Elena Kagan is to become the newest member of the 9 person Supreme Court in the US, its highest judicial body, according to a piece in the Guardian.
She represents President Obama's second successful pick for the court, and carries left wing hopes that she may be able to nudge it in liberal directions.
Kagan is the second woman to be elected to the body with Obama's support (following Sonia Sotomayor in August 2009) and only the 4th woman to serve in its 221 year history.
Obviously the gender of Supreme Court justices is less important than their willingness to engage with women's issues, but given that female representation on the body has doubled during Obama's time as president this seems like another step in the right direction.
