Friday morning news - April 8, 2022

For WORLD Radio, I'm Kent Covington. 

Senate confirms Jackson to Supreme Court » Ketanji Brown Jackson will be the next Supreme Court justice.

The Senate voted on Thursday to confirm President Biden’s nominee.

AUDIO: On this vote, the yeas are 53. They nays are 47, and this nomination is confirmed.

The 51 year-old appeals court judge will be sworn in when Justice Stephen Breyer retires over the summer.

All Democrats voted in favor of confirming Jackson. And three Republicans crossed party lines to vote “yes”—Senators Susan Collins, Mitt Romney, and Lisa Murkowski.

Her confirmation will make Jackson just the third black justice, after Thurgood Marshall and Clarence Thomas and the first black woman to serve on the high court.

Whitmer sues to protect abortion rights in Michigan » One of the big issues before the high court right now is that of life and abortion. And with that in mind, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer sued on Thursday to maintain access to abortion in her state. WORLD’s Kristen Flavin has more.

KRISTEN FLAVIN, REPORTER: Whitmer asked a Michigan court to overturn an existing abortion ban in the state that might take effect if the U.S. Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade later this year.

The Democratic governor filed the preemptive lawsuit against prosecutors in 13 counties with an abortion facility. That came as the nation’s high court considers allowing states to protect unborn lives much earlier in pregnancy and potentially even vacates Roe v. Wade, sending the matter back to the states.

Whitmer, who is up for reelection this year, requested the Michigan Supreme Court quickly take her case rather than let it wind through lower courts.

Michigan is among eight states with an unenforced abortion ban enacted before the 1973 Roe decision legalized abortion nationwide.

Reporting for WORLD, I’m Kristen Flavin.

NATO commits to increase military aid to Ukraine » NATO countries agreed Thursday to ramp up the supply of weapons to Ukraine, including hi-tech arms.

The decision came in the wake of disturbing evidence and reports of atrocities against civilians by Russian troops and this urging from Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba.

KULEBA: Either you help us now—and I’m speaking about days, not weeks—or your help will come too late.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said Thursday …

STOLTENBERG: Allies recognize the urgency of providing more support. And that was the main message from allies today.

U.S. Secretary of State Tony Blinken said “sickening images and accounts coming out of Bucha and other parts of Ukraine” have strengthened the West’s resolve to punish Russia and step up support for Ukraine.

BLINKEN: With each day, more and more credible reports of rape, killings, torture are emerging.

NATO still refuses to send troops or certain weapons to Ukraine or impose a no-fly zone. That is to keep NATO from being drawn into a direct conflict with nuclear-armed Russia.

But Western countries have provided anti-aircraft and anti-tank weapons to Ukraine, as well as equipment and medical supplies.

Texas sending immigrants to Washington » Texas Gov. Greg Abbott announced this week he is authorizing 900 buses to carry migrants who illegally cross the U.S.-Mexico border to Washington, D.C.

Abbott said the federal government can better address the needs of the thousands of migrants crossing the porous southern border each day and that the first stop will be the U.S. Capitol steps.

The Republican governor said President Biden has refused to visit the border to see the chaos that his policies have largely created.

ABBOTT: So we’re going to take the border to him by transporting the people that he is dropping off in local communities in the state of Texas and sending them to Washington by plane or by bus.

Abbott plans to announce more measures next week as part of his promised “unprecedented action” to address the immigration crisis.

State troopers near the border will also start stopping and inspecting commercial vehicles that human smugglers are known to use. This is expected to dramatically slow traffic.

State authorities also have orders to form boat blockades on the Rio Grande and install barbed wire in low-river crossings to deter migrants.

Border Patrol officials are preparing for up to 18,000 arrivals daily once Title 42 expires. That is a pandemic health rule that limits migrant crossings.

Big league baseball returns with lockout-delayed Opening Day » Major League Baseball is back. Opening Day was delayed by one week due to a lockout and a months-long labor dispute between owners and the players union.

But the boys of summer were back on the diamond on Thursday, starting with the Chicago Cubs hosting the Milwaukee Brewers.

AUDIO: There goes Ortega. Strike, throw down to second, tag … got him! Omar Narvaez cuts down Rafael Ortega, and that’s how the first inning ends for Chicago.

Twelve other teams took the field Thursday, including Cleveland’s big league ball club wearing new uniforms and a new name. Formerly known as the Indians, the team is now the Cleveland Guardians.

And the reigning World Series Champion Atlanta Braves hosted the Cincinnati Reds at home.

The league ultimately did not cancel any games. It merely delayed them. Teams will play a few scheduled doubleheaders and sacrifice a few off days to make up for the lost week.

I’m Kent Covington. For more news, features, and analysis, visit us at wng.org. 

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