This is bbc news with the latest headlines for viewers in the uk and around the world. Democratic Party Senators in the us say the confirmation of amy Coney Barrett, to the Supreme Court would be a disaster for the rights of ordinary americans, as she makes a pitch for the job. I believe americans of all backgrounds deserve an independent Supreme Court. That interprets our constitution and laws as they are written. I believe i can serve my country by playing that role. All eyes on florida, as trumps supporters flock to his First Campaign rally, since he was diagnosed with covid. England is told to brace itself as a new three level alert system to fight coronavirus is introduced. But will it work . No one wants to impose these kinds, least of all me, wants to impose these kinds of restrictions, erosions of our personal liberties. Bangladesh plans to introduce the Death Penalty for rape, after days of public protests about Sexual Violence against women and girls. We report from the devastated region of Nagorno Karabakh as a ceasefire between armenia and azerbaijan comes under more pressure. Hello and welcome if youre watching in the uk or around the world and stay with us for the latest news and analysis from here and across the globe. Amy Coney Barrett is soft spoken, thoughtful and deliberate. The political furore surrounding her appointment
to the us Supreme Court in anything but. Democrats are incensed at a nomination process they today called shameful while republicans can barely contain their glee at getting the chance to tilt americas highest court in a more conservative direction for decades to come. Aleem maqbool reports. If confirmed, amy Coney Barrett will play a huge role in shaping society for children, and four children for years to come. The stakes are that high. The republican chair of the Senate Committee making the decision once promised not to try and confirm a Supreme Courtjustice in the last year of a president ial term. But he has reneged on that. This is going to be a long, contentious week. I would just ask one thing of the committee. To the extent possible, lets make it respectful. In their opening statements, democrats focused on what they
called extremist views held by amy Coney Barrett. They said these would threaten the Health Care Provision for millions of americans, and many other aspects of american life. With this nomination, equaljustice under law is at stake. Our Voting Rights are at stake. Workers rights are at stake. Consumer rights are at stake. The right to a safe and legal abortion is at stake. One man is dead set on making sure that amy Coney Barrett is appointed before the election, heavily tilting the Supreme Court conservative. The gathering he had to announce her nomination just over two weeks ago is now thought to have been a coronavirus super spreader event. Controversially, some of those who tested positive there participated in the hearing today. Thank you, mr chairman. Some said that the process had been postponed but kept
returning to the way in which amy Coney Barrett would shape policies, something that she said would not be herjob. But courts are not designed to solve every problem or right every wrong in our public life. The policy decisions and value judgements of government must be made by the political branches, elected by and accountable to the people. Her nomination comes after the death of ruth brady ginsberg, the iconic and pioneering justice. Some of those protesting the new nomination feel strongly that the American People who had only voted in their millions should already voted in their millions, should be the ones to decide whether the next justice is conservative or liberal. Republicans say the public already recorded their view and they voted for donald trump four years ago. Lets get more on todays events
from our correspondent in washington, lebo diseko. We heard some of the attacks on her about the health care and abortion, do we know precisely what her position is on those issues . Well, i think this is the thing, she herself has been very careful what she has said, particularly around the issue of abortion, and as we heard in that report just now, of abortion, and as we heard in that reportjust now, she also has been really clear in saying that she is going to be an independentjudge, and if she is confirmed, that she is not fair to put forward her personal views, she is there to interpret and follow the law. Her critics would point to rulings that shes made in the past that might give hints to what she might do on this Supreme Court. We heard Kamala Harris saying
that a womans choice to her own bodyis that a womans choice to her own body is at stake there. But republicans and amy Coney Barretts supporters have said that this is a case of religious intolerance, really, that shes being unfairly criticised for her religious beliefs before her own personal views which she has already said that she is not going to take into due Supreme Court should she be successfully nominated. So, ithink should she be successfully nominated. So, i think this really gets to the noble of the debate between the two sides here, republicans trying to paint democrats as being in tolerance, and democrats as being in tolerance, and democrats really try to have that conversation without falling into the trap of that. President trumka according to the latest polls, trailing joe biden, but pulling out all the stops at the moment, despite shifting some of his tv outspending stop while. Stop actually, i was just looking stop actually, i wasjust looking before we came in before i came in here
tone florida, the state of florida where he is on the way to at the moment is this huge rally that hes going to be holding in florida. That isa going to be holding in florida. That is a really important state fair. Poll aggregate puts joe biden is a really important state fair. Poll aggregate putsjoe biden three points 3. 7 points ahead, so thats going to be really worrying for Donald Trump Campaign team, for him as well, florida has a huge number of Electoral College votes, 29, so thats going to be really important, and he will be wanting to fire up his base there. That is a state that has a lot of latino voters that really will want to perhaps be attracted by Donald Trumps message that he strained to put forward that he is against socialism, that he is the man, really, to put forward democracy and their values. Joe bidens spending on tv ads in the run up to the election double that of donald
