US Senate Confirms Jackson to the Supreme Court

^{PHOTO: U.S. SENATE VOTING ON PRESIDENT BIDEN'S SUPREME COURT NOMINEE KETANJI BROWN JACKSON SOUNDBITES FROM DEMOCRATIC SENATOR DICK DURBIN AND REPUBLICAN SENATOR MITCH MCCONNELL U.S. VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS ANNOUNCING FINAL}

INTERNATIONAL: On Thursday 7 April, the US confirmed Ketanji Brown Jackson as the first Black woman to serve on the country’s highest court. This milestone is a victory for President Joe Biden whose campaign promise included a broader range of diversity in the federal judiciary.

Jackson, a 51-year-old appeals court judge with nine years of experience on the federal bench, was confirmed 53-47, mostly along party lines but with three Republican votes–senators Susan Collins, Lisa Murkowski, and Mitt Romney crossed the party lines for the confirmation. Presiding was vice President Kamala Harris, the first Black woman to reach that high office.

Of the 115 people who have served on the Supreme Court since its 1789 founding, all but three have been white.

Jackson will become the sixth woman justice ever, and for the first time, four women justices will be serving together.

Jackson will take the place of 83-year-old Stephen Breyer when the court's current term ends - usually in late June… she’ll be sworn in after that.

Yemen’s President Delegates Power to Presidential Council

^{PHOTO: GENERAL VIEWS OF STREETS OF SANAA, ADEN PEOPLE COMMENTING ON THE RESIGNATION OF YEMEN'S PRESIDENT}

INTERNATIONAL: A glimpse of peace to the seven-year war was seen when Yemen’s president delegated power to a presidential council and dismissed his deputy on Thursday 7 April as Saudi Arabia moved to strengthen an anti-Houthi alliance amid U.N.-led efforts to revive negotiations for peace.

Yemen's warring sides, in a major breakthrough, agreed last week on a two-month truce that began on Saturday, the first since 2016. The deal eased a coalition blockade on areas held by the Houthis, who ousted Hadi's government from the capital, Sanaa, in late 2014.

Hadi took the helm of a crumbling state a decade ago in a Gulf-backed transition plan after protests that brought down President Ali Abdullah Saleh, who was later killed.

Analysts say the new council aims to unify anti-Houthi ranks by giving more parties a seat at the table. With Hadi effectively out of the equation and his controversial deputy dismissed, the hope is the Houthis may also be more amenable.

Houthi chief negotiator Mohammed Abdulsalam criticized the move as a farce.

Colombia Flood Kills at least 11

^{PHOTO: AERIAL SHOTS OF DISASTER AREAS SOUNDBITE FROM ANTIOQUIA GOVERNMENT}

INTERNATIONAL: Flooding caused by torrential rain in Colombia's Antioquia province has killed at least 11 people, local authorities said on Thursday 7th April.

Anibal Gaviria, the governor of Antioquia province, said between 10 to 14 people was still missing. In addition to the deaths, 10 people are injured, the statement added.

The flooding occurred late on Wednesday (April 6), when rains in Antioquia's Abriaqui municipality flooded a camp at the El Porvenir mine, as well as part of the mining operation, provincial disaster management agency DAGRAN said.

Flooding is common during Colombia's wetter seasons, while landslides are frequent due to the mountainous terrain and poor or informal construction of houses.