BREAKING NEWS

US Senate sets Thursday vote on high court nominee Sotomayor

The US Senate agreed to vote Thursday on confirming Judge Sonia Sotomayor as the first Hispanic Supreme Court justice. The historic vote on US President Barack Obama's first high court nominee will take place in midafternoon. The Senate will have debated her nomination to replace Justice David Souter for about two days. Nearly three-quarters of the Senate's Republicans have said they'll vote against Sotomayor, including all but one of the party's leaders. But with no Democrats publicly opposing her, she has more than enough support to be easily confirmed. The 55-year-old Sotomayor will become the third female justice on the court.