trump. Pledge 177,000,002 trumps 92, where is he at the moment because mike is he getting more out and about . Yes, he getting more out and about . Yes, he has been in the state of ohio today and another really important state. This is the rust belt, we have seen them into locations there today, also the big town hall event that would have been the day of the debate that was supposed to be between donald trump and joe biden, you will remember that was cancelled, instead, joe biden is having his own town hall event. He will be having that in pennsylvania, and the locations that hes choosing, ohio, pennsylvania, these rust belt states with high number of Electoral College votes, really show how important they are and how much is in play here. 0k, how important they are and how much is in play here. Ok, thanks very much, joe biden their life, i think, not for us, obviously, for himself there, in cincinnati. Thank you very much indeed. In europe, two of the countries
worst hit by coronavirus have seen a big jump in cases and hospital adminissions. Spain has registered nearly 28,000 more cases since friday, bringing the number of total infections to nearly 900,000. 200 people have died over the weekend, taking the total of more than 33,000. France has placed the southern cities of toulouse and montpelier under maximum alert along with paris, marseille and lille. Meanwhile, here in the uk, Prime Minister borisjohnson has introduced a three tier alert system classifying every area as being on medium, high or very high alert and put liverpool region under very high or tier three alert level. Heres our Political Editor laura kuenssberg. Stand by. We cannot see clearly what is ahead. But the Prime Minister is, reluctantly, marking the way to a tighter phase. The lecterns back in their place, despite repeated rule changes, coronavirus is not in retreat. The number of cases has gone up four times in four weeks, and is once again spreading among the elderly and vulnerable. These figures are flashing at us like dashboard warnings in a passengerjet, and we must act now. We are today simplifying, standardising and, in some places toughening local rules in england by introducing three levels of covid alert. Only 1. 5 million or so people in the Liverpool City Region will be in the toughest category, but in england more than 4 Million People face extra limits from this week. No one wants to impose these kinds of restrictions, least of all me, erosions of our personal liberty. But i am as convinced as i have ever been that the british people have the resolve to beat this virus and that, together, we will do just that. So, liverpools pubs will be shut by the time it is sarahs actual birthday later this week. Their wedding business has not had a job for six months, so she is taking on extra shifts as a nurse. Like many, they are worried about paying the bills and protecting the family. I worry about my kids not being able to socialise, go out and see their family and friends. So it has a big impact. Where businesses are forced to close, the treasury will pay some of the wages, but only two thirds from the start of next month. Rebecca owns the bar and worries it is not enough. A lot of our staff only do 17 hours a week, so if they are only going to be paid 66 of that, theyre not gonna be able to afford to live. But as cases rise, could we be stuck in a painful Holding Pattern . Prime minister, you have said many times you want to avoid a National Lockdown, but it seems every week you introduce new rules and cases still rise. Are you just delaying the inevitable . I really hope we are not going to have to go back into any kind of National Lockdown like we did in march and april. We could go for a National Lockdown again, but i think many people would think that was extreme. And it would do a great deal of extra harm to our economy. Professor whitty, are you confident what is being announced now is really enough to slow the spread of the disease . I am not confident, nor is anybody confident that the tier 3 proposals for the highest rates, if we did the absolute base case and nothing more, would be enough to get on top of it. That is why there is a lot of flexibility. Not exactly a ringing endorsement. And westminster wants local leaders to make some of the toughest calls. Here in the west midlands, many are unhappy about how the government made its decisions. The tory leader, cross that mixing with other households as being limited here. I think it is very disappointing. In my view, it is not the right decision for the health and livelihoods of citizens across the west midlands, and quite simply, there is very little evidence that locations like this pass on the disease. Rules vary still in wales and northern ireland. But scotland has already closed many pubs. We will be looking to align as closely as possible with the other uk nations. I think it is important, and it makes sense to try to do that. Labour does back the approach, but not how thejob is being done. I am now deeply sceptical that the government has actually got a plan to get control of this virus. But it increasingly feels like the Prime Minister is several steps behind the curve. The threat from this pandemic is sadly familiar, but the Political Climate is so different. Rather than step confidently forward, this place feels riven with doubt. The government of bangladesh is introducing the Death Penalty
