US election as it happened: Amy Coney Barrett confirmed as Supreme Court judge as Trump holds rally in Pennsylvania

If you're wondering what is the significance of Amy Coney Barrett's appointment to the US Supreme Court, take a moment to read about Roe v Wade.

Norma McCorvey is not a household name but her alter ego, Jane Roe, is. In 1973, Roe was the plaintiff in the pivotal United States Supreme Court decision Roe v Wade, which legalised abortion across the country and became a touchstone for 50 years of conflict between the pro-life and pro-choice movements.

(Incredibly, in the 1990s McCorvey flipped to become a pro-life activist but revealed on her deathbed in 2017 that she had been paid to do so by evangelical groups.)

With Barrett – a devout Roman Catholic – now on the bench of the Supreme Court, Roe v Wade is once again in the eye of a political maelstrom.

Take a look at this Explainer, which my colleague Nick Bonyhady wrote after Barrett's nomination.

Twitter has flagged another Trump tweet about postal votes as misleading.

Returning to the White House from Pennsylvania, several hours ago, Trump tweeted: "Big problems and discrepancies with Mail In Ballots all over the USA. Must have final total on November 3rd." He provided no evidence for his assertion.

Experts say it may take days or even weeks to process the huge number of mail-in ballots, spurred by voters seeking to avoid crowded polling stations because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Some 42.7 million Americans have already voted by mail, part of the more than 63.6 million who have cast ballots ahead of the election, a record-breaking pace that could lead to the highest U.S. voter turnout by percentage in more than a century.

Twitter has hidden the tweet, saying it "might be misleading about how to participate in an election or another civic process". The social media giant has previously flagged Trump's claims on its platform about voter fraud as misleading.

Trump has repeatedly made unsubstantiated claims that "universal mail-in ballots" – whereby residents are sent voting papers without having to request them – will result in widespread fraud.

One in four ballots in 2016 were cast by mail.

Senator Marco Rubio, Republican chairman of the Intelligence Committee, has previously said of Trump's claims: "It's just not accurate."

with Reuters, AP

Already women's rights advocates and progressive Democrats, who fear Amy Coney Barrett will restrict abortion access in the US via the Supreme Court, are planning to protest her confirmation tomorrow (Tuesday US time).

During her confirmation hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee two weeks ago, Barrett, a favourite of Christian conservatives, sidestepped questions on abortion, presidential powers, climate change, voting rights, and other issues.

Previously, activists have dressed as characters from television series The Handmaid's Tale, based on the best-selling novel by Margaret Atwood about a totalitarian society in what used to be part of the US that treats women as property of the state.

Barrett belongs to a charismatic Christian group called People of Praise. An old directory lists Barrett as a "handmaid", a term for high-ranking female leaders, in the People of Praise religious group.

Republicans in the House of Representatives have tweeted a message to former Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton, following the confirmation of Amy Coney Barrett as the next Supreme Court judge.

It is Hillary Clinton's birthday in the US today. She is turning 73.

Most attendees at the White House celebrations (Monday night US time) for Amy Coney Barrett are wearing face masks.

At least three people are without masks: Trump, Barrett, and Chief Justice Clarence Thomas, who administered the Constitutional Oath.

A previous event celebrating Barrett’s nomination in the Rose Garden has been linked to the White House coronavirus outbreak that infected Donald Trump, the First Lady and their Barron Trump, and several other aides and campaign staff.

Amy Coney Barrett has taken the first of two oaths she needs to officially join the Supreme Court.

Justice Clarence Thomas has administered the Constitutional Oath to Barrett at an outdoor White House ceremony.

Chief Justice John Roberts is set to administer a second oath - known as the judicial oath - to the former federal appeals court judge at a private ceremony at the court tomorrow (Tuesday US time).

The 48-year-old Louisiana native will then be able to take part in the high court’s work.

A conservative, Barrett fills the vacancy created by the September death of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg, who led the court’s liberal voting bloc. Her addition likely will solidify a 6-3 conservative shift on the nation’s highest court.

This happened quickly. President Donald Trump has sworn in Amy Coney Barrett.

You can watch it live, below: