in this very fee election atmosphere. in her own lifetime, ruth bader ginsburg unusually, for a supreme courtjustice, criticised the president, in this case president trump, it is some irony, then, that he might get to choose her

replacement. there is a statement coming up this evening saying that her dying wish was that she wanted the next president to be the person who chose her success at. she didn't specify whether that next president would bejoe biden or donald trump, but she wa nted biden or donald trump, but she wanted at least to get through the selection and i guess, because she a democrat, have at least the chance that that would be joe and least the chance that that would bejoe and not donald trump, who replaced her. i did speak to one democrat this evening who said to me, it is no secret in democratic circles that a lot of democrats wished that a lot of democrats wished that she had retired during president 0bama's time because then he could have chosen her successof then he could have chosen her successor and ensured that there would have been a liberal replacing a liberal, because these are lifetime appointments and you would have then had potentially 30 years of a democrat on the supreme court and other democrats are facing the prospect of losing another seat on the supreme court and being really unbalanced where

you would have six republicans and three democrats. for those just tuning in the immense amount of coverage, can you sum up amount of coverage, can you sum up how important the supreme court is to america and why we are discussing the death of a judge, why that matters. are discussing the death of a judge, why that matterslj think judge, why that matters.” think it is something that really took me by surprise when a first moved to america, so much attention is placed around the world to presidential elections, the senate election, perhaps even congressional elections and we don't really think about these nine judges who sit on the supreme court of the united states, who are nominated by a president for reflecting their political values, they are political appointees and they are there for life and the supreme court really affects an enormous amount of american life, it affects what you do in your bedroom, it affect where you can go to school, race issues, who you can marry, gay rights

in the country, financing for elections, i can't think of an aspect of american life where the supreme court, at some point, is not called away on and what the supreme court rules becomes the law of the so having that supreme court body and your political favour is an enormous triumph, if you are a republican or a democrat, you really wa nt republican or a democrat, you really want to republicans supreme court and if you are a democrat he really wanted democratic supreme court, and democrats tonight, i head one say to me, everything is up for grabs if the republicans take control of the supreme court, six republicans to three democrats, abortion rights up forgrabs, democrats, abortion rights up for grabs, gay rights are up for grabs, gay rights are up forgrabs, for grabs, gay rights are up for grabs, race equality in the country is up for grabs, voting rights are up for grabs, they really feel this is a moment where they could be using a huge amount of power and where america could be about to become a much more conservative country for years to come, however is a link it in november.

both contenders for the presidency have given their reaction to the news. she led an amazing life. what else can you say? she was an amazing woman, whether you agree or not, she was an amazing woman who led an amazing life. i'm actually sad to hear that. i am sad to hear that. let me be clear, that the voters should pick the president and the president should pick the justice for the senate to consider. this was the position the republican senate took in 2016 when there were almost ten months to go before the election. that's the position the united states senate must ta ke the united states senate must take today, and the election is only 46 days off. i think the fastestjustice ever only 46 days off. i think the fastest justice ever confirmed was 47 days, and the average is

closer to 70 days, so we should do this with full consideration, and it is my hope and expectation that that is what will happen. geoffrey korn is a professor at south texas college of law. he described to me the news of miss regensburg's death as catastrophic. there are so many variables now, it is really troubling. a red that her dying wish was that she not be replaced until a new president has been inaugurated, but i don't think there's any whatsoever that president trump is going to refrain from trying to push a nominee through. let's break this down, we will look at the political consequences and just a second but just first of all, consequences and just a second butjust first of all, i wonder if you would sum up the impact she has had, both on the law and on the united states as a

whole. let's start with the second question. 0n the united states as a whole, she has been a genuine icon of equality, of the respect for the rights of women and the advancement of women and the advancement of women in their careers. there has been a movie about her, i can tell you as a law professor that she is an absolute inspiration to so many of my students, even those who disagree with her politically have such admiration for the quality of her writing, the quality of her writing, the quality of her opinions, her integrity, her honour and, quality of her opinions, her integrity, her honourand, i think that they, can tell you because i have been watching on social media, they have been feeling a huge loss as they project their lives and the law for decades to come that this is just for decades to come that this isjust tragic. in for decades to come that this is just tragic. in terms of her effect on the law, she has written some profoundly significant opinions. interestingly, she is allied

some conservative justice on some conservative justice on some libertarian issues particularly in relation to the protection of criminal defendants. she was an ally of a justice on the issue of a defendant's right to confront witnesses against him or her in a courtroom, but most importantly what people have to understand is that even if you are in the dissenting wing of the court, even if you are writing the dissenting opinion, those dissenting opinions, and a very divided court often other seeds that are planted for changes that will blossom in the future and she has planted some remarkably significant seeds, even in the opinions where she was in the minority. talking about opinions in the minority, perhaps the most famous when it comes to mind is when she simply said, i descent, about bush— gore we normally caught etiquette would have you say, a respectfully descent, that was clearly something that stuck