for rape, after days of public protests about the high level of Sexual Violence against women and girls. The countrys law minister told the bbc that the president would issue an ordinance to that effect on tuesday. There was widespread outrage in bangladesh after a vicious gang attack on a woman which came to light last week when footage of the assault spread widely on social media. Joining me now is our south asia editor, anbarasan ethirajan. This decision, which seems to have been opposed imposed or announced ray quickly follows a wave of protests . Ray quickly follows a wave of protests . Yes, as you mentioned, there have been a number of rape incidents in the past in the few weeks that have really triggered outrage and anger across the country, despite the fears about this coronavirus pandemic, hundreds of people gathered in different parts of bangladesh, students, activists, even the common public, they were expressing their anger because there are many of these rape
cases that were not properly investigated, and have been happening again and again, in this particular two incidence you are talking about, they were gang rape incidents, and that is what the brutality of this incident. One of them, somebody shot a video, and this video went viral. People came to know that this woman was repeatedly raped over a period of time and they were able to get away with it because of lack of supervision from a lack of Law Enforcement and that is what triggered anger. These protests have really put pressure on the government and they want to be seen doing something, thats why they passed the Death Penalty and they hope this sentence or this punishment will act as a deterrent for any of these people who would wa nt to for any of these people who would want to commit this particular crime. And the conviction rate is absolute minuscule, five out of 4000 some cases actually result in a conviction. There has been developments on rape as well in pakistan. Talk us through that. So,
what happens is people believe, the rights activist think there is a culture of impunity in countries like bangladesh and neighbouring india and pakistan, and then this conviction rate is very low and many women do not even come forward to register this complaint because of the social stigma attacked attached to this incident. Some of these accused people are also closely linked with either the governing party or some of the Political Parties in the country. So, these people do not come forward to register their complaint or they get away using these political connections. Some activists also point out there should be a cultural Awareness Among society as well. Because another way people look at women, that needs to be changed, and that needs to be educated right from school itself. But what we see across, for example, in india, you have this horrible incident of the rape of a woman that triggered
nationwide anger and outrage, despite very tough punishment. So there needs to be a cultural change itself in society. Then this conviction, that is the most important thing, because many of these alleged rapists get away with it because the trial takes a long time, many people lose their interest in taking forward these cases, and also, these women who complain, they live with the stigma even when the cases continue for yea rs, even when the cases continue for years, they want to be able to get married because, as you know, many of these families go for arranged weddings, and these women, they have to keep fighting for their cases, and the whole family carries the burden. Thats one of the reasons why many people do not want to come forward to register these cases. 0k, thank you very much indeed. Stay with us on bbc news, still to come why aboriginal groups in australia are in mourning over the damage done to one of their sacred sites. Parts of San Francisco least affected by the earthquake are returning to life, but in the marina area where most of the damage was done they are more conscious than ever of how much has been destroyed. In the 19 years since he was last year, he has gone from being a little known revolutionary to an experienced and successful diplomatic operator. It was a 20 pound bomb which exploded on the fifth floor of the grand hotel, ripping a hole in the front of the building. This government will not weaken, democracy will prevail it fills me with humility and gratitude to know that i have been chosen as the recipient of this this prestigious honour. This catholic nation held its breath for the men they called the 33. And then. Bells toll. Bells tolled nationwide to announce the first rescue and chile let out an almighty roar. This is bbc news, the latest headlines. Us democrats have attacked the nomination of amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court during the first confirmation hearing. The uk Prime Minister borisjohnson has outlined a new three tier system of restrictions on daily life which he says are needed to stop the spread of coronavirus. Theres been more violence, between Ethnic Armenian forces and azerbaijani forces, around the disputed region of Nagorno Karabakh just days after a ceasefire was brokered. Both sides have accused each other of breaking the truce. Although internationally recognised as azerbaijani territory, Ethnic Armenian forces control the region. Our correspondent Steve Rosenberg sent this report from the city of stepanakert in Nagorno Karabakh where he has been speaking to People Living under constant shelling. When you drive into karabakh, the first thing you notice is the beauty of the place. Its different in the towns. What you see here are signs of war. In the town of martuni, armen shows me his house, or whats left of it. Despite the ceasefire, a shell landed here and killed his father. He blames azerbaijan. In the last karabakh war in the 1990s, armen lost two brothers. It is politicians who make war, he says, and ordinary people who suffer. Suddenly, air raid sirens. We head for cover. Officially, nagorno kara bakh is part of azerbaijan, but it is controlled by Ethnic Armenians. Ophelia has spent more than two
weeks down in the shelter. My house was destroyed and there is bombing every day, she says. Where else can i go . The graves of our grandparents and great grandparents are here, says vladimir. We are not leaving karabakh. I asked this lady, could she imagine peace between armenians and azerbaijanis . Thats impossible, she says. Weve lost so many young people, sons and brothers. In this conflict, there is a lot of history, h what there isnt much of it all, though, is trust, and until that can