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[ad_1] WASHINGTON: The US Senate girded Friday for a critical, too- close-to-call vote on moving ahead with the nomination of Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court, as Republicans brushed aside complaints by Democrats that a new FBI probe of sexual assault allegations against him was rushed and incomplete. A final vote could come Saturday on President Donald Trump's embattled candidate, who if approved would seal a conservative majority on the nine-seat court for decades. It is not a done deal, however. Republicans hold a 51-49 majority in the chamber and three of their members are seen as undecided on Kavanaugh, as a confirmation process that has gripped the city and the nation and aggravated already deep political divisions reaches its climax with just weeks to go before mid-term elections. Under new rules approved last year, 50 votes are needed for victory in Friday's procedural vote. It is on ending debate on the confirmation and moving to a formal and definitive confirm...

[ad_1] Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption "I think that something happened, but that she's got the wrong person." US President Donald Trump is facing criticism from fellow Republicans after he mocked a woman who says she was assaulted by his Supreme Court nominee. Senators Jeff Flake and Susan Collins, both key votes to confirm Brett Kavanaugh, spoke out a day after Mr Trump's remarks at a Mississippi rally. Mr Flake called the president's comments "appalling", and Ms Collins said they were "just plain wrong". Last week Mr Trump called Christine Blasey Ford a "compelling" witness. Mr Flake - who joined a committee vote in favour of the judge so long as an FBI investigation was held - told NBC's Today show he wished the president had not spoken out. "There's no time and no place for remarks like that," he said on NBC's Today show. Media playback...