with her and are publicly angry way. that's true, and i think that also signals to you why we should have no expectation that president trump is going to follow mitch mcconnell‘s collegiate model from the last president, when he refused to allow garland walk to be brought before the senate, merrick garland, i'm sorry. the president knows that this election may end up in the courts again, and how great would it be to have a conservative justice that he has appointed phil that seat in the event that some contested issue in this election ends up before the supreme court? and now, obviously we have to, evenin and now, obviously we have to, even in the aftermath of ruth bader ginsburg's death, into potential nominees. we know who they might be because president trump himself said, on september 12, there is a list of 20, some senators may not be interested , of 20, some senators may not be interested, there are other

federaljudges, knoll francisco, paul clements, the za rate francisco, paul clements, the zarate x ofjudges and lawyers. are you familiar with some of these? paul clement was a very significant player in the bush administration when he was representing the government in a lot of the litigation remitted —— related to guantanamo and detainees. i think it will be a very politically oriented appointment. he has to motivate his base. that will be a factor. how will the appointment impact the turnout of his base, which he knows is so vital to overcome what appears to be a reducing but still significant lead thatjoe biden has right now. stay with us on bbc news. still to come: one of the best—known judges on the us supreme court, ruth bader ginsburg, has died. we look on her life and the potentially huge political

consequences of her death. 30 hours after the earthquake that devastated mexico city, rescue teams still have no idea just how many people have died. there is people alive and there is people not alive. we just can help and give whatever we got. a state funeral has been held for princess grace of monaco, at the church where she married prince rainier, 26 years ago. it looked as though they had come to fight a war. but their mission is to bring peace to east timor, and nowhere on earth needs it more badly. the government's case has been forcefully presented by monsieur badinter, the justice minister. he's campaigned vigorously for abolition, having once witnessed one of his clients being executed. elizabeth seton spent much of her time at this grotto, and every year hundreds of pilgrimages are made here. now that she's become a saint, it is expected that this area will be inundated with tourists. the mayor and local businesses regard the anticipated boom as yet another blessing of saint elizabeth.

this is bbc world news. the latest headlines: us supreme courtjudge ruth bader ginsburg has died. she was 87. she had been undergoing treatment for pancreatic cancer. mark fisher isa pancreatic cancer. mark fisher is a senior newsletter for the washington he told me more about the justice's legacy. certainly shall have an extraordinary legacy when it comes to protecting individual rights in the united states. a long history of was an advocate for the civil liberties union. pushing for women's rights, voting rights, abortion rights, she spent much of her career on the supreme court on the minority side, the losing side, so she was known more for her fiery dissents on behalf of

those rights than for any setting of new direction in the law. but, politically, her legacy will be much more mixed. there will be serious questions raised as historians look back at her decision in 2016 not to resign from the court and give president barack 0bama another opportunity to nominate a liberal justice, but opportunity to nominate a liberaljustice, but rather to cling to her seat despite her poor health, and so to give, as we now find, donald trump a third crack and adding a conservative to this court. ruth bader ginsburg criticised donald trump openly. i think the supreme court chiefjustice john robert had to have a word with her. it must be a bitter irony for her supporters that she has died under president trump's tanya, potentially giving him the chance to nominate not just giving him the chance to nominate notjust a successor but in some ways surely to define her legacy on the court

—— tenure. define her legacy on the court -- tenure. yes, unless there is suddenly a rebellion by republican senators, this will bea republican senators, this will be a 6—3 conservative majority on the supreme court for the first time in some years, and so that certainly tarnishes ruth bader ginsburg's political legacy. there are many women and men in the united states would find that statement outrageous because they are very defensive of ruth bader ginsburg's place in history. the second monitors serve on the supreme court and for many yea rs the supreme court and for many years she was the only woman on the court. and so she is seen asa the court. and so she is seen as a trailblazer and historic figure by many people and they believe she had no obligation to leave the court to give 0bama another chance to place a younger liberal on the court, but i think you will hear from a number of historians, both liberals and conservatives, who would say that would have been the politically wise thing for

her to have done. mark fisher from the washington post. as well as reaction from president trump andjoe well as reaction from president trump and joe biden, there has been a lot of reaction from those on both sides of politics in the us. republican senator lindsey graham tweeted this. he went on to say. chuck schumer is the democratic minority leader in the senate. this is what he said tonight. crucially, he went on to say: well, mitch mcconnell, the

republican majority leader in the senate has released a statement mourning the death of justice ginsburg, but he also makes the point that the senate, controlled by the republicans, will vote on president trump's potential nominee for the position. well, betsy west is the filmmaker behind the documentary about justice ruth bader ginsburg. it was called simply rbg. i think in some ways people have been holding their breath, because she has been sick for several years, often on with cancer. but ruth bader ginsburg was an extraordinarily determined and, you know, energetic octogenarian... you know, energetic octogenarian. .. she was famous for her workouts. yeah, she was hanging on. and certainly in our documentary we filmed her doing the workout that was really one of the most amazing scenes i have really one of the most amazing scenes i have ever really one of the most amazing scenes i have ever witnessed. she came in their with a

