Top eight today

Top eight stories for today including President Joe Biden headed to Europe amid a raging war in Ukraine; Republican lawmakers succeeded at discarding new electoral maps for Wisconsin; Senators continued their marathon interview of Supreme Court nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson, and more.

National

Dems assail GOP posturing as Supreme Court confirmation barrels on

Continuing their marathon interview of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson, Republicans brought little new evidence for their attempt to denigrate the Supreme Court nominee.

Supreme Court nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson arrives for her Senate Judiciary Committee confirmation hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, March 23, 2022. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)

US formally accuses Russian forces of war crimes in Ukraine

As civilian deaths continue to tally up, the Biden administration formally declared Wednesday that Russia’s military forces have committed war crimes one month into the country’s brutal invasion of Ukraine.

A cloud of smoke rises after an explosion in Lviv, Ukraine, on Friday, March 18, 2022. (AP Photo)

Regional

Wisconsin GOP gets high court to junk electoral maps

Republican lawmakers succeeded Wednesday at discarding new electoral maps for Wisconsin that created an extra majority-Black district.

People vote at the Milwaukee County Sports Complex in Franklin, Wis., on Nov. 3, 2020. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)

207-year-old whaling ship found in Gulf of Mexico

Researchers say the wreck of a whaling ship more than two centuries old has likely been identified near the mouth of the Mississippi River.

The artifacts shown here, including the tryworks and an anchor, helped confirm that the shipwreck explored during a February 2022 dive is likely the remains of Industry, an historically significant 19th century whaler. (NOAA Ocean Exploration, 2022 ROV and Mapping Shakedown via Courthouse News)

Alabama aims to stop spread of fatal deer disease after second confirmed case

Alabama wildlife officials have been able to hold off the introduction of chronic wasting disease in the state’s deer population for years, but it was recently detected in two hunter-harvested white-tailed deer in the northwestern part of the state.

Texas high court urged to reject challenge to new legislative map

The Texas Supreme Court heard oral arguments Wednesday in a case challenging the Legislature's newly apportioned districts for the state House and Senate.

The Texas State Capitol in Austin. (Kirk McDaniel/Courthouse News)

Ex-militia member testifies against group accused of planning to kidnap Michigan governor

The trial against four men accused of plotting to kidnap Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer continued Wednesday morning with testimony from a former militia member who turned into a government witness.

This combination of photos shows, top row from left, Brandon Caserta and Barry Croft; and bottom row from left, Adam Dean Fox and Daniel Harris. The men are standing trial on federal charges accusing them of a plot to abduct Michigan's Democratic Governor Gretchen Whitmer in 2020. (Kent County Sheriff, Delaware Department of Justice via AP)

International

Biden heads to Europe as war rages in Ukraine

U.S. President Joe Biden headed to Europe on Wednesday amid a raging war in Ukraine and growing tensions between Russia and the West.

President Joe Biden waves as he boards Air Force One at Andrews Air Force Base, Md., on Wednesday, March 23, 2022. Biden is traveling to Europe to meet with other world leaders on Russia's invasion of Ukraine. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)