sweatshirt that said super diva. and she didn't look at us and she didn't look at the camera, and she just was and she didn't look at the camera, and shejust was paying attention to her trainer, brian johnson, and he was putting her through her paces. i think she was a role model for so many people on so many different levels and, certainly for older women in terms of keeping herself going. there are not that many people who are well into their 80s when they get a cool into their 80s when they get a cool, catchy nickname. she did! rbg. tell us about that. yeah. they call her notorious rbg, which is the play on notorious big. and she used to make a joke about this. did she know who the notorious big was, the rapper, did you have any idea who we should —— been compared to? not at first. but i think her grandchildren filter in and then she is to say, well, we

had a loss in common. we were both born and bred in brooklyn —— a lot in common. both born and bred in brooklyn -- a lot in common. that's true. that was a surefire lifeline. she had a great sense of humour about herself. and, you know, she got that nickname because of the very stinging dissents she was writing as the supreme court was moving to the right and more and more conservative decisions on voting rights and reproductive rights and she really told it like it is. and younger people just gravitated to the idea of this feisty older woman who was speaking truth to power and the notorious rbg hashtag just took off. she was someone who was determined to work through life—threatening illness, almost up to the end. yes, absolutely. she... laughter was

extraordinary in the number of times were get an alert that she had been to the hospital, she had been to the hospital, she had been to the hospital, she had fallen and broken her ribs, she had another recurrence of cancer, she was having chemotherapy, she kept going. she would, you know, she rarely would miss a day in court and she kept up with all the opinions. i have to see, this woman loved the law. she loved herjob. she loved what she was doing. and i think she felt she was making a contribution to her country and as long as she could do what she was going to be in there. betsy west there. a reminder of our breaking story, the us supreme court justice ruth bader ginsburg has died. she was 87, she had been undergoing treatment for pancreatic cancer. as one of four liberal justices pancreatic cancer. as one of four liberaljustices on the court her death raises the chances of president trump trying to raise the conservative majority. right now, on capitol hill, the u.s. —led now, on capitol hill, the u.s.—led flies at half—mast. the supreme court building,

which with gated —— ruth bader ginsburg occupied for 27 years is now without her. hello. well, i think most of us would agree that the last few days have been pretty decent on the weather front. we've had plenty of sunny spells. it's been pleasantly warm, and this spell of settled weather is going to continue through the weekend. there might be one or two showers in the far south of the country, brought by this low pressure which is actually close to spain and portugal. that's just encroaching into the south of the uk. but on the whole, it's looking absolutely fine, and the advice is make the most of this weekend because next weekend could be very different. much more like autumn. so, this is what it looks like early on saturday morning. you can see the showers there crossing the english channel, just about approaching cornwall and devon there by the second half of the morning or around about lunchtime. let's zoom in to the south and see where the showers will be. so, the thinking is cornwall, devon, maybe somerset, one or two possibly sneaking

into the isle of wight as well, but certainly north of the m4, it's looking mostly sunny. in fact, a beautiful afternoon on the way. bit of a breeze still blowing out of the east—northeast, but even in the north of the country, temperatures could nudge up to close to 20 celsius. the thinking is that later on in the afternoon, it might cloud over around the aberdeenshire coastline and also the north of england. there's a lot of cloud here in the north sea and that north—easterly wind will push some of that cloud closer to land. but the evening on the whole is looking fine for most of us on saturday. sunday's weather forecast is going to be a mostly bright if not sunny day. the winds will be just that bit lighter in the south and no further showers are expected in the south, so, a dry day and a warm one as well. temperatures possibly hitting the mid 20s in the south east of the country, cooler on the north sea coast, only around 15. the outlook for early next week, it is still looking fine, but midweek onwards, it's a complete change in fact, weather systems are expected to spiral up in the atlantic

and head in our direction. yep, you guessed it. autumn will be knocking on the door. so, a big change in the way for around about tuesday, wednesday onwards. now, the beginning of the week is looking absolutely fine and on monday, the south of the country with temperatures still hitting around 25 celsius, a little cooler by tuesday and from wednesday, it's all change.

this is bbc news,

the top stories: the us supreme court judge, ruth bader ginsburg, has died. she was 87 and had been undergoing treatment for pancreatic cancer. a row has already broken out as to whether or not donald trump should nominate a successor before november's presidential election. the world health 0rganization has warned that the coronavirus pandemic is not burning out or going away. the head of the who's health emergency programs says that northern hemisphere countries needed to do far more to combat the disease over the coming winter. states government has said that it will ban downloads of two chinese social media applications, they are wec and wechat. tiktok has as they are disappointed with the ruling are both companies are vowing to fight the decision.

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